Mutual Antipathies in the Peer Group as a Moderating Factor in the Association Between Community Violence Exposure and Psychosocial Maladjustment

Antagonists in Mutual Antipathies: A Person‐Oriented Approach

“…Recent research shows 30% of early adolescents and adolescents to be involved in mutual antipathy relationships on average (Hartup, 2003). Having mutual antipathies seems to be related to psychosocial maladjustment (Abecassis, Hartup, Haselager, Scholte, & van Lieshout, 2002; Parker & Gamm, 2003), but several studies fail to report this link (Pope, 2003; Schwartz, Hopmeyer‐Gorman, Toblin, & Abou‐ezzeddine, 2003). Given the heterogeneity of the behaviors that can trigger dislike in others, it may be possible to distinguish various types of mutual antipathy relationships.…”

“…Here dissimilarity (vs. similarity) will be defined as a categorical variable characterizing antipathy dyads based on two different versus same types of individuals as antagonists involved in the dyad. Previous studies have found correlations between having mutual antipathies and the number of antipathy relationships on the one hand and victimization, aggression and bullying on the other hand (Abecassis et al, 2002; Parker & Gamm, 2003; Schwartz et al, 2003). If some peers with antipathy relationships are highly aggressive and bullying and some are highly victimized, we might expect a subgroup of mutual antipathies that consist of bully–victim relationships.…”

Victimization Within Mutually Antipathetic Peer Relationships

“…The exact nature of this dislike varies across conceptualizations and the few studies that have examined these relationships, ranging from mere aversion (e.g., someone the child does not like to work or play with) to more intense disliking (e.g., enmity, hatred; see Abecassis, 2003; Hartup, 2003), and further research examining the meaningful distinctions that individuals make among their antipathetic relationships is needed (see Card, 2007). Nevertheless, it has been argued that (at least some) antipathetic relationships are marked by an intense, personal form of rejection with distinct patterns of interactions and unique developmental risks beyond those associated with group‐level (unilateral) rejection (see Abecassis, Hartup, Haselager, Scholte, & Van Lieshout, 2002; Hartup & Abecassis, 2002; Schwartz, Hopmeyer Gorman, Toblin, & Abouezzedine, 2003; cf. Pope, 2003).…”

School Violence and Primary Prevention

“…Children who have antipathetic relationships (relationships in which both members dislike one another) also tend to be more victimized than those who do not (Abecassis et al, 2002;Parker & Gamm, 2003;Schwartz et al, 2003). Although having mutual antipathies and being rejected by peers are correlated, and there is little evidence that having mutual antipathies constitutes a unique risk factor (i.e., after controlling for rejection), there is evidence indicating that the characteristics of children's antipathies is uniquely related to peer victimization.…”