Future Orientation and Adverse Outcomes of Peer Victimization among African American Adolescents

ABSTRACT

The present study examines whether positive future orientation might buffer the association between peer victimization and adverse outcomes from a sample of urban African American adolescents. More specifically, it was hypothesized that peer victimization would be significantly associated with internalizing problems, a decline in school grade, substance use, peer aggression, and suicidal thoughts. It was also hypothesized that positive future orientation would moderate the link between peer victimization and these outcomes. Cross-sectional research was conducted in Chicago’s Southside, and the study comprised a sample of 638 African American adolescents, ages 13 to 24. Analyses for the study consisted of descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and ordinary least squares regression. Peer victimization was found to be directly associated with internalizing problems, peer aggression, and suicidal thoughts. Positive future orientation was also found to buffer the association between peer victimization and peer aggression and suicidal thoughts. It is important for researchers to identify protective psychological resources in the various high-risk neighborhood that can buffer the association between victimization and psychosocial problems. It is also imperative that victims of bullying are involved in programs that foster positive development and reduces the likelihood of psychosocial problems and problematic behaviors.

KEYWORDS:

• African Americans
• bullying
• future orientation
• peer victimization
• urban

Disclosure of interest

None of the authors have any conflicts to report.

Ethical standards and informed consent

All study procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Review Board of the University of Chicago, and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. No identifying information about the study participants was included in the article. Data were collected by Dr. Dexter R. Voisin who received approval from the Institutional Review Board of the University of Chicago prior to the study.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Center for Health Administration Studies and the STI/HIV Intervention Network at the University of Chicago, awarded to Dr. Dexter R. Voisin.