Peer victimization is a serious problem of childhood that has been shown to lead to internalizing and externalizing difficulties. It has been proposed that chronic peer victims have an easily accessible """"""""victim schema"""""""" that lead them to engage in behaviors that lead to victimization. Children with easily accessible victim schemas are likely to associate themselves implicitly as victims, experience dyscontrolled emotional arousal in response to threats, make hostile attributions, and respond with inappropriately submissive or reactive behaviors.
The aim of the present study is to test whether the presence of an easily accessible victim schema predicts future peer victimization. The present study will use a longitudinal, multi-cohort design to assess the relation of victim schema to peer victimization. Children from the community will be assessed at baseline and one-year follow-up. Participants will be administered implicit cognitive measures to assess the accessibility of their victim schema and explicit questionnaires regarding their histories of peer victimization experiences. The primary hypothesis is that the presence of an easily accessible victimization will influence both concurrent and future peer victimization status.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31MH069028-01A2
Application #
6993796
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F11 (20))
Program Officer
Ferrell, Courtney
Project Start
2005-07-01
Project End
2007-06-30
Budget Start
2005-07-01
Budget End
2007-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$33,302
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Kentucky
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
939017877
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
Zip Code
40506
Rosen, Paul J; Milich, Richard; Harris, Monica J (2012) Dysregulated negative emotional reactivity as a predictor of chronic peer victimization in childhood. Aggress Behav 38:414-27