Peer Victimization Research Articles

A measure of attributions for peer victimization: psychometric properties and differences among bullying roles

ABSTRACT Attributional processes about why outcomes occur constitute an important mediating mechanism that can explain different reactions of both the targets of harassment and their peers. The present study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of a measure of attributions for victimization among adolescents, using Confirmatory Factor Analyses, and to examine differences among roles (i.e., not involved, bullies, victims, bully-victims) in self-blame attributions, by means of testing invariance. The sample consisted of 1,207 adolescents (54% females; Mage = 14.89; SD = 1.39). The results showed a multidimensional structure of the scale with three factors (Characterological self-blame, Behavioral self-blame, and External Attribution). Partial invariance was found across different roles, highlighting a difference in the latent means of Characterological Self-Blame, higher in the victim group than in the other roles. The findings suggested how victims showed biases in their interpretations of social situations attributing the negative experience to internal, stable, and uncontrollable causes.

Social support and risk of victimisation: the mediating role of emotional intelligence

ABSTRACT During adolescence, parental and peer support and emotional intelligence (EI) may play a protective role against the risk of becoming a victim of bullying. This study aims to assess the role of perceived parental and peer support in promoting individual EI, reducing the risk of victimisation. The sample consisted of 348 Italian middle and high school students. Victimisation risk, perceived parental and peer support, and EI were measured using questionnaires. A cross-sectional study and a Structural Equation Model with latent variables were conducted to assess the mediating role of EI in perceived parental and peer support and victimisation risk. Results indicated that EI fully mediated the association between perceived parent (β = .20, p ≤ .001) and peer support (β = .10, p ≤ .01) and victimisation risk. These data suggest the need to structure training to promote support in the social and family context to increase students’ EI and thus reduce the risk of victimisation among students.

Peer Victimization, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Chronic Pain: A Longitudinal Examination

Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSS) co-occur at high rates in youth and are linked to worse pain outcomes and quality of life. While peer victimization has been posited as a mechanism underlying the PTSS-pain relationship in youth, empirical evidence suggests that it may exacerbate both PTSS and pain. The present study aimed to longitudinally examine PTSS as a mediator in the relationship between peer victimization at baseline and pain-related outcomes at 3 months in youth with chronic pain. Participants included 182 youth aged 10 to 18 years recruited from a tertiary-level children’s hospital in Western Canada. At baseline, participants completed measures to assess pain (intensity and interference), peer victimization (relational and overt), and PTSS. The pain was reassessed at a 3-month follow-up. Primary hypotheses were tested utilizing a series of mediation analyses with PTSS as a proposed mediator in the associations between peer victimization and pain outcomes. Youth PTSS mediated the relationship between higher baseline relational victimization and higher 3-month pain interference while controlling for baseline pain interference. Three-month pain intensity was not correlated with peer victimization; thus, pain intensity was not included in the analyses. These findings reveal that PTSS may be an underlying factor in the co-occurrence of peer victimization and chronic pain in youth. Further research is needed to better understand the role of peer victimization in the maintenance of chronic pain to ensure appropriate, effective, and timely interventions that address the social and mental health issues impacting the lives of these youth as well as their pain. PerspectivePTSS may be an underlying factor in the co-occurrence between peer victimization and chronic pain in youth, highlighting the need to assess for both peer relationship problems and PTSS in youth with chronic pain.

Forms of Peer Victimization and School Adjustment Among Japanese Adolescents: A Multilevel Analysis.

The psychosocial correlates and consequences of peer victimization are well documented. However, there is limited knowledge about whether different forms of peer victimization (relational and physical) are predictive of school-based social and motivational factors among adolescents from non-Western cultures. The present study examined the relationship between individual and school-level forms of peer victimization and school adjustment among Japanese adolescents, and the mediating role that these factors may play. The Japanese sample (N = 6109 from 185 schools, Mage = 15.78, SD = 0.29, 51% girls and 49% boys) was drawn from a large international dataset, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018. Results showed that school-level relational victimization was associated with individual-level relational victimization, and school-level physical victimization was associated with individual-level physical victimization, after controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Individual-level relational victimization was also uniquely associated with indices of school adjustment (negative affect, positive affect, and fear of failure) over and above physical victimization. While controlling for relational victimization, individual-level physical victimization was associated with indices of school adjustment (positive affect and meaning in life). In further findings, school-level relational and physical victimization were indirectly, but not directly, related to some of students' school adjustment through individual-level relational and physical victimization. These parallel and differential associations suggest the importance of considering the role of relational and physical victimization in school adjustment among Japanese adolescents.

