Peer Victimization and Self-Efficacy in Coping with Conflict as Predictors of Depressive Feelings among Females in Early Adolescence

This studied explored the extent to which peer victimization (being bullied) and efficacy in coping with conflict explained recent depressive feelings among 135 girls enrolled in grades 5 through 8 of six Catholic schools that serve the inner-city neighborhoods of one Midwestern metropolitan area. The results of bivariate analyses show that the school setting and ethnicity significantly influence peer victimization and depressive feelings among females in early adolescence. Results of stepwise regression analysis show that peer victimization and ethnicity explain more of the variance in depressive feelings than the ability to cope with conflict. Findings suggest that, in order to mediate depressive feelings among females who are victimized by peers, school personnel may need to develop and implement programs that focus on helping those females who are most likely to initiate relational aggression as a means of victimizing peers.