Peer Victimization, Social Functioning, and Temperament Traits in Preschool Children: The Role of Gender, Immigrant Status and Sympathy

Although previous research on peer victimization has focused on school-aged children and adolescents, interest in peer victimization in preschool children has significantly grown in recent decades. The present study examined the role of temperament traits and social functioning in children’s peer victimization, taking into account the moderating effects of gender, immigrant status, and sympathy. Participants were 284 preschool children (141 girl, 143 boy) between the ages of 30 and 76 months (Mmonths = 57.21, SD = 10.49). One parent (83% mothers) and one teacher (100% female) completed a questionnaire on each child. In the questionnaires, parents evaluated the child’s temperament traits whereas teachers reported on the child’s social functioning, sympathy, and peer victimization. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that high peer victimization was associated with immigrant children, high anxiety-withdrawal, high anger-aggression, and low sympathy. Two-way interactions were found between sympathy and anxiety-withdrawal and between immigrant status and anger-aggression; simple slopes analyses showed that sympathetic children with low anxiety-withdrawal were less victimized than those with higher anxiety-withdrawal. Moreover, immigrant participants with high anger-aggression were more victimized than native children with high anger-aggression. The empirical data are essential for improving our understanding of peer victimization among preschool children in order to implement a safe learning environment for all children.