The Relationship Between Effortful Control and Peer Victimization in Early and Middle Childhood

• In Event: Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: Division E Human Development Poster Session

Abstract

The relationship between effortful control and peer victimization was examined among 406 ethnically-diverse 1st and 3rd grade children (183 girls; 223 boys) who were followed into 4th and 6th grade, respectively. Teachers rated students’ effortful control skills and frequency of peer victimization. Preliminary (2 of 4 time points) SEM findings showed that early peer victimization predicted decreases in all indicators of effortful control (i.e., attention focusing, attention shifting, and inhibitory control) whereas greater attention focusing predicted decreases in peer victimization. Thus, although more evidence was found to suggest that peer victimization compromises children’s effortful control, evidence also indicated that poor attention focus may increase some children’s risk for victimization. Analyses across all four time points will be conducted and reported.

Authors

• Khaerannisa I. Cortes, Arizona State University

• Becky Kochenderfer-Ladd, Arizona State University - Tempe

• Natalie Eggum, Arizona State University

• Gary W. Ladd