Relational victimization in childhood and adolescence: I hurt you through the grapevine.

Abstract

Sylvia usually feels pretty good about herself, but lately her friends at school have been acting a little strangely toward her. When she goes to sit with them in the cafeteria at lunch, everyone stops talking. When she passes people in the hall, she hears them whispering behind their hands. And then just yesterday she overheard someone saying that Mindy was having a birthday party, and she hasn't been invited. What Sylvia doesn't know is that Mindy has been spreading gossip about her to their mutual friends ever since Sylvia beat her out for the lead in the school play. Sylvia struggles to figure out why her friends are acting so weird, but one thing she does know for sure is that whatever the reason, it is making her really sad.