Social Victimization Trajectories From Middle Childhood Through Late Adolescence

Abstract

Social victimization refers to being targeted by behaviors intended to harm one’s social status or relationships (Underwood, 2003), including malicious gossip, friendship manipulation, and social exclusion (both verbal and non-verbal). The current study examined social victimization experiences longitudinally from middle childhood through late adolescence. Participants (N = 273, 139 females) reported on their social victimization experiences in grades 4–11 (ages 9 to 16 years). Using mixture (group-based) modeling, four social victimization trajectories were identified: low, medium decreasing, medium increasing, and elevated. High parent-child relationship quality decreased the odds of being in the elevated group compared to the low group; however, parent-child relationship quality was no longer a significant predictor when emotional dysfunction was added to the model. Higher emotional dysfunction and male gender increased the odds of being in the elevated group and medium increaser group relative to the low group even after controlling for parent-child relationship quality. Implications for intervention and future research directions are discussed.

Peer victimization and its impact on adolescent brain development and psychopathology

“…The difference in volumes at age 14 might be due to the chronically victimized individuals having been exposed to victimization long before their participation in the IMAGEN study, as peer victimization can begin as early as preschool and kindergarten 49,50 . Recent studies have explored peer victimization trajectories in childhood and adolescence, identifying three to five victimization classes [51][52][53][54] , one of which is a chronic/severe group. There is no consensus as to the number and composition of peer victimization trajectories identified in these studies, and the age ranges examined differ not only between the studies but also with our sample.…”

Social status and friendship in peer victimization trajectories

“…Schoolchildren who had been identified as victims were categorized as follows: those who were identified in a single time period were categorized as sporadic victims (and were assigned a value of 1); those who had been victims in 2 of the 3 time periods were categorized as variable victims (value: 2); and those who had been victims in all 3 time periods were categorized as stable victims (value: 3). Schoolchildren categorized as ‘non-victims’ were excluded from the present study, as in previous research ( Rosen et al, 2017 , Sheppard et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Although friendship can protect adolescents from victimization, most victims often have fewer friends than their non-victimized peers. Longitudinal studies on friendship and victimization show that schoolchildren without friends who are victimized are more likely to continue being victimized over time ( Light, Rusby, Nies, & Snijders, 2014 ) and, in turn, that victimized adolescents who establish bonds of friendship are more likely to escape from this situation ( Rosen et al, 2017 ). We need, then, to explore how friendship levels interact over time with changes in the evolution of victimization, in order to provide vital clues about how to prevent and take action in cases of bullying.…”

Bullying: What the PNP Needs to Know

“…Adolescents who perpetrate bullying tend to be thought of as popular, possessing a social status of leadership, influence, and respect (Cillessen & Rose, 2005). Other forms of aggression tend to decrease in adolescence, but relational aggression, such as spreading rumors or exclusion, increases (Rosen, Beron, & Underwood, 2016). Relational aggression can be seen in the preschool years; however, adolescents have increased mental and language skills to more effectively execute relational aggression.…”