Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Peer victimization during middle childhood as a lead indicator of internalizing problems and diagnostic outcomes in late adolescence
Journal Name
Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology
Journal Volume
44
Issue Number
3
Page Numbers
393-404
DOI
10.1080/15374416.2014.881293
Summary
Peer victimization is detrimental to children's and adolescents' mental health and well-being. A sample of children's peer victimization experience was assessed at grade 3 or grade 4, and their internalizing problems were assessed consecutively over 10 years after the peer victimization assessment. Results revealed that peer victimization in middle childhood could be a marker of adolescent internalizing problems such as depression.
Key Findings
Peer victimization in grade 3 or grade 4 was related to internalizing problems years later in adolescence.
At the individual level, peer victimization was also associated with an increase in internalizing problems over time.
Unipolar depressive symptoms in late adolescence could be predicted by peer victimization in middle childhood.
Implications for Military Professionals
Observe closely military children and adolescents who may experience peer victimization
Receive trainings on military culture and deployment-related issues, and their effect on military children’s well-being
Implications for Program Leaders
Develop classes and workshops for teachers and military parents on ways to detect and prevent peer victimization among military children
Offer support groups for military adolescents who share similar experiences
Implications for Policy Makers
Increase awareness about the deleterious effects of peer victimization on military children’s development and military families’ well-being
Continue to support research and programs that aim to prevent peer victimization in military children
Methods
The participants were recruited from three different geographic regions as part of a big project studying peer victimization.
Of the 585 initial participants, 388 completed the longitudinal study.
Peer victimization was assessed when the children were in either the 3rd or 4th grade, and internalizing problems were measured by a questionnaire completed by mothers in the subsequent nine consecutive years, and a clinical interviewed with the participants immediately after high school graduation.
Participants
The sample included 388 children (198 boys and 190 girls).
The average age of the children at initial assessment was 8.5 years.
The majority of the participants were White (76%), and of the participants from minority ethnic backgrounds, almost all of them were Black.
Limitations
The design of the study did not allow the authors to draw causal conclusions, so it is unclear if peer victimization led to internalizing problems, or vice versa.
Peer victimization was only assessed at one time point, therefore its developmental trajectory over time is unknown.
Other characteristics of children that may potentially affect peer victimization and internalizing problems were not well-controlled in the study.
Avenues for Future Research
Explore protective factors and interventions that may prevent children from being bullied and developing internalizing problems
Assess peer victimization at different time points to examine the chronicity of children’s bully and victim experiences
Investigate other characteristics of a child that may play a role in the association between peer victimization and internalizing problems
Focus
Civilian
Target Population
Population Focus
Abstract
We examined evidence that peer victimization in middle childhood is a lead indicator of internalizing behavior problems and diagnostic outcomes during adolescence. This research was conducted as part of an ongoing multisite longitudinal investigation. The participants were 388 children (198 boys, 190 girls). Peer victimization was assessed with a peer nomination inventory that was administered when the average age of the participants was approximately 8.5 years. Internalizing problems were assessed using a behavior problem checklist completed by mothers in 9 consecutive years, and a structured clinical interview was administered to the participants in the summer following high school graduation (10_11 years after the victimization assessment). Peer victimization in middle childhood was correlated with internalizing problems on a bivariate basis through the late years of adolescence. Multilevel analyses also revealed associations between peer victimization and increases in internalizing problems over time. In addition, peer victimization had a modest link to unipolar depressive disorders in late adolescence. Victimization in the peer group during middle childhood appears to be a marker of long-term risk for internalizing behavior problems and unipolar depression.
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