Influences of target congruence and lifestyles on victimization trajectories: An Autoregressive Latent Trajectory Modeling approach to overlap between bullying and victimization

Abstract

Introduction: Relative to the general victimization literature, a small body of literature has examined the longitudinal process of overlap between bullying perpetration and bullying victimization. To address this gap, this study assesses the dynamic process of bullying perpetration and victimization from a developmental perspective and examine the applicability of target congruence and lifestyle-routine activities approach.

Methods: Using data from 2,378 Korean youths collected from 2012 to 2016, the current study has conducted a Parallel Process Latent Growth Curve Modeling (PPLGCM) analysis to examine co-development and sequentially contingent processes of bullying and victimization, and Autoregressive Latent Trajectory Modeling (ALTM) to examine the time-lagged effect of bullying on victimization.

Results: Results from the PPLGCM revealed a significant and positive relationship between the initial levels of bullying and victimization as well as a reciprocal and cumulative influence over time. The ALTM analysis indicated that increased victimization in the previous year was associated with increased victimization in the following year. Further, time-concurrent and time-lagged effects of bullying on victimization were significant and positive. Finally, target congruence and risky lifestyle variables predicted the longitudinal process of victimization, indicating the cross-cultural generalizability of the theory.

Conclusions: The findings offer support for a complex and dynamic relationship between bullying and victimization, and thus call for developmentally sensitive prevention strategies.

Keywords: Bullying victimization; Developmental victimology; Reciprocal effect; Target congruence; Victim-offender overlap.