Short-Term Longitudinal Relationships Between Children's Peer Victimization/Bullying Experiences and Self-Perceptions Evidence for Reciprocity

This study tested transactional models to explain the short-term longitudinal links between self-perceptions and involvement in bullying and victimization among 115 9- to 10-year-old children. Self-perceptions were measured with Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children (six sub-scales) and bullying/victimization by means of peer nominations. Data were collected at two points, separated by five months, within a school year. Earlier victimization significantly negatively predicted changes in Global self-worth, social acceptance and, for girls only, physical appearance scores, and earlier social acceptance scores significantly negatively predicted changes in victimization, and bullying. Additionally, earlier bullying positively predicted changes in scholastic competence scores, and among girls but not boys there was a near significant tendency for earlier bullying to negatively predict changes in behavioural conduct scores. These findings challenge a common view that victimization, and separately bullying, are responsible for low self-perceptions. Rather, they add to the view that negative peer experiences and maladjusted outcomes are mutually related over time. The theoretical and practical implications of such a view are discussed.