Posted
November, 2010
Effects
of Bullying on the Behavioral/Emotional Problems of British
Twins: Family Warmth and Home Atmosphere Promote Resilience
Research
on bullying has revealed high prevalence rates and adverse
consequences in many countries. However, less is known about
protective factors that might reduce adverse effects of bullying
on children’s behavioral and emotional problems. To test effects
of bullying and of protective factors, Bowes et al. (2010)
assessed 1,116 twin pairs with the CBCL and TRF at ages 5,
10, and 12. The twins’ experiences of being bullied during
primary school were assessed in separate home interviews with
the twins and their mothers. Maternal warmth toward each twin
and each twin’s warmth toward their co-twin were assessed
in interviews with the mothers. Home atmosphere was assessed
via interviewers’ observations of variables such as cleanliness,
stimulation, displays of the children’s art, happiness, and
excessive noise. Children who were bullied in primary school
obtained higher CBCL/TRF problem scores at ages 10-12 than
children who had not been bullied, after controlling for age
5 problem scores. However, bullied children had lower age
10-12 problem scores if they had experienced high maternal
warmth, sibling warmth, and positive home atmosphere than
if they had not, even after controlling for gender, IQ, and
SES. To control for the possibility that the protective factors
might reflect genetic influences, Bowes et al. then analyzed
differences between scores for maternal warmth toward each
co-twin in monozgyotic twin pairs. After thus controlling
for genetic differences between co-twins, Bowes et al. still
found a significant protective effect of maternal warmth on
emotional (i.e., Internalizing) problems but not on behavioral
(i.e., Externalizing) problems, as assessed with the CBCL
and TRF.
Reference:
Bowes,
L., Maughan, B., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T.E., & Arseneault, L.
(2010). Families promote emotional and behavioural resilience
to bullying: evidence of an environmental effect. Journal
of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51, 809-817.
