How Do Victimized Youth Emotionally and Socially Appraise Common Ways Third-Party Peers Intervene?

Adolescents targeted for peer aggression are at risk of emotion dysregulation and social withdrawal—responses that predict increased victimization and impede the protective factors of peer support. This study examined victimized youth’s emotions and social appraisals following four common third-party peer actions. African American, European American, Mexican American, and Native American adolescents (N = 257, 53% female, M_age = 15 years) described their emotions and appraisals of third-party peer actions after the participants had been targets of peer aggression. As hypothesized, emotional well-being, indexed by low levels of internalizing emotions and high levels of positive emotions, was greater after third-parties tried to help participants calm their emotions and resolve problems than after third-parties amplified participants’ anger or avenged the victimized participants. Emotional well-being was greater after third-party revenge than after third-parties amplified participants’ anger. Participants also reported calming, resolving and to a lesser extent third-party revenge, were more helpful, valued, and evoked a greater desire to reciprocate than anger amplification. Few ethnic differences were found. We consider how positive emotions and social appraisals of third-party actions are likely to increase well-being for victimized youth. The findings emphasize the need for specificity in how researchers and practitioners categorize third-party peer actions. Encouraging the types of action that are most appreciated by victimized youth might help adolescents be more effective sources of support in the context of peer aggression.