Understanding strengths and school absenteeism in adolescent victims of bullying

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.