Early social behaviors and the trajectory of peer victimization across the school years.

Abstract

Research has established that long-term exposure to peer victimization is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral maladjustment. Yet, relatively little is known regarding predictors of stable versus declining victimization across extended periods of time. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study used latent growth curve modeling to examine the separate and unique contributions of three early social behaviors in 2nd grade (aggression, anxious solitude, and prosocial behavior) to victimization across 2nd to 8th grade. Five hundred and seventy-six youth (M = 7.96 years, SD = .34) reported their level of exposure to victimization once a year from 2nd to 8th grade, and their teachers rated each youth on the three social behaviors in 2nd grade. When examined separately, the analyses revealed that (a) all three social behaviors contributed to 2nd grade victimization; (b) anxious solitude and prosocial behavior contributed to the trajectory of victimization differently for boys and girls; and (c) aggression and anxious solitude contributed to significantly different levels of 8th grade victimization in girls. Of interest, some effects were stronger in boys during elementary school and others were stronger in girls after the transition to middle school. When examined simultaneously, aggression remained the only significant predictor of 2nd grade victimization; both anxious solitude and prosocial behavior uniquely predicted the trajectory of victimization, and aggression and anxious solitude uniquely predicted 8th grade victimization in girls. Results are discussed with regard to prevention of prolonged victimization, with attention to gender differences.

Predictores de ser víctima de acoso escolar en Educación Primaria: una revisión sistemática

“…El problema externalizado más común es la agresividad y la mayoría de los estudios que la analizan hallan que esta es una variable predictora de victimización (Jansen et al, 2011;Moses y Williford, 2017). No obstante, en algunos estudios esta variable es factor de riesgo de ser acosador y no acosado (Sugimura et al, 2017). Los hábitos de molestar, hablar alto o mascar fuerte (Guerra, Williams, y Sadek, 2011), el escaso autocontrol (Atik y Oya, 2013; Verlinde et al, 2014) y ser mentiroso (Guerra, Williams, y Sadek, 2011) también se asocian a una mayor probabilidad de ser víctima de acoso escolar.…”

“…Los hábitos de molestar, hablar alto o mascar fuerte (Guerra, Williams, y Sadek, 2011), el escaso autocontrol (Atik y Oya, 2013; Verlinde et al, 2014) y ser mentiroso (Guerra, Williams, y Sadek, 2011) también se asocian a una mayor probabilidad de ser víctima de acoso escolar. Por el contrario, las actitudes prosociales son factor protector frente a la victimización (Berger-Silva, 2012; Griese y Bush, 2014; Sugimura et al, 2017).…”

Predicting the development of victimization from early childhood internalizing and externalizing behavior

“…Thus, in adolescence, internalizing behaviors are seen as deviating from the social norm (Ladd, 2006), which may increase the likelihood that adolescents are a risk for victimization. Accordingly, there is stronger empirical support for a prospective relation between internalizing behaviors and victimization in late childhood and (early) adolescence than in early childhood (for samples ranging from age 8 to 16 across intervals from 0.5 to 6 years, see Goldbaum, Craig, Pepler, & Connolly, 2003;Hodges & Perry, 1999;Sentse et al, 2017;Sugimura et al, 2017;Vaillancourt et al, 2013). However, as these studies started after early childhood, the early predictors of victimization in adolescence remain unclear.…”

“…We expected a null effect or a slight positive effect of internalizing behavior at age 5 on peer victimization at age 9 (intercept), based on the mixed findings of previous studies (Gazelle & Ladd, 2003;Kochenderfer-Ladd & Wardrop, 2001;Leadbeater & Hoglund, 2009;Rudolph et al, 2011;Snyder et al, 2003;van Lier et al, 2012;van Lier & Koot, 2010). As there is stronger empirical support for a prospective relation between internalizing behaviors and victimization in late childhood and (early) adolescence than in early childhood (Goldbaum et al, 2003;Hodges & Perry, 1999;Sentse et al, 2017;Sugimura et al, 2017;Vaillancourt et al, 2013), we expected children with more early internalizing behaviors to increase more in peer victimization later (slope). We further assessed whether the effects of early internalizing behavior on victimization at age 9 and subsequent change in victimization were moderated by ego-resiliency at age 5.…”

“…Children are victims of bullying when they are repeatedly, and over a prolonged period of time, exposed to intentional harmful behavior while being unable to defend themselves (Salmivalli, 2010). Most previous studies have examined internalizing and externalizing behaviors as predictors of victimization in middle childhood and adolescence (Cillessen & Lansu, 2015;Sentse, Prinzie, & Salmivalli, 2017;Sugimura, Berry, Troop-Gordon, & Rudolph, 2017). Less is known about internalizing and externalizing behaviors in early childhood as predictors of peer victimization.…”