Finnegan R A, Hodges E V, Perry D G
Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton 33431, USA.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1998 Oct;75(4):1076-86. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.75.4.1076.
Children who are chronically victimized by peers are at risk for personal difficulties. This study examined whether victimization is associated with mother-child interaction at home. Preadolescents (N = 184; mean age = 11.7 years) reported on their mother's child-rearing practices and on how they cope during conflicts with their mother. Peers reported on victimization at school. Sex-specific links between perceived family interaction and peer victimization were found. For boys, victimization was associated with perceived maternal overprotectiveness, especially when boys reported reacting with fear during mother-child conflict. For girls, victimization was associated with perceived maternal rejection and with girls' reports of aggressive coping during mother-child conflict. Results support the theory that parenting that hinders children's development of gender-salient competencies (autonomy for boys and communion for girls) places children at risk for peer victimization.
