Teachers’ Perceptions of Self- and Peer-Identified Victims

Abstract

This study examined whether teachers perceived difference between youth with divergent self- and peer-reports of victimization who exhibit varying patterns of adjustment. Using an ethnically diverse sample of 1360 students from 5th grade classrooms (Mage = 12.01) in rural schools across the USA, we examined teachers’ perceptions of four different victim groups identified using latent profile analysis: convergent victims (high self- and peer-reports of victimization), self-identified victims (high self-, low peer-reports), peer-identified victims (high peer-, low self-reports), and nonvictims (low self- and peer-reports). We found that teachers perceived meaningful differences between victim groups on academic (e.g., problems paying attention), social (e.g., popularity, liked by peers), behavioral (e.g., aggression), and psychological (i.e., internalizing) indices as well as students’ involvement in bullying. Key findings include that convergent victims had more problems academically (i.e., paying attention in class) and were more frequently bullied compared to all other victim groups according to teachers. Teachers also viewed self-identified victims as having more psychological problems and as being more frequently bullied than nonvictims, although they perceived no differences between self-identified victims and nonvictims on indices of social functioning such as popularity, whether they were liked by peers, or whether they were a class leader. Implications for our understanding of different types of victims and suggestions for how teachers and school personnel may support them are discussed.