Peer victimization and subsequent disruptive behavior in school: The protective functions of anger regulation coping

Abstract

Peer victimization is linked to adjustment problems in youth, including aggressive behavior, yet not all victimized youth are aggressive. The present study investigated whether youth’s anger regulation coping might attenuate the positive association between peer victimization and subsequent aggressive behavior. Longitudinal data from 485 7th-grade students (55% female, mean age = 12.84 years) and their teachers were collected in the fall and six months later. Teacher ratings of youth aggressive behavior at follow-up were the primary outcome, with statistical adjustments for baseline aggressive behavior and demographics. Results from multilevel models showed significant interactive effects of baseline anger regulation and peer victimization on residualized teacher-rated aggressive behaviors that were consistent with the hypothesis that anger regulation played a protective role: under high levels of peer victimization, youth with higher levels of anger regulation displayed lower levels of aggressive behavior than their counterparts with lower levels of anger regulation. These findings suggest that targeting and improving students’ ability to regulate their anger may be protective in the face of peer victimization and reduce subsequent aggressive behavior.

Assessing the Linkage between Exposure to Violence and Victimization, Coping, and Adjustment among Urban Youth: Findings from a Research Study on Adolescents

“…Several research studies have explored the relationship between victimization, including peer violence, and both behavioral consequences and emotional adjustment. Results have suggested that many youths will exhibit subsequent internalizing symptoms and disruptive behavior in response to patterns of violent events [1,2,3]. With regard to exposure to violence, many youths are the primary witnesses to criminal activity in disadvantaged settings, while peer violence and other forms of direct victimization remain prevalent primarily among those between the ages of 12–18 [4].…”

Development of Anger Regulation Scale for Adolescents (ARS-A): validity and reliability studies

“…Additionally, it was observed in another stuy that anger management was protective against peer bullying among adolescents and that it decreased hostile behaviors (32).…”

Emotion regulation is associated with peer victimization among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

“…In a sample of similar-aged children, expressions of anger were associated with increased peer victimization experiences (Camodeca & Goossens, 2005), and children who demonstrated the ability to regulate their anger experienced fewer instances of peer victimization Kaynak et al, 2015). Additionally, in longitudinal studies among younger children, deficits in regulating anger were associated with peer victimization experiences , and anger served as a risk factor for subsequent peer victimization .…”

“…Even in situations when children were asked to recount experiences of peer victimization, children who experienced more peer victimization demonstrated more sympathetic nervous system reactivity (Kliewer, Dibble, Goodman, & Sullivan, 2012), negative affect (Bollmer et al, 2006), and emotional distress (Rosen et al, 2012). Given that children who effectively regulate their emotions are less likely to be victimized by their peers (Kaynak, Lepore, Kliewer, & Jaggi, 2015), effective emotion regulation and conflict resolution skills appear critical for reducing the frequency with which children experience peer victimization (Kochenderfer-Ladd, 2004).…”