Speaker
Description
Relational victimization, both direct and indirect, is linked to various coping strategies and attachment styles in children. Attachment theory suggests that securely attached children are more likely to use adaptive coping strategies, while insecurely attached may rely on maladaptive strategies. This study explores how attachment styles and coping strategies relate to experiences of relational victimization in elementary school students. The 330 participating elementary school students completed self-report questionnaires assessing relational victimization, attachment style, and coping strategies. Insecurely attached children scored higher on resignation. Victims of relational aggression had higher scores in rumination, but lower scores in minimization, maladaptive coping, passive avoidance, resignation, and aggression compared to their non-victimized peers. The regression analyses indicated that securely attached children were more likely to be relationally victimized and resignation and aggression were significant negative predictors of (overall) relational victimization. When types of relational victimization were examined separately, results showed secure attachment, low resignation and low aggression as significant predictors of indirect relational victimization and only secure attachment and low resignation as predictors of direct relational victimization. The study’s unexpected results suggest that secure attachment may not offer protection against relational victimization. The lower use of coping strategies traditionally characterized as ‘maladaptive’ among victims, such as resignation or avoidance, may contribute to the escalation of relational victimization, since they may remain actively involved in the social conflict. Since the effectiveness of coping strategies can vary depending on the situation, interventions could equip children with other skills to navigate peer relationships.
Keywords
relational victimization; attachment; coping; children
| Please indicate what type of scientific contribution it is | Quantitative method study |
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| Please also indicate what kind of contribution it is: | Scientific |
