Child Victimization and Poly-Victimization in a Community Sample of Adolescents in Northern Chile

The aim of this article is to report the prevalence of youth victimization and poly-victimization in northern Chile. Using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, a sample of 706 adolescents ages 12 to 17 were surveyed. The results indicated that 89% of the participants had experienced victimization at least once in their lives and 76.8% had experienced at least 1 experience of victimization in the past year. The most frequent forms were conventional crimes (70% and 54.7%), witnessing and indirect victimization (63.2% and 45.2%), and peer and sibling victimization (50.0% and 34.6%), for the lifetime and the past year, respectively. Sexual victimization was less common for both time periods, but still relevant (15.9% lifetime and 9.9% past year). Older females and younger adolescents presented a higher risk of victimization particularly in conventional crimes and victimization by caregivers. As for poly-victimization, 21% of the adolescents presented between 4 and 6 different forms of victimization (the low poly-victimization group) and 16% reported seven or more (the high poly-victimization group) in the last year. The results showed that child and adolescent victimization is a significant problem in Chile. Percentages of victimization in Chilean adolescents were higher than those found in Europe or North America. Results from the group of poly-victims reinforces the need to evaluate the multiple forms of victimization that affect adolescents in Chile and to prioritize it in the design of the treatment of the consequences of violence, taking into account differences in gender and age.     

Patterns of Adolescent Aggression and Victimization: Sex Differences and Correlates

This study identified heterogeneous patterns of peer and dating aggression and victimization among boys and girls and examined their relation to risk and protective correlates. Girls (n = 1648) and boys (n = 1420) in grades 8–10 completed surveys assessing 14 indicators of violence involvement. Latent class analyses indicated a four-class solution, though a test of measurement invariance indicated the nature of the classes differed by sex. Among boys and girls, three classes emerged: Uninvolved (45% of girls, 61% of boys), Peer Aggressor-Victims (23% of girls, 21% of boys), and Cross-Context Aggressor-Victims (CCAV) (12% of girls, 5% of boys). Those in the Peer Aggressor-Victims class were likely to report involvement in peer aggression only; however, girls in this class were likely to be involved only in moderate violence, whereas boys were likely to be involved in moderate and severe violence. Those in the CCAV class were likely to report involvement in all forms of violence except sexual and controlling aggression, which was likely only among boys. Among girls, but not boys, a Verbal Dating Aggressor-Victims class (21% of girls) emerged that was characterized by involvement in occasional verbal dating aggression only. Among boys, but not girls, a Cross-Context Physical Victims class (13% of boys) emerged that was characterized by being only a victim of moderate physical peer and dating violence. Unique and shared risk and protective factors distinguished class membership for girls and boys. Findings suggest the pathways leading to violence may differ by sex and result in different patterns of violence involvement.     

The Contributions of Community, Family, and School Variables to Student Victimization

An ecological perspective was used to predict school violence from a number of variables describing the students and their families based on nationally representative sample of 10,400 students in grades 7–11 in 162 schools across Israel. Self-administered anonymous questionnaires that included a scale for reporting victimization by serious and moderate physical violence, threats, and verbal–social victimization were filled out during class. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) examined the relationships between students reports of victimization and student level variables (gender, age) and the school-level variables—cultural affiliation (Jewish vs. Arab), the socio-economic status (SES) of the schools neighborhood and students families, school and class size, school level (junior high vs. high), and school climate. Variance between schools accounted for 9–15% of the variance in student victimization (major factors being school climate characteristics and percent of boys at the school). Boys reported higher victimization than girls for all forms of school violence. Students in junior high schools reported more victimization than high school students. Higher levels of victimization were reported in overcrowded classes, while school size was not associated with students reports of victimization. Although there were almost no differences between Jewish and Arab schools in students reports of victimization, the SES of the schools neighborhood and students did have a moderate effect. The discussion highlights the importance of improving school climate and the need to allocate more resources to schools in low SES contexts in order to protect students from school violence.     

