Kid's stuff: The nature and impact of peer and sibling violence on younger and older children

Abstract

Objective: It is widely presumed that when children are hit by peers or siblings, it is not as serious as similar acts between adults or older youth, which would be termed, "assaults" and "violent crimes". The goal of this study was to compare the violent peer and sibling episodes of younger children to those of older youth in terms of their seriousness and association with symptoms that might indicate traumatic effects. Method: The study collected reports of past year's violent victimizations and childhood symptoms in a national probability telephone sample of 2030 children and youth ages 2-17. The experiences of 10-17-year olds were obtained via self-reports and those of the 2-9-year olds from caregivers. Results: The younger children's peer and sibling victimizations were not less serious than the older youth on the dimensions of injury, being hit with an object that could cause injury or being victimized on multiple occasions. Younger children and older youth also had similar trauma symptom levels associated with both peer and sibling victimization. Conclusion: There was no basis in this study for presuming peer and sibling victimizations to be more benign when they involve younger children. The findings provide justification for being concerned about such peer and sibling violence in schools and families and for counting such victimizations in victimization inventories and clinical assessments.

Bullying in the family: sibling bullying

“…Overall, the evidence obtained from both national surveys and opportunistic studies in the USA, UK, Italy, Israel and Australia suggest that sibling bullying is the most frequent form of maltreatment, more so than by parents, adult strangers, or peers 5,45,56,57 . As a result, relationships with siblings are likely to be the most aggressive relationships that children will ever encounter during their childhood.…”

“…Sibling relationships are usually the most enduring relationships in a lifetime [5][6][7] and by middle childhood children spend more time interacting with siblings than with parents 8 .…”

Bullying among siblings

“…Similarly, up to a quarter of children become victims of violence from nonsibling peers, most frequently at school (18) . As the example shows violence between children in the family or children in the nursery or school is viewed differently than violence between adults or of an adult to a child (1) . The same act seems to have different meaning if it occurs between siblings or peers compared to adults.…”

Treatment of post‐traumatic stress disorder in children using cognitive behavioural writing therapy

“…For example, a parent being sent to prison or mental hospital, suicide of a parent or loved one, being exposed to peer violence and learning of a traumatic event occurring to a parent or loved one have been identifi ed as potential causes of PTSD in childhood (e.g. Cuffe et al, 1998;Finkelor, Turner, & Ormrod, 2006;Giaconia et al, 1995) in addition to wellrecognized traumatic events, such as sexual abuse or traffi c accidents. PTSD in childhood is associated with a variety of internalizing and externalizing problems, and additional disorders next to PTSD .…”