Full APA Citation:

Crawford, A. M., & Manassis, K. (2011). Anxiety, social skills, friendship quality, and peer
victimization: An integrated model. Journal Of Anxiety Disorders, 25(7), 924-931.
doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2011.05.005
Permanent URL:
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0887618511000958/1-s2.0-S0887618511000958main.pdf?_tid=d8bb325e-34cd-11e6-a00a00000aab0f27&acdnat=1466197119_cbdb58ba4f3d4e6047201a921cb5f213
Overview of Topic/Article:
This research sought to determine if and how personal and social factors predicted victimization
in adolescence. Personal factors include anxiety, while social factors include social skills and
friendship quality. Previous research indicates that those with anxiety are more likely to be
victimized by their peers, likely as a result of their submissive temperament. The researchers also
indicated that higher anxiety in children is related to poorer social skills as children and in their
futures. Also, children with anxiety who had a best friend were less likely to be victimized and
did not lead to children with anxiety internalizing their problems. This particular research was
conducted to look at all three of factors listed above: anxiety, social skills, and friendship quality,
rather than just one factor, as previous research has already done.
Key Points/Findings [bulleted list]:

Child anxiety was directly related to higher peer victimization

Weaker social skills predicted lower friendship quality
There was a strong relationship between lower friendship quality and high rates of
victimization
Students with weak social skills were more likely to be victimized by their peers

Implications to Current/Future Practitioners [bulleted list]:

The research indicates a need for more research to look at the relationship between child
anxiety and peer victimization
School-based personnel should be aware of anxiety in children and seek to prevent peer
victimization
The most effective school-based intervention programs will target both social and
emotional factors of children with anxiety and those students without
All children need to be given strategies to help their peers who are being victimized.
They should be provided strategies that will also help build relationships between
children with anxiety and those without.