Copyright Malvin Porter, Jr. 2010 - acumen - The University of ...

anxiety, loneliness, and self-worth (Hawker & Boulton, 2000). The largest effect sizes were for
depression among victims of bullying. Results also suggest, however, that bullies may have
elevated rates of depression compared to children who are not involved in bully/victim problems.
Children who are both a bully and a victim may constitute the most at-risk group for
depressive symptoms with female bully-victims reporting the most symptoms (Andreou, 2001;
Schwartz, 2000). Bully-victims, also known as aggressive victims, are more impulsive and
reactive in their dominant and aggressive actions. They are more frequently physically
aggressive with peers and tend to be more reactive rather than goal-oriented in their aggression
than children in the pure bully group (Schwartz, Farver, Chang, & Lee-Shin, 2002; Unnever,
2005). Bully-victims are reported to be more disliked by their peers (Veenstra et al., 2005) and
report having fewer friends than children in the pure bully group (Unnever, 2005). Bully-victims
also differ from pure victims in that they are more likely to be physically victimized (Unnever,
2005). Olweus (2001) reported that some teachers and children believe that bully-victims
deserve the bullying that they receive from their peers. Some studies have even demonstrated
that teachers are less likely to intervene when bully-victims are being victimized (Kochenderfer
Ladd & Pelletier, 2008; Unnever & Cornell, 2003).
One important way that bullies and victims may differ from children not involved in
bullying is in the amount of social support they seek and receive (Conners-Burrow et al., 2009).
Studies have found that victims and bully-victims generally report less social support than bullies
or comparison youth (Demaray & Malecki, 2003; Malecki & Demaray, 2004).
Statement of the Problem
Victims often are at a loss for what to do in response to being victimized by bullies. The
advice literature suggests that victimized children can address bullies assertively to stop the
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