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Relationship Between Peer Victimization and Posttraumatic Stress Among Primary School Children
Author(s) -
Litman Leib,
Costantino Giuseppe,
Waxman Richard,
SanabriaVelez Caribel,
RodriguezGuzman Von Marie,
LamponVelez Anabelle,
Brown Richard,
Cruz Tomas
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.22031
Subject(s) - peer victimization , stressor , psychology , posttraumatic stress , clinical psychology , peer group , injury prevention , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , medical emergency
Peer victimization is a common stressor experienced by children. Although peer victimization has been studied extensively, few studies have examined the potential link between peer victimization and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and no studies of which we are aware have examined this link among children in primary school. The paucity of studies examining the link between PTSD and peer victimization in primary school is surprising because peer victimization occurs more frequently and is more likely to be physical among 7‐ and 8‐year‐old children. This study assessed the relationship between peer victimization and PTSD in a sample of 358 elementary school children (ages 6–11 years). Results indicated that peer victimization accounted for 14.1% of PTSD symptom severity among boys and 10.1% among girls. Additionally, we found gender differences in the types of peer victimization that were most associated with PTSD symptom severity ( d = 0.38). The long‐term developmental consequences that may be associated with peer victimization‐linked PTSD symptomatology are discussed.