Peer Victimization as a Form of Traumatic Stress Among Children

Objective: Peer victimization is increasingly recognized as a potentially traumatic stressor. Relatively little research, however, has been conducted during middle childhood—when stable patterns of traditional victimization can emerge—and no known studies have examined the impact of cyber victimization during this developmental period. Moreover, the vast majority of previous work has been cross-sectional in nature. The current short-term longitudinal study sought to address each of these gaps in the literature and to identify specific thresholds at which peer victimization is associated with increased risk for posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Method: Participants included a sample of 250 children (grades 3-5; 52% boys; 50% Hispanic/Latinx) and their homeroom teachers. Peer victimization was assessed using child- and teacher-reports at Time 1, and PTSS were assessed using child-reports at Times 1 and 2. Results: Across both time points, 43% of children reported clinically significant PTSS stemming from their experiences of peer victimization. Further, traditional and cyber victimization uniquely predicted greater PTSS, and these effects persisted 6.5 months later. Child-reports of traditional and cyber victimization at least “2 or 3 Times a Month” were meaningful lower-bound thresholds, although children who reported traditional victimization “Several Times a Week” exhibited the greatest risk for PTSS. Conclusions: A significant proportion of children who experience peer victimization report clinically significant PTSS, and both traditional and cyber victimization confer lasting risk during middle childhood. Findings highlight the importance of screening to identify children negatively impacted by these experiences and the need for additional research to investigate trauma-focused interventions.