Peer Victimization and Bullying are Potentially Traumatic Stressors Among Children

Peer victimization and bullying are increasingly recognized as potentially traumatic stressors. Relatively little research, however, has been conducted during middle childhood, and no known studies have examined the impact of cyber victimization during this developmental period. Moreover, the vast majority of previous work has been cross-sectional in nature. The current short-term longitudinal study sought to address each of these gaps in the literature and to identify specific thresholds that are associated with increased risk for trauma symptoms.

Participants included a sample of 250 children (grades 3-5; 52% boys; 50% Hispanic/Latinx) and their homeroom teachers. Peer victimization was assessed using child- and teacher-reports and bullying was assessed using child-reports at Time 1. Trauma symptoms were assessed using child-reports at Times 1 and 2.

Across both time points, 43% of children reported elevated trauma symptoms stemming from their experiences of peer victimization. Traditional and cyber victimization and bullying were associated with greater trauma symptoms, and these effects persisted 6.5 months later. Child-reports of traditional and cyber victimization and bullying at least "2 or 3 Times a Month" were meaningful lower-bound thresholds, although children who reported experiences "Several Times a Week" exhibited the greatest risk.

A significant proportion of children who experience peer victimization report clinically significant trauma symptoms, and both traditional and cyber victimization as well as bullying confer lasting risk during middle childhood. Findings highlight the importance of screening to identify children negatively impacted by these experiences and the need for additional research to investigate trauma-focused interventions.