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Transitioning Out of Peer Victimization in School Children: Gender and Behavioral Characteristics

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The present study investigated the characteristics of children who remain consistently peer victimized in comparison to those who transition out of victimization status. The relationships between victimization and the victim's level of overt aggression, relational aggression, impulsivity, and prosocial behaviors were examined from one year to the next. At Time 1, 1589 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade children were administered a peer nomination instrument assessing victimization and standard sociometric variables. At Time 2 (1 year later), 1619 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade children were administered the same measure. A mixed-design repeated measures MANOVA was conducted for boys and girls separately. Results indicated that in comparison to victims transitioning out of victimization status, consistently victimized boys were lower in prosocial behavior, and consistently victimized girls were higher in impulsivity. Results for girls also indicated that a reduction in victim's own level of relational aggression was associated with cessation of victimization.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Portions of this article were submitted in partial fulfillment of a Masters degree awarded to the first author by the Department of Psychology, Texas Tech University. Special appreciation is expressed to Albert N. Allain Jr., Joaquin Borrego, Jr., Ioana A. Fineberg, and Patricia B. Sutker for their comments and suggestions, which helped, improve this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA

    Jared P. Dempsey & Eugene Wang

  2. Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Gary D. Fireman

  3. Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, 41 Temple Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114-4280, USA

    Gary D. Fireman

Authors
  1. Jared P. Dempsey
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  2. Gary D. Fireman
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  3. Eugene Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary D. Fireman.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Peer Nomination Questions Assessing Victimization and Other Sociometric Categories

  1. 1.

    Find the names of three kids you like to play with, or do activities with, the most.

  2. 2.

    Find the names of three kids you like to play with or do activities with the least. You might like to play with all the kids in your class, but there might be some you like to play with less than others.

  3. 3.

    Find the names of three kids you think would make good leaders if you were playing a game. These are the kids you would like to have in charge during a game or activity.

  4. 4.

    Find the names of three kids who try to make other kids not like a certain person by spreading rumors about them or talking behind their backs.

  5. 5.

    Now find the names of three kids who hit, kick, or punch other kids at school.

  6. 6.

    Find the names of three kids who say or do nice things for other kids.

  7. 7.

    Find the names of three kids who, when they are mad at a person, get even by keeping that person from being in their group of friends.

  8. 8.

    Find the names of three kids who say mean things to other kids to insult them or put them down.

  9. 9.

    Find the names of three kids who help out others when they need it.

  10. 10.

    Find the names of three kids who, when they are mad at a person, ignore the person or stop talking to them.

  11. 11.

    Find the names of three kids who push and shove other kids around.

  12. 12.

    Find the names of three kids who tell their friends that they will stop liking them unless the friends do what they say.

  13. 13.

    Find the names of three kids who try to cheer up other kids who are upset or sad about something. They try to make the kids feel happy again.

  14. 14.

    Find the names of three kids who tell others they will beat them up unless the kids do what they say.

  15. 15.

    Find the names of three kids who try to keep certain people from being in their group when it's time to play or do an activity.

  16. 16.

    Find the names of three kids who call others mean names.

  17. 17.

    Find the names of three kids who are out of their seat a lot.

  18. 18.

    Find the names of three kids who play the clown and try to get others to laugh.

  19. 19.

    Find the names of three kids who act like babies.

  20. 20.

    Find the names of three kids who get upset when they are called on to answer questions in class.

  21. 21.

    Find the names of three kids who get picked on by being hit, kicked, or scratched by others.

  22. 22.

    Find the names of three kids who get left out of the group when someone is mad at them or wants to get back at them.

  23. 23.

    Find the names of three kids who get pushed, shoved, or have their hair pulled by other kids.

  24. 24.

    Find the names of three kids who get told “you aren't my friend” if they don't go along with what a classmate asks.

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Dempsey, J.P., Fireman, G.D. & Wang, E. Transitioning Out of Peer Victimization in School Children: Gender and Behavioral Characteristics. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 28, 271–280 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-005-9014-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10862-005-9014-5

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