Citation

Monks C, Smith P. J. Aggress. Confl. Peace Res. 2010; 2(4): 4-14.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing)

DOI

10.5042/jacpr.2010.0532

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to develop and assess a method for obtaining peer-, selfand 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.