Patterns of intellectual ability of Arab school children in Israel

Following a series of studies investigating the Arab pattern of intellectual ability with young children, and utilizing the WPPSI, the present study aimed to test the generality of these findings on a wider range of Ss, 6 to 16, and used the new Arabic WISC-R as the measurement instrument. The results supported the former conclusions concerning a distinct Arab profile noted for its relative superiority in the Verbal as compared to the Performance IQs. This pattern tends to diminish with age, as a flat profile seems to emerge in adolescence. An environmental explanation is offered to account for these results.     

Patterns of Sexual Coercion in Adult Heterosexual Relationships: An Exploration of Male Victimization

The sexual coercion of adult males by females in heterosexual relationships has received little empirical attention. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe such relationships — in comparison with relationships involving the sexual coercion of females, of both males and females, and of neither — through analysis of data for 3,032 couples that completed the Preparation for Marriage instrument ( Holman, Busby, & Larson, 1989 ). Current individual and couple characteristics were investigated for male subjects and their partners. The results revealed greater deficiencies in relational resources and commitment in coercive versus noncoercive couples. In addition, gender differences were noted among results for different victim/offender configurations.     

当代中国青少年校园欺凌受害模式探索:基于潜在剖面分析

采用特拉华欺凌受害量表、病人健康问卷抑郁量表和广泛性焦虑量表对湖南省八个地区20所中学初一到高三3761名学生进行调查,探索学生欺凌受害模式,并对不同模式亚群体的人口学特点及其心理健康状况展开研究。结果发现：（1）校园欺凌中,言语欺凌、身体欺凌、关系欺凌、网络欺凌这四种常见欺凌类型具有较高的共发性,潜在剖面分析表明存在四种典型的校园欺凌受害模式："所有类型欺凌受害组"（1.5%）、"传统类型受害组"（3.9%）、"传统类型轻卷入组"（14.9%）和"未受害组"（79.6%）;（2）欺凌受害模式的人群分布受不同人口学特征（性别、年级、学校位置、自评学习成绩）的影响,男性、初中、乡村学校、成绩较差的学生更易受到欺凌;（3）即使是轻度的欺凌受害卷入,也会对个体心理健康产生较为严重的消极影响,对校园欺凌行为"零容忍"确有依据。     

初中生学生投入的发展特点及其与同伴欺负的关系:一项三年追踪研究

采用问卷法和追踪研究设计,对北京市294名初一学生进行了连续三年的追踪测查,来考察初中生学生投入的发展特点,以及同伴欺负与学生投入发展变化的关系。运用多层线性模型进行数据分析,结果表明：（1）从初一（T1）到初三（T3）,学生的行为投入呈下降趋势（主要集中在参与学校活动的投入度上）,情感投入和认知投入呈上升趋势;（2）在控制性别和父母学历后,初中生受言语欺负会负向预测T1时的行为和情感投入;受关系欺负会负向预测T1时的行为、情感及认知投入;受身体欺负会负向预测行为投入的下降速度。     

Patterns of discipline enforcement and the perception of justice in two educational frameworks in Israel

The purpose of the present study was to examine the types of discipline enforcement measures employed in the Israeli elementary and junior high schools, and their fairness as viewed by students. The central hypothesis was that patterns of discipline enforcement vary considerably depending on school characteristics. These patterns, in turn, together with students' sex, socioeconomic and ethnic background, and academic status within the school, determine students' perceptions of justice concerning misbehavior management. It was found that junior high school teachers rely more on problem-centered, and elementary school teachers rely more on relationship-centered techniques of discipline enforcement. However, in spite of these differences and the report of about half of the students that they personally had been unfairly treated, the majority of the respondents reported that the punishments employed in their school were generally fair, and that the severity of punishments was in the right proportion to the severity of the misconduct. Students' traits have accounted for only a small percentage of the variance of the various dimensions of justice that were examined. It has been suggested that students' perceptions of justice are related to an overall tendency to perceive schools' authority as legitimate rather than to schools' structural characteristics, misbehavior management techniques, and students' traits. Several possible bases of schools' legitimation are discussed.     

