Poster #229 - To Disclose or Not? Talking About being Victimized in Elementary School

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Social Relationships

Integrative Statement

Bullying among children is an important problem affecting well-being and psychological health (Nansel et al., 2001). In the Netherlands, at least 1 in 10 children is a victim of bullying (Monitor Sociale Veiligheid, 2016). However, victimization rates might be even higher as bullying often takes place away from the view of adults and victims, fearing retaliation or embarrassment, often do not talk about bullying (Bradshaw, et al., 2007). Although several studies indicate that bullying events often remain undisclosed (McEachern, Kenny, Blake, & Aluede, 2005), it is not exactly clear how many victims of bullying talk about it and how ‘disclosers’ and ‘non-disclosers’ differ. The first aim of this study is to gain insight into the frequency of disclosure in victimized children as well as into their characteristics. Not disclosing victimization may increase psychological distress - as children have to cope with victimization by themselves - and prolong the problem. Therefore, the second aim is to examine the effects of non-disclosure on social and emotional well-being over time.

Participants were 6412 students (50% boys, 72.3% Dutch) from 340 classrooms and 104 Dutch elementary schools. Data were collected in fall (T1) and spring (T2) 2016/2017 when students were in grades 2-6 (Mage(T1) = 10.02). Children’s experiences with bullying were measured by self-reports on the duration and frequency of victimization. Disclosure of victimization was measured by asking children who indicated to be victimized whom they told about their experiences. Measures of social and emotional well-being (i.e., social anxiety, depressive symptoms, self-esteem, social acceptation and emotion regulation) were also based on self-reports.

Analyses show that 12.3% (N =790) of all children indicated being victimized chronically (more than twice a month, for more than one year). Of these children, 29.2% (N = 231) did not disclose the victimization. Children who talk about victimization, mainly tell their parents (79%). To a lesser extent, they inform friends (59%), teachers (57%), siblings (31%), or another person (24%). Older children (OR =1.286, p = .001), frequently victimized children (OR =1.227, p = .039), and children with more depressive feelings (OR =1.576, p = .027) are more likely to disclose. Boys (OR = .653, p = .015) and more anxious children (OR = .739, p = .014) are less likely to disclose. Repeated measures analyses indicate significant interaction effects of time X victimization on victims’ social and emotional well-being, replicating negative effects of being victimized chronically. Moreover, significant interactions effects of time X disclosure were found on depressive symptoms (F (1, 788) = 9.47, p =.002), self-esteem (F (1, 788) = 3.96, p = .047), and emotion regulation (F (1, 788) = 3.38, p = .066), indicating that not disclosing victimization leads to additional negative outcomes over time.

A significant percentage of children do not disclose victimization. The disclosure rate is affected by both personal characteristics and characteristics of the victimization. Identifying and helping children who do not disclose their victimization may be desirable, given that non-disclosers experience more social-emotional problems over time.

Authors

• Sabine Stoltz, Radboud University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rozemarijn van der Ploeg, University of Groningen
  Presenting Author

• Yvonne van den Berg, Radboud University, Nijmegen
  Non-Presenting Author