Examining the Temporal Sequence of Peer Victimization, Academic Achievement, and School Attendance

Abstract

The majority of research on bullying has focused on children’s mental and physical health. There has been little research examining the longitudinal association between peer victimization, academic achievement, and school attendance with a specific focus on the temporal sequence linking the variables together. Participants (n= 654) were selected from 51 randomly selected elementary schools and were assessed annually from 5th to 12th grade. Results revealed a complex pattern of associations that were moderated by sex. Positive relationships with peers were the most important for school success for girls, with peer victimization in 8th grade predicting decreased GPA and increased absences in 9th grade. Age-related patterns in response to bullying were also found with elementary school-aged boys at increased risk of poor academic outcomes in response to peer victimization (being bullied in 7th grade predicted decreased GPA in 8th grade), compared to secondary school-aged boys (being bullied in 10th grade predicted higher GPA in 11th grade). A mediation model showed that being absent from school in 9th grade predicted lower grades in 10th grade which in turn predicted increased peer victimization in 11th grade; however, when tested for gender differences, the indirect effect was only significant for boys. Problems associated with underachievement were the most notable for secondary school-aged girls, with poor academic outcomes in 9th grade predicting increased peer victimization in 10th grade. The results have important implications for teachers, school administrators, and policy makers on how to identify and reduce peer victimization and ameliorate academic achievement.