Balance of Power in Peer Victimization: The Role of Rivalry and Vulnerability

This study investigated characteristics associated with two kinds of peer victimization—bullying victimization and adversarial victimization—distinguished by different balances of power between the perpetrator and victim. Specifically, we examined whether bullying victimization (victim has less power than perpetrator) would be experienced to a greater extent by vulnerable adolescents with psychosocial difficulties (fewer close friendships, emotional symptoms) and less peer esteem (physical attractiveness, perceived popularity, dating popularity, and prestige). In contrast, we investigated whether adversarial victimization, in which the victim has equal or greater power than perpetrator, would be experienced by adolescents perceived as rivals because they are held in high esteem by peers. A total of 599 adolescents aged 9 to 14 years ( M = 11.93; SD = 1.40) completed a self-report measure of emotional symptoms and peer nomination measures of victimization, close friendship, physical attractiveness, dating popularity, perceived popularity, and prestige. Bullying victimization was negatively associated with close friendships, physical attractiveness, perceived popularity, and prestige, whereas adversarial victimization was positively associated with all four indicators of peer esteem. The results demonstrate the importance of measuring the power balance between the perpetrator and victim when studying peer victimization. Findings are discussed from an evolutionary perspective suggesting that victims of bullying are selected by perpetrators to achieve adaptive benefits while minimizing retaliatory, reputational, and social costs, whereas victims of adversarial aggression are targeted as rivals in competition for status and mates.

Moderators of the Link Between Social Preference and Persistent Peer Victimization for Elementary School Children

ABSTRACT Objective Current antibullying programs can reduce overall rates of victimization but appear to overlook processes that give rise to persistent peer victimization. Needed are studies that delineate the interplay between social contextual and individual difference variables that contribute to persistent peer victimization. We examined the extent to which two individual-difference variables – internalizing symptoms (IS) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) – moderated the link between children’s average social preference score across the school year and their status as persistent victims. Method Participants included 659 4th-grade students (Mage = 9.31 years, SD = 0.50, 51.8% girls; 42.3% Latinx, 28.9% non-Hispanic White, 10.2% Pacific Islander, 7.7% Bi/Multiracial, 1.9% Black, 1.7% Asian, 1.7% Native American, and 3.4% unreported) from 10 public elementary schools in the U.S. Results As expected, higher social preference scores predicted a decreased likelihood of being persistently victimized. Conversely, IS and AS were positively linked to persistent victim status. AS significantly moderated the link between social preference and persistent victim status such that for children with high AS, compared to those with AS scores at or below the mean, the negative association between social preference and persistent victim status was attenuated. Conclusions Findings provide evidence that children who experience high levels of IS and AS are at risk for being persistently victimized by peers and that high AS could signal increased risk for persistent victimization even when children are generally liked by peers. We discuss the implications of these findings for efforts to develop focused interventions for chronically bullied children.

The association between undergraduate nursing students' health literacy and bullying and cyberbullying victimization

BackgroundBullying and cyberbullying victimization are common among undergraduate nursing students. However, evidence regarding health literacy association with bullying and cyberbullying victimization is lacking. PurposeTo investigate the association between health literacy and bullying and cyberbullying victimization in undergraduate nursing students. MethodsA cross-sectional design was used with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (N = 397). The students completed three data collection scales (Forms of Peer Victimization Scale, Florence Cyberbullying–Cybervictimization Scales, and Health Literacy Questionnaire) and a demographics questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using cluster analysis and independent samples t-test. ResultsThe mean age of students was 20.93 (SD = 2.16). Cluster analysis revealed that there were two clusters; undergraduate nursing students in cluster 1 had lower scores on health literacy and higher scores on bullying and cyberbullying victimization. The t-test results showed that undergraduate nursing students with a history of bullying victimization had lower scores on health literacy scales than those who reported no exposure to bullying victimization (p < .05). The largest mean difference was found in the “social support for health” scale. ConclusionThe findings of this study provide evidence that health literacy is a key determinant of mitigating bullying and cyberbullying victimization in undergraduate nursing students.

The Pathways from Forms of Aggression and Peer Victimization to Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: A Gender-Informed Analysis.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40653-024-00622-9.

Technology-supported cooperative learning as a universal mental health intervention in middle and high school.

