The Effects of Peer Victimization and Physical Aggression on Changes in Internalizing From First to Third Grade

• Published in: Child development 2009-05, Vol.80 (3), p.843-859
• Main Authors: Leadbeater, Bonnie J., Hoglund, Wendy L. G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adjustment (to Environment); Adjustment Disorders - psychology; Age Differences; Aggression; Aggression - psychology; Aggressiveness; Antisocial Behavior; Anxiety; Biological and medical sciences; Bullying; Child; Child Behavior; Child care; Child development; Child psychopathology; Childhood; Childhood mental disorders; Children; Cognitive development; Correlation; Crime Victims - psychology; Depressive disorders; Developmental psychology; Dominance-Subordination; Early childhood; Elementary school students; Elementary schools; Emotionally disturbed children; Empirical Articles; Family studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 3; Human aggression; Humans; Internal-External Control; Internalization; Male; Medical sciences; Peer Group; Peer groups; Peer Relationship; Peer relationships; Peers; Personality Assessment; Prospective Studies; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social Environment; Student Adjustment; Trajectories; Victimization; Victimology; Victims of Crime
• ISSN: 0009-3920; 1467-8624
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01301.x

Three models of the prospective relations between child maladjustment and peer victimization are examined: (a) internalizing results directly from victimization, (b) internalizing leads to victimization, and (c) physical aggression fuels retaliatory victimization that leads to increases in internalizing over time. Data came from assessments of children at the beginning of Grade 1 (n= 432; average age = 6.3 years), with follow-ups at the end of Grades 1, 2, and 3. Most children showed low stable internalizing trajectories (73%); however, high stable and increasing curvilinear trajectories were evident for 7% and 20% of children, respectively. Findings suggest that children's adjustment problems at entry to Grade 1 affect the course of their internalizing, in part, by setting the stage for peer victimization.