Challenging the “‘Mean Kid”’ Perception: Boys’ and Girls’ Profiles of Peer Victimization and Aggression from 4th to 10th Grades

Olivier, Elizabeth;Morin, Alexandre J. S.;Vitaro, Frank;Galand, Benoît
(2022) Journal of Interpersonal Violence : concerned with the study and treatment of victims and perpetrators of physical and sexual violence — Vol. 37, n° 17-18, p. NP15095-NP15129 (2022)

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Authors
  • Olivier, Elizabethorcid-logoConcordia University
    Author
  • Morin, Alexandre J. S.Concordia University
    Author
  • Vitaro, FrankUniversité de Montréal
    Author
  • Galand, Benoîtorcid-logoUCLouvain
    Author
Abstract
Student involvement in peer aggression is assumed to include the uninvolved, victims, aggressors, and victim-aggressor groups. Yet, evidence supporting this four-group configuration is equivocal. Although most studies report the four groups, several of the aggressor groups could have been labeled as moderate victim-aggressors. This study first reviews studies identifying subgroups of students involved in verbal, relational, and physical aggression. The study then assesses students' perceived involvement in elementary (n = 2,071; Grades 4-6) and secondary school (n = 1,832; Grades 7-10), as well as the associations with outcomes (school belonging, depressive thoughts, and perceived school violence). Latent profile analysis identified three profiles (uninvolved, victim-only, and victim-aggressor) across all grades and genders. In primary school, the uninvolved, victim, and victim-aggressor respectively included 54.56%, 37.51%, and 7.83% of the girls, and 44.23%, 31.92%, and 23.85% of the boys. In secondary school, the uninvolved, victim, and victim-aggressor respectively included 80.16%, 14.93% and 4.91% of the girls, and 64.31%, 22.95% and 12.74% of the boys. Victims and victim-aggressors reported poorer adjustment than uninvolved students. Victims and victim-aggressors reported lower levels of school belonging and higher levels of depressive thoughts than uninvolved students. Also, victim-aggressors perceived more violence in their school than victims and uninvolved students, and victims perceived more violence than uninvolved students. These findings question the existence of an aggressor-only profile, at least, according to student perception, suggesting the need for a new perspective when intervening with students involved in peer aggression.
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Olivier, E., Morin, A. J. S., Vitaro, F., & Galand, B. (2022). Challenging the “‘Mean Kid”’ Perception: Boys’ and Girls’ Profiles of Peer Victimization and Aggression from 4th to 10th Grades. Journal of Interpersonal Violence : concerned with the study and treatment of victims and perpetrators of physical and sexual violence, 37(17-18), NP15095-NP15129. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260521997949 (Original work published 2022)