INFORMATION

Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.

PSICOTHEMA
  • Director: Laura E. Gómez Sánchez
  • Frequency:
         February | May | August | November
  • ISSN: 0214-9915
  • Digital Edition:: 1886-144X
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Positive Peer Perception, Social Anxiety and Classroom Social Adjustment as Risk Factors in Peer Victimization: A Multilevel Study

Eva M. Romera, Rocío Luque, Rosario Ortega-Ruiz, Olga Gómez-Ortiz, and Antonio Camacho

Universidad de Córdoba

Objective: Individual risks factors of peer victimization have been widely identified in children and adolescents. However, little is known about how the classroom context may increase or decrease the frequency of victimization. The present short-term prospective longitudinal study used a a person-by-environment approach to examine whether peer perception and social anxiety, along with class social adjustment levels as a moderator, affect the likelihood of peer victimization over time. Method: These effects were modelled using a representative sample of 2,512 Andalusian (Southern Spain) (52% girls) aged 10 to 16 years old (M = 12.81; SD = 1.69 at Wave 1). Classroom social adjustment was assessed by within-classroom standard deviation in social adjustment. Results: Multilevel modeling indicated a negative relationship between peer perception at W1 and peer victimization at W2, as well as a positive association with social anxiety at W1, after controlling for gender, age and victimization at W1. The direct association between peer perception and peer victimization was intensified by class social adjustment. Conclusions: The results provide a more nuanced understanding of the influence of cognitive, emotional, and social variables when trying to address vulnerability to victimization.

Percepción Positiva de los Iguales, Ansiedad Social y Ajuste Social en el Aula como factores de Riesgo de la Victimización entre Escolares: un Estudio Multinivel. Objetivo: factores individuales de riesgo de la victimización entre iguales han sido ampliamente identificados. Poco es sabido sobre cómo el contexto del aula puede influir en la victimización. El presente estudio longitudinal prospectivo a corto plazo examinó, desde un enfoque individuo-contexto, si la percepción de los iguales, la ansiedad social y los niveles de ajuste social de clase como moderador influyen en la probabilidad ser víctimas a lo largo del tiempo. Método: se contó una muestra representativa andaluza (sur de España) de 2.512 escolares (52% chicas) entre 10 y 16 años (M = 12,81; DT = 1,69 en Tiempo 1). El ajuste social en el aula se evaluó mediante la desviación típica de la variable. Resultados: la modelización multinivel indicó una relación negativa entre la percepción positiva de los iguales en T1 y la victimización en T2, y positiva con la ansiedad social en T1, controlando el sexo, la edad y la victimización en T1. La asociación directa entre percepción de los iguales y victimización se intensificó por el nivel de ajuste social de la clase. Conclusiones: estos resultados proporcionan una comprensión más matizada de la influencia de variables cognitivas, emocionales y sociales para abordar la vulnerabilidad a la victimización.

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