Reported Frequencies of and Initial Psychometric Properties of Measures of Childhood and Current Peer Victimization in a Sample of American Adults
Objective: In the present study, we examined the internal consistency, factor structure, and response patterns of two measures of peer victimization a sample of 899 American adults. One measure, the Retrospective Childhood Victimization Scale (RCVPS; (Boulton, 2013)) examines retrospective childhood peer victimization while the other scale, the Pacific Rim Bullying questionnaire (PRB; (Konishi et al., 2009)) measures current peer victimization.
Methods and Materials: Initial factor structure was derived using exploratory factor analysis (EFA); internal consistency and response frequencies were also calculated.
Findings: The RCPVS demonstrated excellent internal consistency, and the PRB demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Both measures fit two-factor models in which physical victimization (and, in the case of the PRB, property theft or damage) loaded into one factor whereas relational and verbal victimization loaded into another factor. Participants also more frequently endorsed experiencing relational and verbal victimization on both measures, indicating that physical victimization may be a somewhat distinct construct that occurs less commonly than other types of interpersonal victimization.
Conclusion: These results lay the groundwork for future psychometric analysis of these measures in adult samples, including confirmatory factor analysis. Relational and verbal peer victimization are more common across the lifespan than either physical victimization or property destruction. Additionally, relational and verbal victimization tend to co-occur. Clinicians should therefore assess for relational and verbal victimization, especially if a client independently reports experiencing one or another. Clinicians should also assess for exposure to physical and property victimization separately.
