Perpetrator Characteristics and Victim-Perpetrator Relationships: Associated Consequences on Victim Adjustment

Abstract

Victimization has been consistently linked with maladjustment indices (e.g., Hanish & Guerra, 2002), however substantial variability exists in victim adjustment (Kochenderfer-Ladd & Skinner, 2002). Aggression and victimization occur in social interactions (i.e., involving a victim and at least one perpetrator), therefore examining how perpetrator characteristics impact adjustment may be one promising direction to understanding these individual differences. Attribution theory suggests that certain perpetrator characteristics (e.g., different-race perpetrators) may lead a victim to make external attributions in which they blame others (e.g., they’re prejudice), which in turn, may mitigate some of the negative consequences associated with victimization (Graham, Bellmore, Nishina, & Juvonen, 2009). On the other hand, social impact theory suggests that certain perpetrator characteristics (e.g., high popularity) that signify belonging to a larger, more powerful group may lead actions by these perpetrators to have broader reach and visibility throughout the social network, causing greater harm for the victim. This study examined how several perpetrator characteristics impacted four areas of victim adjustment (loneliness, studentship, peer preference, aggression) through the lens of attribution and social impact theory. The participants included 341 sixth grade students (54% female, Mage = 12.01, SD = 0.44, 49% Black) from a longitudinal project on children’s transition to middle school. Participants self-reported on their social and overt victimization experiences and also nominated perpetrators who victimized them. Several perpetrator characteristics were assessed (perpetrator sex, race, aggression, status, dislike, and social group), which were determined based on self-reported and peer-reported measures. The victim outcomes that were measured were loneliness (self-reported), studentship, peer preference, and aggression (peer-reported). Descriptive analyses revealed important differences in the victimization experience by victim sex and race. Female overt victims had an increased likelihood of being targeted by highly overtly aggressive male perpetrators. Female social victims on the other hand were targeted by a higher proportion of female, same-group perpetrators. Black victims were targeted by a higher proportion of same-race perpetrators, and White victims were targeted by a higher proportion of perpetrators in the same peer social groups. With regards to the impact of perpetrator characteristics on adjustment, results showed that victimization by in-group perpetrators was associated with less internalizing problems among social victims; victims of same-sex (primarily for female victims), same-race, and same-group perpetrators showed lower levels of loneliness. However, we did not find the same to be true among overt victims, the only overt perpetrator characteristic shown to significantly impact victim adjustment was perpetrator sex match. Among overt victims, victims of same-sex perpetrators had lower levels of peer preference, suggesting that acts of overt aggression by same-sex perpetrators may have greater visibility throughout the social network, leading to greater harm to a victim’s social reputation. These findings suggest that social victimization by in-group perpetrators may offer greater opportunity for reconciliation or greater context to the victimization that occurs, leading to less distress for victims. Overt victimization appeared to be harmful to victims regardless of perpetrator characteristics. This study provides an important first step in understanding perpetrator characteristics and the victim-perpetrator relationship and their influence on victim adjustment. Future research should include an examination of specific incidents of victimization to enhance our understanding of the impact perpetrators may have on a victimization experience and associated adjustment.