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Peer victimization, aggression, and their co-occurrence in middle school: pathways to adjustment problems
Sandra Graham1, Amy D Bellmore, Jennifer Mize
1University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095-1521, USA. shgraham@ucla.edu
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
|May 2, 2006
Summary
This study identified distinct subgroups of students based on peer interactions. Aggressive victims faced significant school adjustment issues, particularly African American boys, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- Peer victimization and aggression are prevalent issues in schools.
- Understanding distinct subgroups (victims, aggressors, aggressive victims) is crucial for effective intervention.
- Previous research often overlooks the unique pathways to maladjustment within these groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize subgroups of 6th-grade students based on peer nominations (victims, aggressors, aggressive victims, socially adjusted).
- To examine psychological adjustment, attributions for harassment, and perceived school climate across these subgroups.
- To investigate differential pathways to school adjustment problems and explore ethnic variations, particularly for African American boys.
Main Methods:
- Peer nomination procedures to categorize students into victim, aggressor, aggressive victim, and socially adjusted groups.
- Self-report measures for psychological adjustment, attributional styles, and school climate perceptions.
- Teacher ratings of academic engagement and collection of student grades.
Main Results:
- Victims reported negative self-views; aggressors reported positive self-views; aggressive victims were psychologically similar to victims.
- All three problem behavior subgroups experienced more school adjustment difficulties than socially adjusted peers.
- Victims' adjustment problems were mediated by self-blame and maladjustment; aggressors' by perceived unfairness of school rules.
- African American boys were disproportionately identified as aggressive or aggressive victims and showed poorer academic performance.
Conclusions:
- Distinct subgroups of peer-related behavior exist, with aggressive victims showing significant maladjustment.
- Interventions should address specific pathways to problems: self-blame for victims, perceived unfairness for aggressors.
- African American adolescent boys face particular vulnerabilities regarding aggression and academic outcomes, necessitating culturally sensitive support.