Adolescent mental health issues are a major public health concern, highlighted by the US Surgeon General as a crisis. Traditional school-based interventions show inconsistent success, creating a demand for effective solutions. This study evaluates the impact of technology-supported cooperative learning (CL) on adolescent mental health, focusing on positive peer relations and peer victimization. Participants included 813 adolescents (50.2% female; 70.7% White) from 12 middle and high schools in the Pacific Northwest. The study used hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) to assess the effectiveness of CL facilitated via PeerLearning.net. Implementing CL led to significant improvements in peer relations and reductions in victimization and mental health problems, with moderate-to-large effect sizes observed across different demographics. Positive peer relations significantly predicted lower victimization and improved mental health. The findings highlight the potential of technology-supported CL in addressing adolescent mental health by enhancing protective factors and reducing risks. Such interventions offer a scalable and sustainable approach for schools to address mental health challenges. Technology-supported cooperative learning offers a promising strategy for improving adolescent mental health, demonstrating significant benefits in peer relations and reducing victimization. This approach provides schools with an accessible and effective tool to tackle the mental health crisis among students.

Cognitive Reappraisal Moderates the Longitudinal Relationship between Adolescents' Peer Victimization and Self-Esteem. A Latent Interaction Model.

Poor self-esteem relates closely to youth maladjustment and appears to be predicted by peer victimization experiences. However, not all peer victimized adolescents face the same risk for self-esteem erosion over time. Drawing upon the Bi-Dimensional Framework for resilience and extant research, the present study examined the potential moderating role of cognitive reappraisal in the prospective relationship from peer victimization to self-esteem. To increase precision of findings the long-term impact of self-esteem on peer victimization was also tested. Self-reported data were collected from 285 early adolescents (Mage = 10.53 years, SD = 0.16; 54.0% girls) at two waves, spaced 1-year. Latent moderated structural equation analysis showed that peer victimization was negatively related to later self-esteem, but only for youth displaying low levels of cognitive reappraisal. For adolescents with high levels of cognitive reappraising, peer victimization was not found to predict any changes in self-esteem over time. The long-term impact of self-esteem on peer victimization was not supported. Overall the present study suggests that enhancing cognitive reappraisal could be a promising avenue for lowering risk for poor self-esteem in young individuals experiencing peer victimization.

The Protective Roles of Self-Compassion and Parental Autonomy Support Against Depressive Symptoms in Peer-Victimized Chinese Adolescent Girls: A Longitudinal Study.

Peer victimization (PV) is a common and serious problem in school contexts, which hinders adolescents' emotional development and social adaptation. The present study aimed to test the longitudinal relationship between PV and the increase of depressive symptoms (DSs) among Chinese mid-late adolescents using a two-wave longitudinal design and examine the buffering effects of self-compassion (SC) and parental autonomy support (PAS) on this relationship. A relatively large sample of Chinese high school students (N = 722, 52.1% boys; age at Time 2 = 16.23 years old, SD = 0.79) were surveyed annually at two time points. The results showed that PV at Time 1 positively predicted DSs at Time 2 after controlling for the DSs at Time 1. In addition, SC and PAS moderated the longitudinal relationship between PV and the development of DSs, while such moderating effects only existed in girls but not in boys. Specifically, the positive relationship between PV and DSs was non-significant among girls with higher levels of SC or PAS. Our findings highlighted that SC and PAS might be important protective factors buffering against DSs for victimized girls.

The moderating effects of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning among Chinese children.

There have been studies indicating that children's unsociability was associated with poorer socio-emotional functioning in China. Although some researchers have found that parenting behavior would influence the relationship between children's unsociability and adjustment, the role of parental psychological control has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning in Chinese children. A total of 1,275 students from Grades 3 to 7 (637 boys, Mage = 10.78 years, SD = 1.55 years) were selected from four public schools in Shanghai to participate in this study. Data of unsociability, peer victimization and social preference were collected from peer-nominations, and data of parental psychological control, depressive symptoms and social anxiety were collected from self-reports. There were positive associations between unsociability and peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety, as well as a negative association between unsociability and social preference. Parental psychological control moderated these associations, specifically, the associations between unsociability and peer victimization, social preference, and depressive symptoms were stronger, and the association between unsociability and social anxiety was only significant among children with higher level of parental psychological control. The findings in the current study highlight the importance of parental psychological control in the socio-emotional functioning of unsociable children in the Chinese context, enlightening educators that improving parenting behavior is essential for children's development.

Decoding the effects of varied peer victimization forms on depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents: An exploration through latent transition analysis.

