Bully/victim Profiles' differential risk for worsening peer acceptance: The role of friendship

Karen P. Kochel, Gary Ladd, Catherine L. Bagwell, Brandon A. Yabko

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

Study aims were to: (1) evaluate the association between bully/victim profiles, derived via latent profile analysis (LPA), and changes in peer acceptance from the fall to spring of 7th grade, and (2) investigate the likelihood of friendlessness, and the protective function of mutual friendship, among identified profiles. Participants were 2587 7th graders; peer nomination and rating-scale data were collected in the fall and spring. Four profiles, including bullies, victims, bully-victims, and uninvolved adolescents, were identified at each time point. Findings showed that for victims, more so than for bullies and uninvolved profiles, acceptance scores worsened over time. Results further revealed that bully-victim and victim profiles included a greater proportion of friendless youth relative to the bully profile, which, in turn, contained a greater proportion of friendless adolescents than the uninvolved profile. Findings also provided evidence for the buffering role of friendship among all bully/victim profiles and among bully-victims especially.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)38-45
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Volume41
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2015

Keywords

  • Bullying
  • Friendship
  • Latent profile analysis
  • Peer relationships
  • Victimization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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