Peer Victimization Among Urban, Predominantly African American Youth: Coping With Relational Aggression Between Friends

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of research documenting the deleterious effect of experiencing relational aggression, few studies have explored how children cope with relational aggression, especially when it occurs between close friends. Moreover, relational aggression is understudied among urban African American children. Using data from a sample of 126 urban, low-income predominantly African American children we examined children's beliefs concerning relational aggression and their use of coping strategies when faced with relational aggression in their close friendships. Findings suggested that relational aggression was perceived to be prevalent and harmful by both the boys and the girls. Both boys and girls reported they would use ruminative/avoidance coping strategies when experiencing relational aggression in a close friendship. Implications for future research and the development of gender-sensitive prevention programs are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• relational aggression
• coping
• African American
• gender

Acknowledgments

Support for this project comes from grants from the National Institute of Mental Health (T32 MH18834) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (K01CE001333-01). We also would like to thank Michael Ferrari, Raymond Lorion, and Ruth Fleury-Steiner for their assistance with this project.