Associations Between Language Difficulties, Peer Victimization, and Bully Perpetration From 3 Through 8 Years of Age: Results From a Population-Based Study

Abstract

Background and Purpose Schoolchildren with language difficulties experience more peer victimization compared to their typically developing (TD) peers. Whether these children also bully their peers (bully perpetration) more than TD children is unclear. Furthermore, little is known about peer victimization and bully perpetration among preschool children with language difficulties and how it may be related to different paths of language difficulties. This study aimed to investigate associations between language difficulties, peer victimization, and bully perpetration from preschool to school age as well as the risk of peer victimization and bully perpetration for children with different developmental paths of language difficulties and mild language difficulties compared to TD children. Method The sample was drawn from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. Participants with completed questionnaires at 3, 5, and 8 years of age ( n = 22,628) were included. Paths between latent variables of language skills at 3, 5, and 8 years of age, peer victimization at 5 and 8 years of age, and bully perpetration at 8 years of age were examined with structural equation modeling. Logistic regression was used to investigate peer victimization and bully perpetration for predefined paths of language difficulties. Results Poor language skills at 3 and 5 years of age were associated with peer victimization at 5 years of age. Poor language skills at 5 and 8 years of age were associated with peer victimization and bully perpetration at 8 years of age. The association between poor language skills at 5 years of age and bully perpetration at 8 years of age was stronger for girls. Persistent paths of language difficulties at 3, 5, and 8 years of age showed the highest risk of peer victimization and bully perpetration. Conclusions Language difficulties are associated with peer victimization and bully perpetration. The risk of peer victimization and bully perpetration differs according to different developmental paths of language difficulties from preschool to school age.

Retrospective bullying trajectories in adults with self‐reported oral language difficulties

“…Regarding group differences, a greater proportion of participants with self‐reports of oral language difficulties experienced bullying victimisation at any point in their lives than a comparable control group. Therefore, our results evidence that people with language difficulties are at a higher risk for bullying victimisation, congruently with past research (Conti‐Ramsden & Botting, 2004 ; Knox & Conti‐Ramsden, 2003 , 2007 ; McCormack et al ., 2011 ; Øksendal et al ., 2021 ; Redmond, 2011 ; Savage, 2005 ; Sureda‐García et al ., 2021 ; van den Bedem et al ., 2018 ). The relation between bullying and language difficulties could be due to different reasons.…”

“…Concerning studies examining the relation between speech or language difficulties and bullying victimisation in children and adolescents, a recent study that analysed data from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (22 628 children) reveals that poor language skills at 3 and 5 years old were related to peer victimisation at 5 and 8 years old (Øksendal et al ., 2021 ). Another study comparing the level of peer victimisation among 60 children aged 7–8 years with developmental language disorder (DLD; previously called specific language impairment, SLI), attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or typical development (TD) revealed that children with DLD suffered significantly higher physical bullying behaviours than TD children, and presented a significant risk of peer victimisation (Redmond, 2011 ).…”

“…First, past research has predominantly addressed middle school and initial secondary educational levels, finding a general lack of research in preschool, initial elementary school, and post‐compulsory education. As seen above, children with language difficulties show a significant risk of peer victimisation as soon as 5–8 years old (McCormack et al ., 2011 ; Øksendal et al ., 2021 ; Redmond, 2011 ). However, research about language difficulties reveals that differential bullying victimisation might start at earlier ages, as children without language difficulties seem to be able to recognise others’ communication disorders at 3–4 years old, and respond negatively to these perceptions already in preschool (Ezrati‐Vinacour et al ., 2001 ; Gertner et al ., 1994 ; Langevin et al ., 2009 ).…”

The IARA Model Proved Effective in Emotional Literacy, Characters Strengths Awareness, and Cohesion among Italian Children

“…Indeed, literature demonstrated that failing in-group inclusion predicts school absences, long-term drop-out, and other social-emotional problems [12][13][14][15]. In turn, these factors predict unemployment, social exclusion, poverty, mental illnesses, psychiatric disorders [16][17][18], and bullying [19]. This latter factor, bullying, can cause immediate consequences in a child's life [19] and adverse outcomes in adulthood [20,21].…”

“…In turn, these factors predict unemployment, social exclusion, poverty, mental illnesses, psychiatric disorders [16][17][18], and bullying [19]. This latter factor, bullying, can cause immediate consequences in a child's life [19] and adverse outcomes in adulthood [20,21].…”