Examining Bidirectional Associations of Peer Victimization, Inhibitory Control, and Daringness in Early Childhood

• In Event: Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Peer victimization is a common yet disruptive part of children’s lives that contributes to detrimental outcomes (Snyder et al., 2003). The inclusion of relational victimization (i.e., the relationship being used to harm others) along with physical victimization has added to our understanding of risk trajectories. Previous research has found associations between physical and relational victimization with negative outcomes such as internalizing and externalizing symptoms in early childhood (Kamper-DeMarco & Ostrov, 2017). During early childhood, children demonstrate initial abilities to regulate or inhibit their behavior (Gagne & Saudino, 2016) yet little work has sought to understand how inhibition may interact with social experiences such as peer victimization during this period. Specifically, children who demonstrate more disinhibition (i.e., lack of ability to control behavioral responses) may be at risk for peer victimization due to their display of socially undesirable behaviors. Conversely, peer victimization experiences may cause children to become disinhibited through depletion of the limited self-regulatory skills. These co-occurring risk factors may then make children vulnerable for externalizing problems. As such, we sought to examine bidirectional associations between peer victimization and inhibition in early childhood as well as related risk factors for externalizing problems such as daringness.
A total of 300 preschool students (131 females) were recruited from ten nationally accredited early childhood schools located in the northeast US. Participants were approximately 45 months old (M = 44.70 months, SD = 4.38) and were diverse in ethnicity (7.6% Asian, 3% Black, 1% Hispanic/Latino, 11% multiracial, 15% other/unknown, 62.1% White).
The current longitudinal study was conducted with four cohorts of children across a one-year period. Research assistants and teachers completed assessments of participants in the spring of year one (Y1) and in spring of the following year (year 2; Y2). Teachers reported on children’s peer victimization experiences using the Preschool Victimization Measure—Teacher Report—Revised (PPVM-TR-R; Ostrov, 2008). To measure inhibition, participants completed the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Task (Cameron Ponitz et al., 2009) as well as research assistants reported inhibitory control assessing behavioral dysregulation on the Child Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ; Rothbart et al., 2001). Research assistants completed the CBQ after having spent significant time in the classroom conducting individual observations (~360 minutes per participant). Lastly, the Daring scale from the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale (CADS, Lahey et al., 2008) was used as a risk factor for externalizing problems. All measures demonstrated good reliability.
Using cross-lagged path analyses there was stability found for physical and relational victimization and for daringness across a one-year period. Analyses also revealed that inhibitory control at Y1 was negatively associated with relational victimization at Y2 (ß=-0.21, p<.05). Inhibitory control at Y1 was negatively associated with physical victimization at Y2 (ß=-.21, p=.05). Daringness in Y1 was negatively associated with inhibitory control at Y2 (ß=-.28, p<.05). We also found our behavioral measure of inhibition at Y1 was negatively associated with daringness at Y2 (ß=-.81, p<.001). These initial findings are important to help understand peer victimization and inhibitory control as potential risk factors for future externalizing behavior.

Authors

• Sarah Blakely-McClure, Canisius College
  Presenting Author

• Kimberly Erin Kamper-DeMarco, State University College at Buffalo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jamie M. Ostrov, State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo)
  Non-Presenting Author