This study aims to examine co-occurrence patterns of depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents and their associations with various forms of peer victimization. We collected longitudinal data from 1005 middle school students using the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Then we conducted latent profile analysis, latent transition analysis, and logistic regression analysis. The results reveal the presence of three depression-anxiety profiles among participants: low depression-anxiety group, moderate depression-anxiety group, and high depression-anxiety group. As verbal and relational victimization increase, adolescents are more likely to transition to a higher level of depression-anxiety profile. However, an increase in physical and property victimization predicts a transition to a lower level of depression-anxiety profile. The diverse effects resulting from different forms of victimization exhibit gender differences. For boys, an increase in relational victimization made participants in the moderate depression-anxiety group more likely to transition to the high depression-anxiety group, whereas this effect was not significant among girls. This study is theoretically significant for understanding the link between depression, anxiety, and their influencing factors. It suggests that educators, while addressing verbal and relational harm in adolescents, should reconsider the potential impact of physical and property harm. Opportunities to transform negative events into positive ones should be explored. Educators should tailor their focus based on gender, with a particular emphasis on addressing relational harm among male students. This underscores the need for differentiated approaches to effectively support students.

Alexithymia and peer victimisation: interconnected pathways to adolescent non-suicidal self-injury - ERRATUM.

Alexithymia and peer victimisation: interconnected pathways to adolescent non-suicidal self-injury - ERRATUM.

Joint Trajectories of Depression and Rumination: Experiential Predictors and Risk of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is common in adolescence. Rumination is a key risk factor and often co-occurs with depressive symptoms. This is the first study to examine the joint longitudinal trajectories of rumination and depressive symptoms as predictors of NSSI, and the adverse experiences associated with these trajectories. A community sample of 1,835 adolescents (55.9% male participants, 12.3 ± 0.5 years of age) completed questionnaires to assess adverse childhood experiences, rumination, depressive symptoms, and NSSI. Assessments were made 4 times over 18 months. A parallel process growth mixture model showed that youth with high trajectories of rumination but low trajectories of depression had moderately increased odds of NSSI (2.43-fold, 95% CI 1.53-3.91) compared with adolescents with low trajectories of both rumination and depression. Odds ratios (ORs) in adolescents with low trajectories of rumination but increasing or high trajectories of depression were similarly elevated, suggesting that high trajectories of rumination or depression were risk factors in isolation. However, odds were 10.06-fold greater (95% CI 5.68-18.02) when high trajectories of rumination occurred in tandem with high trajectories of depression. Multinomial logistic regression showed that male sex (OR 10.54, 95% CI 5.66-19.63), peer victimization (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.72-2.96), and parental alienation (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.46-2.57) were key determinants of membership in the highest risk group. Risk for NSSI is markedly increased in adolescents with high longitudinal trajectories of depression and rumination. Reducing exposure to peer victimization, cyber victimization, emotional abuse, parental alienation, and interparental conflict may reduce risk.

The longitudinal role of classroom defending norms in victims' psychological adjustment, causal attributions, and social comparisons.

Frequent exposure to victimization by peers is related to greater psychological problems. It is often assumed that peer victimization is associated with fewer psychological problems in classrooms where defending victims of bullying is common (i.e., a norm). The few studies testing this claim have been cross-sectional and have produced mixed findings. The current preregistered study examined whether the prospective link between victimization and psychological adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms and self-esteem) was moderated by classroom defending norms. Moreover, we aimed to explain why defending norms may have either beneficial or adverse effects on victims' adjustment, by focusing on two cognitive processes: victims' causal attributions and social comparisons. Three waves of data were collected among 3,470 Finnish fourth- to ninth-grade students from 227 classrooms (Mage = 13.04, 50.1% girls). Multilevel regression analyses showed that nonvictimized youth benefited from high defending norms, whereas victims' psychological adjustment did not vary as a function of defending norms. Therefore, no mediation analyses were conducted. Nonpreregistered additional analyses indicated that stable victims had greater psychological problems and higher self-blame over time in classrooms with higher defending norms. Thus, even though the majority of students seem to profit from defending norms, this might not be true for those who most urgently need help. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Concurrent and longitudinal associations of developmental language disorder with peer victimization in adolescence: evidence from a co-twin study.

Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) experience higher levels of peer victimization than their peers. However, it is not known if such associations reflect genetic and environmental confounding. We used a co-twin control design to investigate the association of language difficulties (DLD and separately poor pragmatic language) with peer victimization and compare the developmental trajectories of peer victimization across adolescence for those with and without language difficulties. Participants were 3,400 pairs of twins in the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), a UK-based population birth cohort. Language abilities were assessed via online tests at age 11 and peer victimization was self-reported at ages 11, 14 and 16. Language difficulties were defined as language abilities at least -1.25 SD below the mean of the TEDS sample. We performed linear regressions and latent growth curve modeling at a population level and within monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twin pairs. At population level, youth with DLD experienced higher levels of peer victimization at ages 11 (β = 0.27, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.20-0.35), 14 (β = 0.15, 95% CI 0.03-0.27) and 16 (β = 0.17, 95% CI 0.03-0.32) and a sharper decline in peer victimization between ages 11 and 16 compared to their peers without DLD. The associations between DLD and peer victimization were reduced in strength and not statistically significant in within-twin models. Moreover, there was no difference in the rate of change in peer victimization between twin pairs discordant for DLD. Results were similar for the association of poor pragmatic language with peer victimization. Associations between language difficulties (DLD and separately, poor pragmatic language) and peer victimization were confounded by genetic and shared environmental factors. Identifying specific factors underlying these associations is important for guiding future work to reduce peer victimization among adolescents with language difficulties.

Peer victimization and social anxiety in adolescence: a comparison between migrant and native students in Italy.

The first aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between bullying victimization and social anxiety in native and migrant adolescents in Italy. Specifically, it was hypothesized that migrant adolescents (in comparison with natives) experience more frequent episodes of bullying victimization, which in turn, may be a risk factor for the development of social anxiety symptoms. The second aim of the study is to explore the relationships from reflected minority categorization to perceived ethnic discrimination at school and social anxiety symptoms, in the subgroup of migrant students. Results showed that the migrant (vs. native) status was predictive of higher scores in social anxiety dimensions (Fear of Negative Evaluation, Social Avoidance and Distress in New Situations, and General Social Avoidance Distress), via the mediating effect of increased peer victimization. Moreover, in the subgroup of migrant participants, an indirect effect of reflected minority categorization on social anxiety was observed, mediated by perceived ethnic discrimination at school. These findings may contribute to the understanding of health inequalities among migrant and native people in the Italian context. Limitations and practical implications of the study were discussed.

How Peer Victimization in Childhood Affects Social Networking Addiction in Adulthood: An Examination of the Mediating Roles of Social Anxiety and Perceived Loneliness

ABSTRACT Research to date has rarely addressed the association between peer victimization in childhood and social networking addiction in adulthood, much less the internal mechanism underlying that association. By integrating the relational self-system processes model and the cognitive–behavioral model of pathological internet use, our study marked an initial effort to explore whether social anxiety and perceived loneliness independently and/or sequentially mediate the impact of peer victimization on social networking addiction. Using school-based random cluster sampling, we recruited 1,136 students at various colleges in eastern, central, and western China (mean age = 21.98 years, 56.2% women) to complete an online survey. The results confirmed social anxiety’s single mediation effect, perceived loneliness’s single mediation effect, and the serial mediation effect of social anxiety and perceived loneliness between peer victimization and social networking addiction. The findings suggest that certain psychopathological and cognitive factors mediate the effect of peer victimization in childhood on individuals’ symptoms of social networking addiction in adulthood both independently and sequentially. Our research contributes to clarifying how interpersonal stressors lead to psychopathological symptoms, maladaptive cognitions, and, in turn, addictive behavior, which has important implications for theory, interventions, and future research.

ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Problems During Middle Childhood: The Indirect Effect of Peer Victimization.

The present cross-sectional study evaluated whether traditional and/or cyber peer victimization served as mechanisms linking ADHD symptoms to sleep disturbance and sleep impairment in a sample of 284 third- through fifth-grade students (51.9% boys; 50.4% Hispanic/Latine) from two elementary schools in the United States. ADHD symptoms were assessed using teacher ratings. Children provided reports of their traditional and cyber victimization as well as their sleep disturbance and impairment. Results from path analysis models revealed significant indirect effects of traditional victimization on the links from ADHD symptoms to sleep disturbance and impairment. There was also a significant indirect effect of cyber victimization on the link from ADHD symptoms to sleep impairment. These findings suggest that experiences of traditional and cyber peer victimization may need to be addressed among children exhibiting ADHD symptoms in order to mitigate their risk for sleep problems and downstream effects on other domains of psychosocial functioning.