The Impact of Overt and Relational Victimization on Adolescents' Well Being: Moderating Effects of Ethnicity at the Individual and School Level

Abstract

THE IMPACT OF OVERT AND RELATIONAL VICTIMIZATION ON ADOLESCENTS’ WELL BEING: MODERATING EFFECTS OF ETHNICITY AT THE INDIVIDUAL AND SCHOOL LEVEL By Krista Ruth Mehari, B.A. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science/Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2011 Major Director: Albert D. Farrell Professor of Psychology Department of Psychology The sociocultural influence of ethnicity on peer victimization among youth has received little attention in the research literature. Individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition may influence the frequency of victimization and the effect of victimization on adolescents’ well being. The current study investigated these issues using a data set of 5,581 sixth grade students attending 37 schools located in four sites. Multilevel models examined the extent to which individual ethnicity within school ethnic composition influenced the frequency and impact of overt and relational victimization on changes in life satisfaction. Ethnic differences were found in the frequency of victimization, but these differences did not vary across schools that differed in ethnic composition. Individual ethnicity, but not school ethnic composition, influenced the impact of relational victimization on life satisfaction. These findings shed light on the influence of ethnicity on victimization experiences and have implications for the role of ethnicity in adolescents’ development.