Prospective relations between childrenʹs responses to peer victimization and their socioemotional adjustment

The objective of this investigation was to examine whether childrenʹs responses to peer victimization predict subsequent changes in their social and emotional well-being. Also investigated was whether these associations vary as a function of childrenʹs sex and level of victimization. Participants included 420 4th- and 5th-grade students (197 boys). Data included childrenʹs self-reports of their responses to peer victimization in the Fall and measures of their socioemotional adjustment obtained in the Fall and Spring. Results indicated that there are a number of tradeoffs associated with childrenʹs responses to peer victimization. Seeking otherʹs support was predictive of decreased aggression among children infrequently victimized, but was also predictive of increased internalizing difficulties. Avoidant coping predicted improved social adjustment for boys, but declines in social adjustment for girls. Retaliation was associated with increased social maladjustment, but for highly victimized children, predicted decreases in anxiety. Implications for intervention efforts are discussed.