Poster #229 - Examining Possible Links Between Traditional and Cyber Victimization

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Social Relationships

Integrative Statement

Being a victim is an all too frequent phenomenon for children. A very large body of research documents academic and psychosocial maladjustment of traditional, face-to-face victimization. More recently, a growing body of research documents psychosocial maladjustment associated with cyber victimization. The association between traditional victimization and cyber victimization is not clear. Some research reports positive correlations between these and other research reports no statistically significant relation. The present research was designed to shed light on this inconsistency. Specifically, we evaluated, through a path analysis, the possible associations between traditional victimization and measures of social competence and, in turn, the association of these competence measures to extent of cyber victimization.
Children (Grades 3-5, 8 classrooms; N = 202, males = 91, females = 111; middle-class SES; 72% White, 21% African-American) participated (IRB approved) in group sessions. Self-report measures included self-perceived social competence (Harter, 1982), loneliness (Asher & Wheeler, 1985), and a 15-item questionnaire including an assessment of cyber victimization (Jackson & Cohen, 2012). The Revised Class Play procedure (Masten, Morrison, & Pelligrino, 1985) was used to assess peer nominations for classroom victimization (4 behavior items). Peer group standing was determined using classroom rosters and having children circle the names of the peers they liked most. Mutual friendships (reciprocated nominations) were calculated from classroom rosters with children nominating their friends (unlimited nominations). Classroom victimization behavior nominations, like most nominations, and number of mutual friends were each standardized by classroom to control for differences in classroom size.
A path analysis was performed (Mplus 8.0) assessing paths from Classroom Victimization to social competence measures (Self-Perceived Social Competence, Loneliness, Liked Most Nominations, and Number of Mutual Friends). In addition, we assessed paths from these social competence measures to Cyber Victimization. Classroom Victimization significantly related to Loneliness (positively) and significantly related (negatively) to Liked Most and Mutual Friends - findings expected from previous research. Interestingly, only Self-Perceived Social Competence related significantly (negatively) to Cyber Victimization. The direct paths between Classroom Victimization and Cyber Victimization along with Classroom Victimization and Self-Perceived Social Competence were not statistically significant.
These results suggest that being harassed by traditional classroom victimization may not be associated in simple ways with being harassed in the cyber world. Of the variables assessed, only self-perceptions of social competence was linked to cyber aggression. It is quite surprising that self evaluations of social effectiveness related to cyber victimization yet not classroom victimization. This finding suggests that self-perceived social competence may protect children from being victimized online. Links between victimization and the other measures (loneliness, peer liking, and number of mutual friends), although certainly intuitively related, are not related in a simple manner as addressed in this research. Alternative models with these measures and gender differences are currently being examined.

Authors

• Samantha Newman, University of Memphis
  Presenting Author

• Robert Washington, The University of Memphis
  Non-Presenting Author

• Samantha Jordan, University of memphis
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robert Cohen, The University of Memphis
  Non-Presenting Author