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A Population Study of Victimization, Relationships, and Well-Being in Middle Childhood

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  • Martin Guhn
  • Kim Schonert-Reichl
  • Anne Gadermann
  • Shelley Hymel
  • Clyde Hertzman

Abstract

The paper presents a population-based study on the association of victimization and peer and adult relationships with children’s life satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The study extends previous research by examining 2-, 3-, and 4-way higher-order interaction effects (moderation hypotheses) of adults and peer relationships, victimization, and gender on positive and negative aspects of children’s well-being. The study draws from a representative population-level sample of 2,792 4th graders (M age = 9.70 years; 48.2 % girls). Data were obtained via student self-report survey on the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI). Given the nested data (children within classrooms), we employed multi-level regression analyses. Positive relationships with adults and peers were most strongly associated with life satisfaction and self-esteem, whereas victimization was most strongly associated with depressive symptoms and anxiety. No significant 2- or 3-way interactions were identified. The 4-way interaction of gender, adult connectedness, peer connectedness, and victimization was significant for three outcomes; that is, victimization was particularly strongly associated with low life satisfaction, low self-esteem, and high depressive symptoms for girls with low self-reports of peer and adult connectedness. The findings have implications for promoting children’s well-being in school and community contexts, corroborating interventions that foster relationship-building skills and simultaneously reduce victimization. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Guhn & Kim Schonert-Reichl & Anne Gadermann & Shelley Hymel & Clyde Hertzman, 2013. "A Population Study of Victimization, Relationships, and Well-Being in Middle Childhood," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 1529-1541, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:5:p:1529-1541
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-012-9393-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anne Gadermann & Kimberly Schonert-Reichl & Bruno Zumbo, 2010. "Investigating Validity Evidence of the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 96(2), pages 229-247, April.
    2. Anne Gadermann & Martin Guhn & Bruno Zumbo, 2011. "Investigating the Substantive Aspect of Construct Validity for the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children: A Focus on Cognitive Processes," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(1), pages 37-60, January.
    3. Bruce Headey & Jonathan Kelley & Alex Wearing, 1993. "Dimensions of mental health: Life satisfaction, positive affect, anxiety and depression," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 63-82, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Oberle, Eva & Guhn, Martin & Gadermann, Anne M. & Thomson, Kimberly & Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A., 2018. "Positive mental health and supportive school environments: A population-level longitudinal study of dispositional optimism and school relationships in early adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 154-161.
    2. Anne M. Gadermann & Martin Guhn & Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl & Shelley Hymel & Kimberly Thomson & Clyde Hertzman, 2016. "A Population-Based Study of Children’s Well-Being and Health: The Relative Importance of Social Relationships, Health-Related Activities, and Income," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1847-1872, October.
    3. Mats Beckmann & Katharina Knüttel & Sören Petermann & Till Stefes, 2022. "The Role of Spatial Context in Shaping Adolescents’ Peer Relationships," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 262-272.
    4. Luciana Castelli & Jenny Marcionetti & Alberto Crescentini & Luca Sciaroni, 2018. "Monitoring Preadolescents’ Well-being: Italian Validation of the Middle Years Development Instrument," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(2), pages 609-628, April.
    5. Stefania C. Alcantara & Mònica González-Carrasco & Carme Montserrat & Ferran Viñas & Ferran Casas & Desirée P. Abreu, 2017. "Peer violence in the School Environment and Its Relationship with Subjective Well-Being and Perceived Social Support Among Children and Adolescents in Northeastern Brazil," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1507-1532, October.
    6. Seon, Youngwoon & Smith-Adcock, Sondra, 2023. "Adolescents’ meaning in life as a resilience factor between bullying victimization and life satisfaction," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    7. L. Migliorini & T. Tassara & N. Rania, 2019. "A Study of Subjective Well-Being and Life Satisfaction in Italy: how are Children doing at 8 years of Age?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(1), pages 49-69, February.
    8. María-Jesús Cava & Ester Ayllón & Inés Tomás, 2021. "Coping Strategies against Peer Victimization: Differences According to Gender, Grade, Victimization Status and Perceived Classroom Social Climate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.

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