| dc.description.abstract | Peer victimization, otherwise known as bullying, is a phenomenon which affects
adolescents throughout North America. In victims, bullying is associated with low self-esteem,
absenteeism, and many other emotional and behavioral problems. Though anti-bullying
programs have historically been focused on psychological deficits (e.g., social
difficulties) present in the perpetrators, a move towards a more positive approach in
treatment has recently been supported by victimization literature. In this study, seventh and
eighth-grade students were asked to complete inventories assessing their levels of .
strength and victimization. Absenteeism data was gathered from the school records of
the participating students. The relationship between strengths, levels of victimization,
and absenteeism was evaluated. While overall levels of strengths had no significant
predictive value, students with strengths in school functioning showed a low level of
victimization and a low level of absenteeism. | |
