Observed peer victimization during early elementary school: continuity, growth, and relation to risk for child antisocial and depressive behavior

Child Dev. 2003 Nov-Dec;74(6):1881-98. doi: 10.1046/j.1467-8624.2003.00644.x.

Abstract

The rate at which 266 boys and girls ages 5 to 7 years old were victimized by peers was observed on multiple occasions in kindergarten and first grade. Individual differences in victimization were observed at kindergarten entry and in growth over the subsequent 2 years. Victimization increased for some children but decreased for others. Growth in victimization was reciprocally related to growth in teacher-reported antisocial and depressive behavior for boys. For girls, kindergarten victimization was related to growth in parent-reported antisocial behavior, teacher-reported depressive behavior to growth in victimization, and growth in victimization to parent-reported depression. At a short-term group level, antisocial behavior had a lagged suppressive effect on victimization for boys but a facilitating effect for girls.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aggression / psychology*
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder / diagnosis
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder / psychology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Crime Victims*
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / psychology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Markov Chains
  • Peer Group*
  • Personality Assessment
  • Personality Development*
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Adjustment