Cultural Validation of the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale in Nigerian Children

Abstract

This study attempted cultural validation of the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale for use with Nigerian children. In it, 240 primary school pupils in Grades 4 and 5 (131 boys and 109 girls; age 7 to 12) purposively selected from five nursery/primary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria, participated. The Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale was administered, and analysis yielded Cronbach's alpha of .78 for internal consistency and split-half reliability of .76. Principal component analysis identified four factors with Eigenvalues greater than 1.00, with all items loading above .49. Gender and age effects were not significant on total peer victimization score, although significant gender and age differences were observed on some subscales. The scale correlated significantly with the Buss and Durkee Aggression Scale. Results suggest the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale can be used to measure Nigerian children's experience of peer victimization and provide an initial step toward further cross-cultural work on peer victimization.

Confirmatory Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale

“…We examined performance of the MPVS in two samples representing different age groups: one study encompassing ages 9-14, and the other encompassing ages 15-17. While some psychometric properties of the MPVS have been explored in previous research with children and pre-adolescents (Balogun & Olapegba, 2007; Betts et al, 2015), this is the first investigation to examine properties of the scale in individuals from mid-late-adolescence. Mixture modeling (e.g., Boivin et al, 2010; Goldbaum, et al, 2003; Sumter, et al, 2012) indicates that subgroups of adolescents continue to be victimized by their peers despite overall normative declines in peer victimization, underscoring the need to assess peer victimization across developmental timepoints.…”

“…Next, we conducted confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) for ordered categorical (ordinal) data in Mplus 8 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998–2015) in the child and adolescent samples separately. This analysis is appropriate in later stages of scale development and tests of psychometric properties when the number of factors has been previously established (e.g., Balogun & Olapegba, 2007; Betts et al, 2015). We, therefore, assessed the fit of the data to the aforementioned four-factor structure of the MPVS, using chi square tests and model fit indices (specifically, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA).…”

“…The MPVS was developed for use among children aged 11-16 in England, and its factor structure was affirmed in a sample of 7-12 year olds in Nigeria (Balogun & Olapegba, 2007) using principal components analysis. Betts et al (2015) conducted a confirmatory analysis on 11-15 year olds in the UK and affirmed the factor structure in a mixed-gender sample.…”

Development of the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale–Revised (MPVS-R) and the Multidimensional Peer Bullying Scale (MPVS-RB)

“…Further, the factor structure has been replicated using principal component analysis with a sample of 7-to 12-year-olds from Nigeria (Balogun & Olapegba, 2007). However, whether the factor structure of the MPVS can be replicated using confirmatory factor analysis is unclear.…”

Adolescents’ Experiences of Victimization: The Role of Attribution Style and Generalized Trust

“…Multidimensional Peer-Victimisation scale (Mynard & Joseph's, 2000) which the MPVS-R is Running head: EXPERIENCES OF VICTIMISATION 12 based on has appropriate convergent validity and the factor structure has been replicated in previous research (Balogun & Olapegba, 2007).…”