Peer victimization and attitudes about violence during early adolescence

Examined roles for attitudes about violence as a possible influence on the frequency of commonplace aggression toward peers among 1,033 adolescents in the 7th through 9th grades. The peer victimization measure adapted from pr ior studies yielded 2 reliable subscales: Victimization of Self and Victimi zation of Others. The attitudes and beliefs measure modified for this study yielded 3 reliable subscales (Aggression Irs Legitimate and Warranted, Agg ression Enhances Power and Esteem, One Should Not Intervene in Fights). The se attitudes were meaningfully related to self-reported aggression toward p eers but less clearly related to self-victimization. The attitudes were pla usible mediators of the relation between gender and aggression toward other s and appeared influential for bath boys' and girls' aggression toward peer s. Little support was found for these attitudes moderating the relation bet ween self-victimization and aggression toward others, yet a clear link betw een victimization of self and aggression toward others was evident. Results support an emphasis on attitudes and values regarding aggression in violen ce-prevention efforts, as well as direct efforts to reduce self-victimizati on.