The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of a child's behavioral problems on peer victimization and how a child's behavioral problems and peer victimization affect school adjustment and friendship.688 children in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th gra...
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of a child's behavioral problems on peer victimization and how a child's behavioral problems and peer victimization affect school adjustment and friendship.688 children in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades of elementary school in Seoul participated in the survey.
The instruments used for this study were the Social Experience Questionnaire (Crick & Grotpeter, 1996), the Peer Nomination Inventory (Perry, Kusel, & Perry, 1988), the School Adjustment Questionnaire (Lim Jung Soon, 1993; Yoo Yoon Hee, 1995), and the Friendship Quality Questionnaire (Parker & Asher, 1993). The data were analyzed by Frequency, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation, Factor Analysis, Cronbach Coefficient Alpha, Multiple Regression, and Path Analysis using SAS statistical package.
The results of this study are as follows:
First, the sub-factor of a child's behavioral problem, externalizing problems and internalizing problems affected relational and overt victimization. However, when a child could not receive prosocial behaviors, only internalizing problems affected relational and overt victimization, but externalizing problems did not.
Second, as a child had more behavioral problems, he became a target of relational and overt victimization more often, and received less prosocial behaviors so that he had difficulties in school adjustment. In addition, as a child experienced more relational and overt victimization received less prosocial behaviors, he had much more difficulties in school adjustment. A child's behavioral problems affected school adjustment indirectly through relational and overt victimization, not receiving prosocial behaviors.
Third, as a child had more behavioral problems, he became a target of relational and overt victimization more often, and received less prosocial behaviors so that he had worse friendship with peers.
In addition, as a child experienced more relational and overt victimization and received less prosocial behaviors, he had worse friendship with peers. A child's behavioral problems affected his friendship indirectly through relational and overt victimization, not receiving prosocial behaviors.