The relationship between bullying and self-worth in children with movement coordination problems

Abstract

Background: Past research has indicated that there is a negative relationship between victimization and self-worth. Furthermore, children with movement problems such as developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are considered at risk of both victimization and low self-worth.

Aims: This study investigated the relationship between peer-victimization and self-worth in a group of children with DCD and control children.

Sample: Forty-three children aged 7-11 years were identified as at risk of DCD, and were matched on age and gender with 43 control children.

Method: Children were individually assessed using the Multi-dimensional peer victimization scale (MPVS; Mynard & Joseph, 2000) to assess the degree and type of bullying, and the self perception profile for children (SPPC; Harter, 1985) to determine self-worth.

Results: The two groups did not differ significantly on mean reported self-worth or mean peer-victimization. The relationship between these two measures, however, differed across group and gender. Peer victimization and self-worth were negatively correlated only for the children at risk of DCD. Furthermore, peer victimization accounted for a greater and statistically significant proportion of the variance in the self-worth of girls at risk of DCD compared with boys. This effect of peer-victimization on self-worth in girls with DCD was uniquely attributed to the effects of verbal victimization.

Conclusions: Although children with and without motor coordination problems reported equivalent amounts of victimization, there were differences in the impact of that bullying. Specifically, self-worth was negatively affected by bullying for the girls with DCD. Teachers and parents should not only focus on the amount of bullying a child receives, but should also be aware of how bullying impacts differently on self-worth across groups.