Peer, self and teacher nominations of participant roles taken in victimisation by five‐ and eight‐year‐olds

Published date30 September 2010
Date30 September 2010
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.5042/jacpr.2010.0532
Pages4-14
AuthorClaire Monks,Peter Smith
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Sociology
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research • Volume 2 Issue 4 • October 2010 © Pier Professional Ltd4
10.5042/jacpr.2010.0532
Introduction
Peer victimisation and bullying in schools has
been the focus of international attention for 30
years (Smith & Brain, 2000). It can be physical,
verbal or social/relational (either directly,
through social exclusion, or indirectly, such
as spreading nasty rumours). Recent research
from Europe, North America, Australia, Iran
and China (Monks et al, 2005; Nelson et al,
2006; Russell et al, 2003; Shahim, 2008) has also
shown that peer victimisation occurs frequently
among children as young as three to six years.
In older pupils, Salmivalli et al (1996)
identified six participant roles: aggressor/
bully, victim, assistant, reinforcer, defender and
outsider. Sutton and Smith (1999) confirmed
these in seven- to 10-year-olds. Monks et al
(2003) found that four- to six-year-olds were
less likely to nominate peers or selves, for
reinforcer, assistant and outsider (compared to
aggressor, victim or defender).
Two subtypes of victim have been identified
in older children. Provocative victims (or bully-
or aggressive-victims) tend to be aggressive
or provocative to others; passive victims do
Peer, self and teacher
nominations of participant
roles taken in victimisation by
five- and eight-year-olds
Claire P Monks
Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Department of Psychology and Counselling, University of Greenwich, UK
Peter K Smith
Professor, Psychology Department, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
ABS TR AC T
The aim of the current study was to develop and assess a method for obtaining peer-, self-
and teacher-nominations of the participant roles in peer victimisation appropriate for use
with children between the ages of five and eight years. Sixty-eight five-year-olds and 69
eight-year-olds and their teachers took part. Peer-nominations (including self-nominations)
were obtained from five- and eight-year-olds for participant roles of aggressor, reinforcer,
assistant, defender, outsider, passive and provocative victim; and similar nominations from
their teachers. At both ages, children were able to nominate for all the roles, and consistent
gender differences were found. Test-retest reliability (over an interval of one week) was
moderate to high for all roles in eight-year-olds, but only for aggressor and provocative
victim in five-year-olds. There was evidence for role discrimination, but five-year-olds gave
similar nominations for aggressor and provocative victim. Within-class pupil agreement was
significant for aggressor and provocative victim at both ages, and for passive victim and
defender at eight years. Peer- and teacher-ratings showed better agreement with each other
than with self-nominations. The findings are discussed in relation to children’s developing
abilities to identify and report various roles, as well as developmental changes in the nature
of peer-aggression.
KEY WORDS
Children; aggression; bullying; victim; defender; participant roles.

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