|
...Multidimensional for Children (MASC), and Asher Loneliness Scale were administered to 383 adolescents (female = 238) in the 9th- and 10th-grades of a parochial high school. A Principal Components Analysis with VARIMAX rotation on the SAS-A, SPAI-C, and MASC yielded three orthogonal factors assessing fear of negative evaluation, physiological symptoms, and social avoidance. Consistent with prior work, boys reported experiencing higher rates of overt victimization and fewer prosocial behaviors from peers as compared to girls. Findings also supported the hypothesis that overt and relational victimization were positively associated with fear of negative evaluation, physiological symptoms, social avoidance, and loneliness. Finally, prosocial behaviors from peers moderated the effects of overt and relational victimization on loneliness. Implications of these findings for the role of peer victimization and prosocial behaviors in adolescent relationships are discussed.
**********
High rates of school violence involving bullies systematically targeting a group of victims have recently gained the attention of developmental researchers. Peer victimization has been defined as negative actions that are repeatedly directed by peers at a child through physical, verbal, or relational aggression (Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Rys & Bear, 1997). Recently, Crick and colleagues (Crick, Casas, & Ku, 1999; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Crick & Ladd, 1993; Crick & Werner, 1998) delineated two forms of victimization, namely overt and relational. Overt victimization consists of harm by others through physical actions or threats of such behavior (Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996). Conversely, relational victimization involves damaging relationships through purposeful manipulation and destruction (Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; e.g., spreading rumors, exclusion from peer groups).
Although significant advances have been made in the study of peer victimization, several limitations in the extant literature are apparent. First and most notably, investigations into the association between peer victimization and social anxiety have used measures of social anxiety that have not assessed the tripartite model of anxiety that includes cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptomatology (Craske, Barlow, & O'Leary, 1992). As a result, the potentially important relationship between peer victimization and social anxiety has yet to be comprehensively examined. Second, prior to the work of Crick and colleagues (Crick et al., 1999; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Crick & Ladd, 1993; Crick & Werner, 1998), the majority of studies failed to assess relational victimization. Finally, for the most part, studies have examined primarily male and child samples; few studies have examined overt and relational victimization in adolescents. This research contributes uniquely to the existing literature by investigating the relations of overt and relational victimization to cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms of social anxiety in a mixed gender sample of adolescents.
Examining the relations of overt and relational victimization to social anxiety and loneliness in adolescents seems particularly important for several reasons. First, the onset of social phobia often occurs during adolescence (American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Therefore, understanding the extent to which victimization may serve as an environmental correlate to social anxiety has significant implications for assessment and treatment. Second, the increased importance of peers during adolescence may suggest an increased frequency of overt and relational victimization (Bern&, 1982). Overt and relational aggression may be one manner of maintaining peer group boundaries. Similarly, given greater physical strength as well as increased access to violent weaponry, relational aggression may be a safer means of expressing negative emotions.
Status as a victim is relatively stable (Egan & Perry', 1998) and is associated with increased rates of anxiety, and loneliness (Craig, 1998; Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Hoza, Molina, Bukowski, & Sippola, 1995). Social anxiety may be a conditioned response to frequent exposure to peer aggression which results in the internalization of negative peer experiences and avoidance of social interactions (Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Grills & Ollendick, 2002; Olweus, 1992). Among preschool and elementary' age children, a positive relationship has been found between overt victimization, and fear of negative evaluation (e.g., concern about negative evaluation from peers), social avoidance, and loneliness (Craig, 1998; Graham & Juvonen, 1998; Slee, 1994; Storch, Zelman, Sweeney, Danner, & Dove, 2002). Additionally, relational victimization has been uniquely related to these negative adjustment indices after controlling for overt maltreatment (Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Crick &Ladd, 1993; Nansel, Overpeck, Pilla, Ruan, Simons-Morton, & Scheidt, 2001). No known published empirical research has examined the relations of overt and relational victimization to physiological symptoms. One qualitative report linked peer victimization with heightened levels of physiological symptomatology (Owens, Slee, & Shute, 2000). These authors noted that female adolescents reported high levels of physiological sensations during and in anticipation of peer torment. To date, the relationship of overt and relational victimization to social anxiety in a sample of adolescents has yet to be reported. Therefore, the first goal of the present investigation is to examine the associations between overt and relational victimization, and fear of negative evaluation, social avoidance, physiological symptoms of anxiety, and loneliness.
Studies examining gender differences in overt victimization have consistently found boys to be subjected to more acts of overt victimization as compared to girls (Boulton & Underwood, 1992; Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Crick et al., 1999; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Paquette & Underwood, 1999; Prinstein, Boergers, & Vernberg, 2001). Investigations of relational victimization, in contrast, have produced either no gender differences or a trend for girls to be more relationally victimized than boys (Crick & Bigbee, 1998; Crick et al., 1999; Crick & Grotpeter, 1996; Paquette & Underwood, 1999; Prinstein et al., 2001). It is not clear if boys and girls, or girls only are the frequent recipients of relational aggression. Only one study has examined gender differences in the frequency of overt and relational victimization in an adolescent sample finding higher levels of overt victimization for boys and no gender differences in relational victimization (Prinstein et al., 2001). A second objective of the present study is to investigate gender differences in the receipt of relational and overt victimization in adolescence.
Recently, research by Prinstein et al. (2001) has suggested that adolescents who are overtly and relationally victimized may be at more serious risk for poor adjustment than adolescents who are victims of only one form of aggression. Specifically, Prinstein and colleagues found higher levels of depression, loneliness, and externalizing problems and lower self-esteem in adolescents who experienced elevated levels of both overt and relational victimization. In that study, however, social anxiety was not assessed. A third goal of this investigation was to extend these findings to social anxiety by assessing if co-occurring overt and relational victimization is associated with greater social anxiety and loneliness than the victims of only one form of aggression.
Recent research suggests that positive peer relationships may be associated with reductions in rates of peer victimization and may even serve a protective function against future negative outcomes (Hodges, Boivin, Vitaro, & Bukowski, 1999; Hodges, Malone, & Perry, 1997; Kochenderfer & Ladd, 19976; Prinstein et al., 2001; Schwartz, Dodge, Pettit, & Bates, 2000; Sullivan, 1953). Some investigations of peer victimization have incorporated interaction models, which examine how negative consequences of peer maltreatment may vary depending on other factors such as receipt of prosocial behaviors. Hodges et al. (1999) and Prinstein et al. (2001) found that friendship mitigated the association between peer victimization and externalizing behaviors. In addition, Hodges et aI. (1997), in...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos
have been removed from this article.
More articles from Child Study Journal
Grade and gender differences in the association between adolescents' p..., March 01, 2003
Preschoolers' emotional competence: links to pretend and physical play..., March 01, 2003
Using a signed language as a second language for kindergarten students..., March 01, 2003
How minority students experience college: Implications for planning an..., March 01, 2003
Looking for additional articles?
Search our database of over 3 million articles.
Looking for more in-depth information on this industry?
Search our complete database of Industry & Market reports by text, subject, publication
name or publication date.
About Goliath
Whether you're looking for sales prospects, competitive information, company
analysis or best practices in managing your organization,
Goliath can help you meet your business needs.
Our extensive business information databases empower business
professionals with both the breadth and depth of credible,
authoritative information they need to support their business
goals. Whether it be strategic planning, sales prospecting,
company research or defining management best practices -
Goliath is your leading source for accurate information.
|
