Abstract
Peer victimization is a salient stressor for children, and the ways children respond to peer victimization is thought to influence whether the victimization increases or decreases over time. In a sample of middle school students (n = 311, 89% Caucasian, 57% female, mean age = 10.8 years, SD = .70), the current study examined social and cognitive factors that predicted children’s coping responses over time. Findings indicated that appraised control moderates the associations between social and cognitive factors and coping responses. For example, appraised control reduced the likelihood of avoidant responses, especially when children had attitudes supporting the use of aggression. Findings suggest that increasing children’s sense of control when responding to bullies will not have uniformly positive effects however. Thus, interventions must also take care to promote more positive responses while empowering children.
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Terranova, A.M., Harris, J., Kavetski, M. et al. Responding to Peer Victimization: A Sense of Control Matters. Child Youth Care Forum 40, 419–434 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-011-9144-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-011-9144-8