Stability of peer victimization: A meta-analysis of longitudinal research

A meta-analysis was conducted of 77 longitudinal studies that contained at least one over-time correlation (range 1 to 36) between scores for peer victimization measured at different time points. The overall stability of self-reported peer victimization was determined at centered values (age 10, one-year interval). The effects of interval length, age, and type of informant (self, peer, teacher, other/combined) on the stability of victimization were also examined. Moderate overall stability of self-reported victimization at age 10 across a 1-year interval was found. Stability decreased across larger longitudinal intervals. Peer- and other/combined-reports of peer victimization yielded higher stability estimates than self-reports. Teacher-reports yielded stability estimates that were equal to those for self-reports. An interaction was found between age and informant type (peer vs. self), indicating a larger increase in the stability of victimization with age for peer-reports than for self-reports. Implications for further research and practice were discussed.