Relation of Depression and Anxiety to Self‐ and Peer‐Reported Relational Aggression

Abstract

The primary purpose of this multimethod and multimeasure study was to identify how the peer relationships of Australian adolescents (ages 9-15 years; N = 335) at school, including relational aggression and victimization, correlated with their symptoms of depression and anxiety. Moreover, relational aggression and victimization were measured via both self- and peer report, and discrepancies between reports were considered as correlates of symptoms and peer relationship status. Adolescents who reported more symptoms of depression and anxiety also self-reported more relational victimization and reported their peers as less trustworthy. Adolescents who overreported their own relational victimization and aggression compared with peer report had more symptoms compared with those who agreed with their peers or underreported their aggression and victimization. Adolescents who underreported their own aggression were not only more socially prominent but were also more disliked by their peers. When considered independent of self-reports, no measure of peer-reported peer status, aggression, or victimization was associated with depressive symptoms; but adolescents reported as more accepted by their peers had fewer anxiety symptoms. Longitudinal research should be conducted to examine adolescents' increasing socioemotional problems as correlates of discrepancies between self- and peer reports of relational aggression and victimization.

Emotional sensitivity before and after coping with rejection: A longitudinal study

“…Another limitation is the use of self-report only. Although it is important to consider perceptions and personal reports, research has demonstrated that there may be differences between correlates of perceptions and correlates of similar constructs based on other informants (Hoffman, Cole, Martin, Tram, & Seroczynski, 2000;Zimmer-Gembeck & Pronk, 2012). However, standardized stimuli were provided to assess the adolescents' anticipated responses to rejection to improve validity and accuracy over retrospective recall (by self or peers) of actual events and reactions.…”

A Longitudinal Rejection Sensitivity Model of Depression and Aggression: Unique Roles of Anxiety, Anger, Blame, Withdrawal and Retribution

“…Response options for each item ranged from 1 (not at all true) to 5 (very true). Items were developed by Crick and Grotpeter (1995) and extended by Zimmer-Gembeck and Pronk (2012). An example overt aggression item was, "I threaten to or do push, shove or hit other kids."…”

“…Second, all data were collected via self-report, which may have inflated some of the associations reported here. Although it is important to consider perceptions and personal reports of behavior when studying RS, blame and behavioral responses to rejection threat, research has demonstrated that there may be differences between correlates of perceptions and correlates of similar constructs based on other informants (Hoffman et al 2000;Nuijens et al 2009;ZimmerGembeck et al 2007;Zimmer-Gembeck and Pronk 2012). However, standardized stimuli were provided to assess the adolescents' anticipated responses to rejection threat to improve validity and accuracy over retrospective recall (by self or peers) of actual events and reactions.…”

An experimental manipulation of rejection: Effects on children's attitudes and mood depend on rejection sensitivity and relationship history

“…There is much research that shows the detrimental impact of peer rejection on children's mood, affect and depressive symptoms, as well as their negative attitudes towards their peers (Bagwell, Schmidt, Newcomb, & Bukowski, 2001;Borelli & Prinstein, 2006;Murray-Close, Ostrov, & Crick, 2007;Zimmer-Gembeck & Pronk, 2012). Research has also demonstrated that RS uniquely contributes to negative mood (Downey & Feldman, 1996;Downey et al, 1998) and depressive symptoms (Ayduk et al, 2001;Romero-Canyas & Downey, 2005), even after accounting for actual experiences of peer rejection.…”