The influence of different longitudinal patterns of peer victimization on psychosocial adjustment

Abstract

Identifying patterns of victimization continuity and discontinuity over time can inform school-based efforts to prevent and intervene with peer victimization. We conducted a four-wave longitudinal study of students through their transition from middle to high school. Participants were 135 diverse students from Grade 8 to Grade 11 who completed self-report surveys each year on peer victimization, life satisfaction, mental health, and substance use. Latent profile analysis identified four patterns of victimization: continuously high victimization (19%), inconsistent victimization (14%), revictimization (14%), and continuously low victimization (53%). In grade 11, the continuously high victimization group (19%) was more likely to report alcohol use, elevated psychological distress, diminished life satisfaction, and seriously contemplate suicide than any other group. Follow-up analysis reveals sexual harassment appears to be common as youth transition into their high school years. Results have implications for school screening and intervention efforts.

Joint trajectories of bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization as predictors of adolescent alcohol use.

“…Our finding provides partial replication for other studies that have observed increases in sexual harassment over the course of middle school to high school (Felix et al, 2019; Petersen & Hyde, 2009, 2013) and extends these findings by showing that it is the escalation of sexual harassment in particular that is linked to alcohol use. It has been theorized that increased interest in sexuality that emerges with pubertal development may spur sexually harassing behavior, especially among those adolescents who have an immature ability to express sexual or romantic attraction (Pellegrini, 2001; Petersen & Hyde, 2009).…”

“…Developmental research on peer victimization suggests that manifestations of peer aggression change in accordance with developmental and social contexts. For example, bullying victimization declines as youth become more interested in pursuing romantic and sexual partners and spend more time in mixed-gendered peer groups (Felix & McMahon, 2006;Felix et al, 2019;McMaster et al, 2002). As bullying declines, sexual harassment emerges as youth grapple with managing new and intense biological and social demands brought This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.…”

“…Chronicity or continuity in victimization may place adolescents at greater risk for alcohol use. Studies have shown that adolescents who experienced continuous victimization over time showed worse psychosocial adjustment as evidenced by internalizing and externalizing symptoms, suicidality, anxiety, and substance use relative to adolescents who followed other trajectory patterns (e.g., relatively stable, low levels of victimization, or victimization at a single time point; Felix et al, 2019; Geoffroy et al, 2018; McGinley et al, 2016; Sheppard et al, 2019). Of the studies that specifically examined alcohol use as an outcome there was consensus that those who experienced chronic (i.e., continuous) peer victimization were more likely to report alcohol use than those who experienced low or infrequent victimization (Felix et al, 2019; McGinley et al, 2016).…”

“…In addition to considering how continuity and discontinuity in bullying and sexual harassment victimization are related independently to alcohol use over time, it is also important to consider their joint influence, given the high correspondence between these two types of victimization. Adolescents exposed to one type of victimization (e.g., bullying) are also at increased risk of experiencing other types of victimization as well (e.g., sexual harassment, dating violence; Felix et al, 2019; Miller et al, 2013). Research on childhood victimization indicates that children and adolescents exposed to multiple forms of victimization (i.e., polyvictimization) are at high risk for psychiatric and behavior problems, including alcohol abuse (Finkelhor et al, 2007; Ford et al, 2010).…”

“…Bullying emerges in elementary school, peaks in middle school, and then decreases in high school (Espelage et al, 2018). In high school, peer victimization becomes more sexualized, taking the form of sexual harassment or homophobic teasing (Felix et al, 2019; Pellegrini, 2001). The potential for polyvictims (i.e., those who experience both bullying and sexual harassment) to experience more severe outcomes, including substance use, compared with single-type victimization points to the need for research to examine the mutual impact of bullying and sexual harassment victimization trajectories on adolescent alcohol use, especially as they unfold over time.…”