Self-perception but not peer reputation of bullying victimization is associated with non-clinical psychotic experiences in adolescents

Abstract

Background. Bullying victimization may be linked to psychosis but only self-report measures of victimization have been used so far. This study aimed (a) to investigate the differential associations of peer-nominated versus selfreported victim status with non-clinical psychotic experiences in a sample of young adolescents, and (b) to examine whether different types of self-reported victimization predict non-clinical psychotic experiences in these adolescents.Method. A combination of standard self-report and peer nomination procedures was used to assess victimization. The sample (n=724) was divided into four groups (exclusively self-reported victims, self-and peer-reported victims, exclusively peer-reported victims, and non-victims) to test for a group effect on non-clinical psychotic experiences. The relationship between types of victimization and non-clinical psychotic experiences was examined by a regression analysis.Results. Self-reported victims, along with self-and peer-reported victims, scored higher than peer-reported victims and non-victims on non-clinical psychotic experiences. Self-reports of direct relational, indirect relational and physical victimization significantly improved the prediction of non-clinical psychotic experiences whereas verbal and possession-directed victimization had no significant predictive value.Conclusions. The relationship between victimization and non-clinical psychotic experiences is only present for self-reported victimization, possibly indicative of an interpretation bias. The observed discrepancy between self-report and peer-report highlights the importance of implementing a combination of both measures for future research.

Does social defeat mediate the association between childhood trauma and psychosis? Evidence from the NEMESIS‐2 Study

“…The epidemiological design of the present study does not allow for the assessment of feelings of ‘defeat’ in the context of an actual social setting. A recent study has attempted to disentangle the differences between the personal interpretation of social situations on the one hand, and actual social interactions as experienced by others, by comparing self‐reports and peer reports of peer victimization . In this study, it was found that not peer reports, but the subjective (personal) reports of victimization were associated with presence of psychotic experiences.…”

Bullying victimisation and risk of psychotic phenomena: analyses of British national survey data

“…The data on bullying, for example, may be inaccurate, and we had no collateral accounts. Its definition is in part subjective, and there may be over-or underreporting (33) . People without psychotic symptoms may omit stressful events, and those who suffer from them may engage in an "effort after meaning", and thus be more inclined to remember them.…”

Peer and self-reported victimization: Do non-victimized students give victimization nominations to classmates who are self-reported victims?

“…Thus, peer nominations rather than self-reports were used to measure behavior during bullying episodes. Several studies (Bouman et al, 2012;Gromann, Goossens, Olthof, Pronk, & Krabbendam, 2013;Olthof et al, 2011;Pronk, Olthof, & Goossens, 2014;Reijntjes, Vermande, Goossens, et al, 2013;Reijntjes, Vermande, Olthof, et al, 2013) indicated that peer-nominated bullying behavior is associated in theoretically meaningful ways with various variables, including peer-nominated popularity and resource control, teacher-rated resource control, peer-rated likeability, and self-perceived social competence. However, the proportions of peer-reported bullying behavior should not be interpreted as the degree of behaving in that role; the values actually represent the degree of others' awareness of the behavior.…”