Peer Re-Victimization Patterns in a National Longitudinal Sample of Youth: Impact on Trauma Symptomatology and Delinquency

Introduction: The concept of re-victimization is increasingly of interest to researchers, clinicians, and prevention experts who strive to prevent youth violence and help mitigate negative outcomes. At the same time, peer victimization, including bullying and harassment, is a prominent concern given the numerous documented physical health problems, emotional and behavioral difficulties, problematic social development, and poor academic achievement associated with such experiences. Limited research, however, has documented the inter-connections and persistence among various forms of peer victimization. This presentation will examine how a variety of types of peer victimization experiences persist for youth from one year to the next as well as the impact of persistent peer victimization on trauma and delinquency.

 

Methods: The Technology Harassment Victimization (THV) Study is a telephone survey which drew its sample from a subset of households that completed a previous survey, the Second National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV II) in 2011-2012. Conducted from December 2013 to March 2014, the THV Study targeted the subset of NatSCEV II youth who were ages 8-17 at baseline (N=2197). A total of 791 interviews were completed with youth ages 10-20. Six types of peer victimization were assessed at Time 1 and Time 2 and categorized based on re-victimization patterns: persistence, desistence, and new. Patterns were then examined using a series of logistic and linear regressions in terms of their impact on Time 2 trauma symptomatology (e.g., depression, anger, anxiety) and delinquency.

Results: 53.9% of youth reported at least one past-year peer victimization episode at Time 1; 50% did so at Time 2. Of the Time 1 victims, over half (63.5%) were re-victimized by peers one year later. Certain types of peer victimization were more persistent than others: Assault by a gang/group, assault by a peer, and technology-involved harassment.

At Time 2, 34.1% were “new” victims (i.e., no peer victimization at Time 1). Both persistent and new victims were significantly more likely than non-victims to report Time 2 trauma symptomatology and high delinquency. Youth whose peer victimization desisted over time also had elevated rates of trauma and delinquency compared to non-victims but to a lesser extent than the persistent and new victims, even after taking into account demographic characteristics and non-victimization life adversity.

 

Conclusions: Findings confirm that peer victimization is associated with considerable personal consequences, and for many, peer victimization persists over time.  Teachers and practitioners should assess more closely the conditions under which peer victimization persists for some youth, as well as those that allow escape.