Longitudinal study of the relationship between victimization and later emotional problems among Japanese junior high school students
| Date | 16 May 2011 |
| Pages | 115-121 |
| Published date | 16 May 2011 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/17596591111132945 |
| Author | Yasuyo Nishino,Tatsuo Ujiie,Katsumi Ninomiya,Atsushi Igarashi,Hiromitsu Inoue,Chika Yamamoto |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Sociology |
Longitudinal study of the relationship
between victimization and later emotional
problems among Japanese junior high
school students
Yasuyo Nishino, Tatsuo Ujiie, Katsumi Ninomiya, Atsushi Igarashi,
Hiromitsu Inoue and Chika Yamamoto
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report an investigation of the relationships between
victimization and later emotional problems among Japanese junior high school students. The effects of
psychosocial risk factors and their role as predictors of the relationship between victimization and later
emotional problems were also examined over time.
Design/methodology/approach – The authors’ first concern was to determine whether victimization is,
indeed, related to emotional problems during junior high school. The authors’ second concern was to
determine how long victimization or risk factors will be associated with emotional problems. The third
concern was to determine whether there is a gender difference in the relationship between victimization
and emotional problems. Emotional problems were assessed using self-report questionnairemeasures
of depression and low self-worth. This article used eight-months interval data collections; September
2002 (Time 1), May 2003 (Time 2), January 2004 (Time 3), and September 2004 (Time 4).
Findings – The results section is organized into three parts. The first part presents correlation
coefficients for each of the variables. The second part examines whether the experience being bullied is
related to four risk factors, depression and low self-worth. The third part examines whether risk factors
and victimization are related to depression and low self-worth over time. In each part the authors also
examined whether results vary depending on gender.
Originality/value – The paper usefully shows that victimization at Time 1 predicted later depression at
Times 2 and 3 for boys, but not for girls. Victimization at Time 1 also predicted later depression for boys
after controlling for other Time 1 risk factors. Early victimization may be a unique predictor of later
depression for boys, but not for girls.
Keywords Bullying, Japan, Depression, Self esteem, Gender, Individual psychology
Paper type Research paper
Method
Study design and procedure
The data used in this paper were collected as part of a longitudinal study of problem behavior
and health-related behavior among Japanese junior high school students. School starts in
spring in Japan; the first term starts in April, the second in September, and the third in January.
Begun in the autumn of 2002, the study has involved four-months interval data collections
during junior high school. This paper used eight-months interval data collections; September
2002 (Time 1), May 2003 (Time 2), January 2004 (Time 3), and September 2004 (Time 4).
Participants were in Grade 1 at Time 1 when data were collected in nine junior high schools in
a large metropolitan district in Japan. Participating schools were chosen for the study by the
school district administration to maximize representation. Active parental and personal
DOI10.1108/17596591111132945 VOL.3 NO. 2 2011, pp.115-121, QEmeraldGroup PublishingLimited, ISSN1759-6599
j
JOURNAL OF AGGRESSION, CONFLICT AND PEACE RESEARCH
j
PAGE 115
Yasuyo Nishino is based
at Hiroshima Shudo
University, Hiroshima,
Japan.
Tatsuo Ujiie is based at
Nagoya University,Nagoya,
Japan.
Katsumi Ninomiya is based
at Aichi-Gakuin University,
Nisshin, Japan.
Atsushi Igarashi is based
at Fukushima University,
Fukushima, Japan.
Hiromitsu Inoue is based
at Chiba College of Health
Science, Chiba, Japan.
Chika Yamamoto is based
at Nagoya-Bunri University,
Inazawa, Japan.
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