@article{ref1,
title="Peer victimisation in early childhood; observations of participant roles and sex differences",
journal="International journal of environmental research and public health",
year="2021",
author="Monks, Claire P. and Kucaba, Kat and Smith, Peter K.",
volume="18",
number="2",
pages="e415-e415",
abstract="During middle childhood and adolescence, victimisation appears to be a group process involving different participant roles. However, peer reports with younger children  (four to six years old) have failed to identify the participant roles of assistant  (to the bully) reinforcers or defenders with much reliability. This may be because  peer victimisation is a more dyadic process among younger children (behavioural  reality), or because of limitations in young children's cognitive capacity to  identify these behaviours (cognitive limitations). The findings of an observational  study which examined the group nature of peer victimisation among young children are  presented. Observations were made of 56 children aged four and five years using time  sampling during free play at school (totalling 43.5 h of observation). Records were  made of their behaviour when an onlooker witnessed aggression by others, and also of  others' behaviour when they were being aggressive or being victimised. Although  children other than the aggressor and target were present in nearly two thirds of  the episodes of peer victimisation observed, few exhibited behavioural responses in  line with the assistant, reinforcer or defender roles. This supports the behavioural  reality rather than the cognitive limitations explanation. Sex differences were  observed in types of aggression displayed by children, with boys more likely than  girls to be physically aggressive. Children were less likely to be aggressive to  other-sex peers and were most likely to be victimised by children of the same sex as  them. There were also sex differences in children's onlooker behaviour. The  implications for our understanding of the development of peer victimisation and  bullying in children are discussed.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1661-7827",
doi="10.3390/ijerph18020415",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18020415"
}