NCJ Number
229429
Journal
Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2010 Pages: 5-26
Date Published
February 2010
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This article provides an overview of the articles contained in this special issue of the Journal of Early Adolescence dealing with peer aggression, victimization, and conflict during early adolescence, and presents original data that examine peer victimization characteristics of early adolescents.
Abstract
Peer aggression, victimization, and conflict are common occurrences during early adolescence. In the collection of articles in this special issue, several themes emerged, including the use of social psychological theory, individual difference variables, and social context. This article briefly reviews these articles and presents original data that examine microcontextual characteristics (i.e., context of specific events) of sixth and ninth graders' peer victimization. Students completed daily reports on 5 school days across 2 weeks. Adolescents' experiences were mostly public (i.e., witnessed by another individual) and perpetrated by a single student from the same grade. Adolescents were unlikely to receive help from others (less than half the time when a witness was present). Ninth-grade data suggest that friends are the most likely witnesses to help the target. Strangers to the target never intervened or tried to help. These findings are discussed in light of implications for prevention and intervention. (Published Abstract)