Longitudinal study of the relationship between victimization and later emotional problems among Japanese junior high school students

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to report an investigation of the relationships between victimization and later emotional problems among Japanese junior high school students. The effects of psychosocial risk factors and their role as predictors of the relationship between victimization and later emotional problems were also examined over time.Design/methodology/approach -The authors' first concern was to determine whether victimization is, indeed, related to emotional problems during junior high school. The authors' second concern was to determine how long victimization or risk factors will be associated with emotional problems. The third concern was to determine whether there is a gender difference in the relationship between victimization and emotional problems. Emotional problems were assessed using self-report questionnaire measures of depression and low self-worth. This article used eight-months interval data collections; September 2002 (Time 1), May 2003 (Time 2), January 2004 (Time 3), and September 2004 (Time 4).Findings -The results section is organized into three parts. The first part presents correlation coefficients for each of the variables. The second part examines whether the experience being bullied is related to four risk factors, depression and low self-worth. The third part examines whether risk factors and victimization are related to depression and low self-worth over time. In each part the authors also examined whether results vary depending on gender.Originality/value -The paper usefully shows that victimization at Time 1 predicted later depression at Times 2 and 3 for boys, but not for girls. Victimization at Time 1 also predicted later depression for boys after controlling for other Time 1 risk factors. Early victimization may be a unique predictor of later depression for boys, but not for girls.

Implementation of a multiverse approach in developmental research: The longitudinal relation between self‐esteem and peer victimization

“…For example, Overbeek et al (2010) found that earlier victimization predicted later self-esteem but not vice versa, whereas Salmivalli and Isaacs (2005) found the opposite with self-esteem predicting later victimization but not vice versa. Similarly, Nishino et al (2011) found that victimization predicted later self-esteem for boys but not for girls, whereas Rueger et al (2011) found that victimization was related to a decrease in self-esteem over time in girls but not boys. These examples already suggest that the relationship between self-esteem and victimization might not be as consistent as sometimes theorized.…”