Student Patterns of Financing Education at a Land-Grant University

A financial aid survey was administered to the entire student body (10,185) at a land-grant university. The data showed that parental assistance was the main source of financial support, but that it declined in importance each year, while student employment by the university increased each year. Legislation providing increased opportunities for student employment appears to be appropriate and desirable. A wide variety of individual solutions to financial planning were noted.     

Patterns of Family Conflict and Their Relation to College Student Adjustment

The current study explored whether college students' reported participation in one of four theoretically distinct family alignments was differentially related to their scores on a multidimensional measure of college adjustment. Students were classified into one of four family alignment groups (noncoalition, mother-coalition, father-coalition, and triangulation) on the basis of their comparative levels of conflictual independence from each parent. Results suggest that students' academic and personal adjustment are differentially affected by the nature of the parent-student conflictual alignment. Results also support the consideration of a family perspective when evaluating the student's adaptation to the college environment.     

Victimization of Individuals with Legal Blindness: Nature and Forms of Victimization

This article reports the results of a study of the forms of victimization experienced by individuals with legal blindness. Semi-structured interviews with 58 legally-blind persons were conducted. Results reveal that individuals with legal blindness generally experience criminal victimization at rates consistent with the sighted population but, in some cases, experience certain forms of victimization at rates higher than the sighted population.     

童年中晚期同伴侵害对儿童心理社会适应影响的纵向分析

采用间隔两年的纵向设计, 通过对1767名儿童的同伴侵害以及孤独、抑郁、攻击、行为不良、同伴接纳、同伴拒绝等心理社会适应指标进行调查, 综合运用变量定向的方法和个体定向的方法考察了童年中晚期儿童心理社会适应发展的结果模式, 以及同伴侵害对儿童心理社会适应发展的影响。结果发现, (1)身体侵害、关系侵害与心理社会适应各指标存在显著的即时与纵向相关关系。(2)儿童心理社会适应结果表现为内化问题、外化问题、同伴拒绝、正常发展4种模式。(3)判别分析显示, 9岁的同伴侵害(主要为身体侵害)能预测同伴拒绝、外化问题适应结果模式, 11岁的同伴侵害(主要为关系侵害)能预测内化问题、同伴拒绝适应结果模式。这些结果表明同伴侵害与儿童心理社会适应间的联系具有异质性, 并且先前和当前的侵害经历以及不同类型的侵害与心理社会适应间的联系因适应领域的不同而存在差异。     

Gendered Patterns of Experience in Social and Cultural Transition: The Case of English-Speaking Immigrants in Israel

This study aimed to connect between work on the impact on the self as a consequence of the immigration process an theories of gender. It was based on semistructured interviews with 12 English-speaking immigrants to Israel. The data were analyzed using grounded theory (A. Strauss & J. Corbin, 1990, 1994) to examine the difficulties that the immigrants felt when leaving and since being in Israel, their methods of coping and their views of what constitutes a successful immigration. Two major patterns were identified, each of which rested on a different self need that appeared to have been affected by the immigration process: (1) the need to feel competent and (2) the need to feel a sense of belonging. Although most of the interviewees talked of both needs being damaged or affected to some extent, there was a strong tendency for the women respondents to place belonging needs in the foreground of their accounts and for men to place competence needs in theirs. Such results can be understood in the context of feminist theories of self that distinguish between women's sense of self, built in relation through connection to others, and men's sense of self, built around the concept of separation.     

Multiple Victimization of Children

Abstract

The authors identify three areas of empirical and clinical scholarship that need further attention in the area of multiple victimization of children. These include assessment of multiple victimization, assessment of additional sources of adversity in the child's environment, and the creation and use of developmentally appropriate, theoretically driven measures of child outcome. This is the last article in an edited book on multiple victimization of children that focuses on research and treatment issues from a developmental perspective.     

