The power of friendship: Protection against an escalating cycle of peer victimization.

TLDR

This study examined how having a best friend and the perceived qualities of that friendship moderate the behavioral antecedents and outcomes of peer victimization. The authors followed 393 fourth‑ and fifth‑grade children (188 boys, 205 girls, mean age 10 y 7 mo) over two waves in a one‑year longitudinal design. Teacher‑reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors predicted increases in peer‑reported victimization, but this link was weakened for children with a protective friendship; conversely, victimization predicted increases in internalizing and externalizing behaviors only for children lacking a mutual best friend, underscoring the role of peer friendships in breaking the escalating cycle of abuse.

Abstract

This study examined 2 aspects of friendship (presence and perceived qualities of a best friend) as moderators of behavioral antecedents and outcomes of peer victimization. A total of 393 children (188 boys and 205 girls) in the 4th and 5th grades (mean age = 10 years 7 months) participated during each of 2 waves of data collection in this 1-year longitudinal study. Results indicated that teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors predicted increases in peer-reported victimization, but the relation of internalizing behaviors to increases in victimization was attenuated for children with a protective friendship. Victimization predicted increases in internalizing and externalizing behaviors but only for children without a mutual best friendship. Results highlight the importance of peer friendships in preventing an escalating cycle of peer abuse.