Gender differences in young adolescents' experiences of peer victimization: Social and physical aggression

Gender differences were explored in experiences of social and physical aggr ession of adolescents (39 boys and 37 girls; mean age 13.8). They reported the frequency of experiencing physical aggression and social aggression, de scribed in detail past incidents of peer victimization, and completed the S elf-Perception Profile for Adolescents. The most common social aggression r eported was being gossiped about, and the majority of adolescents reported that the aggressor was of the same gender. Although both genders reported e qual frequencies of social aggression, girls thought about it more and were more distressed by it than were boys. Frequency of social aggression was m ore strongly related to girls' self-concepts than to boys'. This research p rovides evidence that young adolescents, and especially victimized girls, a re hurt by social aggression.