Overt and relational aggression in adolescents: Social-psychological adjustment of aggressors and victims

Examined the relative and combined associations among relational and overt forms of aggression and victimization and adolescents' concurrent depressio n symptoms, loneliness, self-esteem, and externalizing behavior An ethnical ly diverse sample of 566 adolescents (55% girls) in Grades 9 to 12 particip ated. Results replicated prior work on relational aggression and victimizat ion as distinct forms of peer behavior that are uniquely associated with co ncurrent social-psychological adjustment. Victimization was associated most closely with internalizing symptoms, and peer aggression was related to sy mptoms of disruptive behavior disorder Findings also supported the hypothes is that victims of multiple forms of aggression are at greater risk for adj ustment difficulties than victims of one or no form of aggression. Social s upport from close friends appeared to buffer the effects of victimization o n adjustment.