Patterns of Aggressive Behavior and Peer Victimization from Childhood to Early Adolescence: A Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

The developmental period characterized by the transition from childhood and elementary school to early adolescence and middle school has been associated with increases in aggressive behavior and peer victimization. Few longitudinal studies, however, have examined the stability of aggression and victimization during this critical transition. This study uses latent class analysis (LCA) to examine patterns of aggressive behavior and victimization during the transition to middle school among urban, public school students (N = 458; Girls = 53%; Latino/a = 53%; M age at t1 = 10.2 years). Independent LCA models were conducted using self-reported data assessing subjects' involvement in aggressive conduct and victimization during the spring semesters of grades four, five, and six. Elementary school students in the fourth grade initially belonged to one of four groups identified as aggressor, victim, aggressor-victim, and uninvolved latent classes. Contrary to prior research, membership in these classes changed significantly by the time students completed their first year of middle school with most youth participating in episodes of aggression and victimization during the transition. Six common paths that describe patterns of aggressive behavior and victimization from the last two years of elementary school to the first year of middle school were found. Findings are discussed in the context of social dominance theory and prior research that has found greater stability in aggression and victimization among early adolescents.

The Effect of Bullying and Victimization on Cognitive Empathy Development During the Transition to Middle School

“…During these transitions, children are faced with new social challenges and must renegotiate their social identities. As a result, some evidence suggests that these social pressures may contribute to increases in bullying and victimization involvement at this developmental time period (Pellegrini and Long 2002;Williford et al 2011Williford et al , 2014. Consistent with this evidence, descriptive results in the current study found that bullying rates initially decreased and then increased in sixth grade.…”

“…Five waves of data were collected over three academic years-once during the fall and spring semesters of fourth and fifth grade, and once during the spring semester of sixth grade as part of a 12-month follow-up. Results from the randomized trial revealed a significant decrease in peer victimization for experimental participants compared to controls; detailed accounts of the study's main findings are reported elsewhere (Jenson and Dieterich 2007;Jenson et al 2010Jenson et al , 2013Williford et al 2011Williford et al , 2014.…”

A Latent Class Analysis of Victimization Among Middle and High School Students in California

“…The limitation of these two studies was that they dichotomized responses into "yes this happened" or "no it did not" and, therefore, the researchers were unable to capture variability in frequency of victimization within and across classes. Additional studies have examined latent classes of both victimization and perpetration among adolescents (e.g., Giang & Graham, 2008;Williford, Brisson, Bender, Jenson, & Forrest-Bank, 2011); thus, these studies were less indicative of heterogeneous patterns of victimization.…”

Relations Among Victimization, Witnessing, and Perpetration of Aggression: Impact of Gender Among Youth Offenders

“…That is, when children are aware of their own victimization, this may result in feelings of helplessness and hopelessness (Gottheil & Dubow, 2001). Moreover, victimization has been found to be a predictor of perpetration of aggression (Ostrov, 2010; Ostrov & Godleski, 2013; Tisak et al, 2011; Williford, Brisson, Bender, Jenson, & Forrest-Bank, 2011). For instance, Tisak and colleagues (2011) reported that being a victim of social aggression predicted committing social aggression and committing simple assault increased as being victimized by simple assault increased.…”