Child development: peer review and critical analysis

¶ … Ethnic Diversity and Attributions for Peer Victimization in Middle School

According to this article, the American Medical Association has designated peer victimization as a public health concern. (Graham, Bellmore, Nishina and Juvonen, 2009) This type of harassment includes a variety of behaviors including calling names, assault, social attacks and excessive teasing. (Graham, 2009) the purpose of this study by the authors was to examine the role of self-blame on peer victimization/maladjustment relations in middle school and the role of classroom diversity. The participants were 6th grade students of Latino or African-American ethnicity or one of several other ethnic groups. The researchers also devised a method of study using numerical minority and numerical majority of an ethnic group within each classroom. In addition, rather than have teachers select students they viewed as victims for the study, the students themselves each nominated 3 students they viewed as victims. This was done in the Fall and approximately 6 months later the researchers applied the theory of self-blame and the victim's placement as either a member of the ethnic majority or minority to evaluate maladjustment.

The most debilitating result of peer victimization is the effects on the victim. This study attempted to use student nomination of the victims, self-reporting of subsequent self-blame and the adjustments problems within ethnically diverse groups to identify potential areas of insight. The study findings concluded that the clearest evidence of links between victim reputation, self-blame and psychological maladjustment were within the majority group members. Minority group members had the weakest evidence for the links.

The researchers concluded that their analysis implied that victims of peer harassment might be more likely to engage in self-blame when their perpetrators are members of their own ethnic group. (Graham, 2009) the implication is that membership of the victim and his/her abuser in the same ethnic group results in greater instances of self-blame.

This article was interesting and the ethnic diversity approach was evidently unique. While the question of ethnicity and numerical majority or minority may give answers to research psychologists, it seems that the most important analysis was related only to members of the numerical majority. The research is probably useful but the fact that the American Medical Association deems peer harassment a public health concern, the study seemed misdirected, particularly since the researchers themselves highlighted the American Medical Association's concern.

With the number of children being excessively victimized by their classmates, the focus should be on the bullies. It is their behavior that has created such great concern and continues to wreak havoc on helpless children who probably feel defenseless. Society should not be shocked or dismayed when occasionally one of these victims grows up with a rage for revenge so painful as to go on a rampage. Of course, when that happens, the media and school administrators proclaim that being teased is no excuse, all students are teased. This is absurdity, since if it were true, psychologist and doctors would not be expressing concern. Conversely, what of the victim who drops out of school to stop the pain or even the ones who commit suicide?

Schools, teachers, parents and others are failing the youngest and most innocent who are victimized by their peers. Many studies have been conducted, surely examining the process of becoming a victim, or who becomes a victim and why. Research about the sad consequences probably exist even though the effects stare out at people every day. Teachers must learn the difference between typical teasing and the creation of victims being damaged on a regular basis. The focus must be directed on the perpetrators of abuse, which to call it as clearly as possible, they are abusers who need help as well.