Correlates of Peer Victimization in School-Aged Children
Recently, researchers have begun examining relational victimization, a type of behavior commonly found in, but not limited to female children. Although various studies have investigated how psychological characteristics of children and their social relations are associated with peer victimization, few have examined how children's friendship qualities, attributions, and social goals are related to victimization. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between relational victimization and children's friendship quality, attributions for social failures, and goals in conflict situations. Twenty-five, second grade students from a school in a small Midwestern town were assessed with several self-reported questionnaires. It was hypothesized that relationally victimized children would have poor quality friendships, maladaptive attributions about social failure, and maladaptive social goals. Furthermore, there would be differences in correlates of relationally victimized girls and boys. Results revealed that relationally victimized boys and girls differed in their attributions about social failure as well as their social goals. Specifically, girls had more hostile attributions, while seeking more revenge and cooperative goals in conflict situations. Alternatively, boys blamed their victimization experiences on lack of ability and pursued goals of self interest.
School:
Jackson State University
Department:
Psychology / Sociology
Research Advisor:
Karen Rudolph
Department of Research Advisor:
Developmental and Clinical Psychology
Year of Publication:
2004