Aggressor/Victim Subtypes and Teacher Factors in First Grade as Risk Factors for Later Mental Health Symptoms and School Functioning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda

Study examines how first-grade peer aggressor/victim subtypes relate to later mental health symptoms and school functioning, using multi-informant victimization and aggression measures in 244 children. Four groups are identified: aggressive victims, non-victimized aggressors, nonaggressive victims, and normative children. Aggressive victims show the poorest mental health, academic competence, and school engagement both concurrently and two years later, with teacher experience and education moderating these outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

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Introduction

Peer Aggressor/Victim Subtypes: Distinct or Comorbid

Aggressor/Victim Subtypes and Teacher Factors in First Grade as Risk Factors for Later Mental Health Symptoms and School Functioning Jong-Hyo Park Korean Educational Development Institute Korea In a sample of 244 first graders, we identified four subtypes of children based on multi-informant measures of victimization by peers and aggression toward peers: aggressive victims (AV), non-victimized aggressors, nonaggressive victims, and non-aggressive, non-victimized (i.e., normative) children. We examined the differences between the aggressor/victim groups concurrently and two years later in third grade in terms of both mental health symptoms (severity and directionality) and school functioning (academic competence and school engagement) . AV showed the worst results for mental health, academic competence, and school engagement concurrently and two years later. The role of first-grade teacher experience and education in predicting thirdgrade outcomes was also the subject of examination. Significant interactional effects were found between both AV and teacher experience and education. Most notably, the education level of first-grade teachers interacted with AV status to predict school engagement, such that the least engaged students at third grade were AV whose first-grade teachers had no schooling beyond a bachelor’s degree. Key Words: Aggressive Victims, Teacher Experience, Teacher Education, Mental Health Symptoms, School Adjustment Introduction Children’s successful navigation of the transition to school can significantly impact upon their long-term Jong-Hyo Park, Korean Educational Development Institute, Seoul, Korea. This work was supported by NIMH Grant R01-MH44340 and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Psychopathology and Development. Additional support was provided by the University of Wisconsin Center for Affective Science (P50-MH53524) and the Department of Psychiatry. The author would like to express special thanks to Marilyn J. Essex and Jeffrey J. Armstrong. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to JongHyo Park, Korean Educational Development Institute, 92-6 UmyeonDong, Seocho-Gu, Seoul, 137-791, Korea. E- mail: jonghyopark@ [kedi.re.kr](kedi.re.kr) emotional, behavioral, and academic adjustment. As such, the early school years have been characterized as a “critical period” for children’s development (Entwisle & Alexander, 1989) during which children must negotiate increasing academic demands alongside new social relationships in the school setting. Evidence has shown that early peer relationships can serve as either relational stressors or supports that contribute to later school adjustment (Kochenderfer & Ladd, 1996; Wentzel, 1999) and that childhood aggression interacts with social relations to influence psycho-educational adjustment trajectories (Ladd & Burgess, 2001; Wentzel, Barry, & Caldwell, 2004) . Recent studies of child aggression and peer victimization have begun to explore the developmental implications for children who experience problems in both areas (Schwartz, Proctor & Chien, 200 1), but this work has been largely cross-sectional in nature (for exception Hanish & Guerra, 2004) . Further, the possible influences of the teacher in this area have not been considered, even though teacher experience and education level have been shown to exert important influences on young children’s development, and interventions targeted at these features have demonstrated an ability to improve adjustment outcomes for young children (Aber, Brown, & Jones, 2003; Darling-Hammond, 2000; Rutter & Maughan, 2002) . The present study examines the role of four aggressor/victim subtypes and several teacher factors in predicting children’s emotional, behavioral, and academic well-being during the early school years. Peer Aggressor/Victim Subtypes: Distinct or Comorbid There exist increased levels of interest in peer subtypes, such as the combi

FAQs

How many peer aggressor/victim subtypes were identified in first grade?

Four subtypes were identified: aggressive victims, non-victimized aggressors, nonaggressive victims, and non-aggressive, non-victimized normative children.

Which subtype showed the worst outcomes in mental health and school functioning?

Aggressive victims showed the worst results for mental health, academic competence, and school engagement both concurrently and two years later.

What teacher factors were examined as predictors of later outcomes?

The study examined first-grade teacher experience and education as predictors of third-grade outcomes, including interaction effects with aggressor/victim status.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Grenda