Measurement in Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology

The measurement of cognitive abilities across diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic groups has a contentious history, with broad political, legal, economic, and ethical repercussions. Advances in psychometric methods and converging scientific ideas about genetic variation afford new tools and theoretical contexts to move beyond the reflective analysis of between-group test score discrepancies. Neuropsychology is poised to benefit from these advances to cultivate a richer understanding of the factors that underlie cognitive test score disparities. To this end, the present article considers several topics relevant to the measurement of cognitive abilities across groups from diverse ancestral origins, including fairness and bias, equivalence, diagnostic validity, item response theory, and differential item functioning.     

Developmental Trajectories of Victimization

ABSTRACT

Using a modified version of Olweus' victimization (Student Questionnaire, 1993) scale, 1,241 children in Grades 5 to 7 from diverse socioeconomic neighborhoods were classified into four distinct trajectories of victimization: non-victims, late onset victims, stable victims, and desisters. MANCOVAS investigated how changes in victimization across different trajectories corresponded to variations in intraand interpersonal functioning. Risk factors including anxiety and low friendship quality lead to subsequent victimization and these problems increased with continued victimization. Engaging in fewer aggressive behaviors, having high quality friendships, and experiencing low levels of anxiety were identified as factors that protect adolescents from future victimization. The discussion focuses on the possible mechanisms contributing to the maintenance or changes in levels of victimization, and how interventions can reduce peer victimization in schools.     

Peer Victimization in Middle School

ABSTRACT

African American (n = 350) and Latino (n = 435) 6th grade students from eight middle schools completed self-report measures of peer victimization and psychological adjustment (i.e., self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, depression, and physical symptoms). Peer nomination procedures were used to determine which students had reputations as victims and which students were accepted, rejected, and perceived as most «cool.» In addition, homeroom teachers rated participating students on social behavior and academic engagement and students' grades were collected from school records. We created four victim groups based on self-and peer perceptions. «True» victims (agreement between self and peer) experienced the worst outcomes on all of the adjustment variables examined. However, different adjustment difficulties were reported for victim groups where there was disagreement between self-and peer views. Self-perceived victimization was predictive of psychological maladjustment, whereas the reputational measure was more related to peer rejection and negative teacher ratings. The implications of the findings for both accurate identification of victims of harassment and targeted intervention strategies were discussed.     

Predicting Perceptions of Victimization

Male and female subjects rated female victims of misfortune after observing videotapes of the victims detailing their injuries to doctors. Contrary to predictions of just wortd theory, subjects derogated culpable victims more than innocent victims. When observers identified with the victim, through political ties, derogation was reduced. It was concluded that responses to victims are described by a balance theory framework in which the observer's relationships to the victim and the victimizing agent determine whether (s)he will react to victims with sympathy or derogation. It was further concluded that these relationships can be predicted from an understanding of the social and political context shared by the perceiver and the victim.     

The Influence of Static and Dynamic Intrapersonal Factors on Longitudinal Patterns of Peer Victimization through Mid-adolescence: a Latent Transition Analysis

Using 6 cycles (grade 5 through grade 10) of data obtained from a large prospective sample of Canadian school children (N = 700; 52.6% girls), we replicated previous findings concerning the empirical definition of peer victimization (i.e., being bullied) and examined static and dynamic intrapersonal factors associated with its emergence and experiential continuity through mid-adolescence. Latent class analyses consistently revealed a low victimization and an elevated victimization class across time, supporting previous work suggesting peer victimization was defined by degree rather than by type (e.g., physical). Using latent transition analyses (LTA), we found that child sex, parent-perceived pubertal development, and internalizing symptoms influenced the probability of transitioning from the low to the elevated victimization class across time. Higher-order extensions within the LTA modeling framework revealed a lasting effect of grade 5 victimization status on grade 10 victimization status and a large effect of chronic victimization on later parent-reported youth internalizing symptoms (net of prior parent-reported internalizing symptoms) in later adolescence (grade 11). Implications of the current findings for the experience of peer victimization, as well as the application of latent transition analysis as a useful approach for peer victimization research, are discussed.