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

This study examined 2 aspects of friendship (presence and perceived qualiti es of a best friend) as moderators of behavioral antecedents and outcomes o f peer victimization. A total of 393 children (188 boys and 205 girls) in t he 4th and 5th grades (mean age = 10 years 7 months) participated during ea ch of 2 waves of data collection in this I-year longitudinal study. Results indicated that teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors predicted increases in peer-reported victimization, but the relation of int ernalizing behaviors to increases in victimization was attenuated for child ren with a protective friendship. Victimization predicted increases in inte rnalizing and externalizing behaviors but only for children without a mutua l best friendship. Results highlight the importance of peer friendships in preventing an escalating cycle of peer abuse.