Peer-Victimization of Young Children With Developmental and Behavioral Difficulties-A Population-Based Study
Elise Øksendal1,2, Ragnhild Eek Brandlistuen2, Arne Holte3
1Department of Research and Development, The Norwegian National Service of Special Needs (Statped).
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
|March 1, 2019
Summary
Young children with developmental and behavioral difficulties (DBDs) face a significantly higher risk of peer victimization. This risk increases with the number and type of co-occurring DBDs, highlighting a critical need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Social Epidemiology
Background:
- Peer victimization is a significant concern for child development.
- Developmental and behavioral difficulties (DBDs) may increase vulnerability to peer victimization.
- Understanding the specific risks associated with different DBDs is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between developmental and behavioral difficulties (DBDs) and the risk of peer victimization in young children.
- To compare the risk of peer victimization in children with DBDs versus typically developing (TD) children.
- To examine how the type and number of co-occurring DBDs influence peer victimization risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) including 41,609 five-year-old children.
- Employed multivariate logistic regression to analyze the effects of various DBDs on peer victimization.
- Adjusted for socioeconomic status and child's sex in the analysis.
Main Results:
- Children with DBDs experienced peer victimization at a higher rate (8.0%) compared to TD children (2.8%).
- The highest risk was observed in children with autistic traits (OR=12.76) and those with five or more co-occurring DBDs (OR=17.37).
- Children with hearing/vision difficulties (OR=1.98) and those with a single DBD (OR=1.95) had the lowest increased risk.
Conclusions:
- Children with developmental and behavioral difficulties (DBDs) are at a substantially increased risk of peer victimization.
- The risk of peer victimization is not uniform across all DBDs and escalates with the number of co-occurring conditions.
- Findings underscore the importance of early identification and support for children with DBDs to mitigate peer victimization.
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