Coping victimization among peers in Spain

Background Bullying at school and victimization problems in adolescence have a negative impact in personal identity development specifically in mental health field. Objective To analyze coping profiles used in a communitarian adolescents sample in relation to victimization among peers and controlling the other victimization subtypes. Method From Barcelona Metropolitan area, 1031 adolescents between 12 and 20 years old participated (37.5% boys; 15.7% foreigners). The different coping strategies were assessed with adolescent coping orientation for problem experiences test and the victimization types with juvenile victimization questionnaire. Results A 46.2% of adolescents suffered a victimization event by peers in the last year. As victimization level by peers advance, it presents an increase of unproductive coping strategies ( P P Conclusions It is of high importance to develop and strengthen coping psychoeducation programs centered in solving this problem and struggling against victimization consequences by peers in adolescence. Due to that, increase of this victimization type is very related to the use of unproductive strategies use and therefore a coping by avoiding the problem.