Contexts that enhance victimization prevention: the effect of social responsibility on the WITS® program.
Date
2011-10-17
Authors
Sukhawathanakul, Paweena
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Abstract
Peer victimization, the experience of being socially excluded, emotionally mistreated or physically abused by peers, is a serious social issue in schools. Past research suggests that whole school, multi-component programs which aim to change school contexts are most effective in reducing victimization. However, the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for program effectiveness are not well understood. The current study examined how protective contexts influence young children‟s reports of victimization in early elementary school. Participation in the WITS® peer victimization prevention program, as well as classroom and individual levels of social responsibility, were tested as protective factors associated with declines in victimization over time. In a sample of 830 children, trajectories of physical and relational victimization were examined across Grades 1 to 3 with the use of latent multiple-indicator growth modeling. Children in the WITS® program (n = 422) showed more rapid declines in peer victimization over time compared to children in control schools (n = 418). Classroom levels of social responsibility were associated with declines in relational victimization for program children. Individual levels of social responsibility were associated with declines in physical victimization for program children. Implications for changing classroom norms through promoting social responsibility in the context of intervention and prevention are discussed.
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Keywords
bullying, children, peer group