Characteristics of Victimization Dynamics as Predictors of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis

Victimization by bullying is often treated as a unitary construct, although there are multiple dimensions that are likely to affect the impact of the experience for the victim. Latent class analyses were used to identify classes of victimization by (a) form of bullying (seven categorical items), (b) perceptions of motivation for victimization (15 categorical items), and (c) the relationship of the perpetrator to the target (12 categorical items). Hierarchical linear regression was conducted to determine how these classes were associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a sample of 2125 adolescents from the United Kingdom while controlling for key covariates (age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation). Five classes were identified based on form of bullying, four classes emerged for perceptions of motivation, and three classes emerged for relationship to the perpetrator. Class membership was differentially associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These findings illustrate that multiple dimensions of victimization should be considered beyond frequency when attempting to understand dynamics of victimization and how they relate to internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Implications for anti-bullying programs in school contexts are discussed.