Hildegunn Fandrem

Bullying and Victimization among Native and Immigrant Adolescents in Norway: The Role of Proactive and Reactive Aggressiveness.

This study compares levels of bullying others, victimization, and aggressiveness in native Norwegian and immigrant adolescents living in Norway and shows how bullying is related to proactive and reactive aggressiveness. The sample consists of 2,938 native Norwegians (1,521 girls, 1,417 boys) and 189 immigrant adolescents (97 girls, 92 boys) in school grades 8, 9, and 10. Data were collected via self-assessments. Structural equation models were conducted separately for girls and boys in both groups. The levels of victimization, reactive and proactive aggressiveness were the same for both native Norwegians and immigrant adolescents but there was a significant difference in the levels of bullying others. Compared with the native Norwegians, immigrant adolescents were found to be at higher risk of bullying others. Structural models revealed significantly stronger relations between affiliation-related proactive aggressiveness and bullying others in immigrant boys compared with the other groups. This indicates that the wish for affiliation is an important mechanism of bullying others in immigrant boys. We also suggest further research and the practical importance of the findings for prevention of targeting immigrant adolescents.

Depressive symptoms in native and immigrant adolescents: the role of critical life events and daily hassles.

Abstract The present study compared native Austrian, first and second generation immigrant adolescents regarding their level of depressive symptoms, critical live events, and daily hassles. Furthermore, the associations between these constructs were tested in the three groups. The sample comprised 330 native Austrian (52.1% girls), 120 first generation immigrants (49.2% girls and 159 second generation immigrants (54.2% girls) aged 14–19 (M=15.61). Compared with native adolescents, first generation immigrant adolescents reported more depressive symptoms and daily hassles related to parents, the self, leisure, romantic partner, and future, whilst second generation immigrant adolescents reported more daily hassles related to parents, school, and romantic partner. Controlling for gender, multiple group structural equation models revealed that daily hassles fully mediated the path between critical live events and depressive symptoms in all three groups of adolescents. Implications for future research on immigrant adolescents’ psychological well-being are discussed.

Bullying and affiliation: A study of peer groups in native and immigrant adolescents in Norway

This study (1) investigated the extent to which native Norwegian and immigrant girls and boys bully others and (2) examined peer groups to find out with whom pupils affiliate with when bullying others. Furthermore, the study explored whether immigrant boys, more than native Norwegian boys, were carrying out bullying together with others. To identify bullies, self-assessments, nominations by co-bullies and nominations by victims were used. Social cognitive mapping (SCM) was used to identify peer groups. Peer groups were classified according to number of bullies and non-bullies in the group. The sample comprised 97 native Norwegian adolescents (55 girls, 42 boys) and 59 immigrant adolescents (34 girls, 25 boys) attending grades 8, 9 and 10. Configural frequency analyses showed that immigrant boys were less often identified as non-bullies but more often identified as bullies than expected by chance. On the contrary, immigrant girls were more often identified as non-bullies but less often identified as bullies than expected by chance. In addition, immigrant boys were overrepresented in bullying groups and immigrant girls were overrepresented in zero bullying groups. Furthermore, more immigrant boys than one would expect were bullying together with others, and more Norwegian girls that one would expect were bullying alone. Implications for bullying prevention programmes in schools are discussed.

Emotional problems in traditional and cyber victimization

Previous studies show an association between traditional and cyber victimization. However, there seem to be differences in how these forms of being bullied relates to emotional problems in the victims. Few studies focus on symptoms of general anxiety and depression as separate variables when comparing traditional and cyber victimization. Self-assessment was used from a sample of 3,046 Norwegian adolescents: 1,583 boys and 1,463 girls, ages 15 to 16 years. Significantly higher prevalence of traditional victimization than cyber victimization for both genders was found. The prevalence of being a victim of either type of victimization was significantly higher for boys than girls. Structural equation models showed significant differences between traditional victimization and cyber victimization and their relation to emotional problems. There was a stronger association between traditional victimization and depressive symptoms than between cyber victimization and depressive symptoms. Results also showed a stronger association between cyber victimization and symptoms of anxiety than between traditional victimization and symptoms of anxiety.

The goal to be accepted by friends as underlying function of overt aggressive behaviour in immigrant adolescents

This study investigated (1) to what extent the goal to be accepted by friends is an underlying function of overt aggressive behavior in adolescents, and (2) whether this function is more predictive than reactive aggression for overt aggressive behavior in first and second generation immigrants compared with natives. The sample comprised 339 native Austrians (51.6% girls), 126 first generation immigrants (48.4% girls), and 175 second generation immigrants (54.3% girls) aged 14 to 19 (M = 15.61). Data were collected via self-assessments. Multiple group latent means and covariance structures (MACS) models revealed that the goal to be accepted by friends was a stronger predictor than reactive aggression for overt aggressive behavior in first generation immigrants compared with second generation immigrants and natives. Furthermore, gender moderated these associations. The goal to be accepted by friends was a very strong predictor of overt aggressive behavior in first generation immigrant boys, but not in first generation immigrant girls. Results are discussed regarding the process of acculturation in first generation immigrant youth.

Peer groups and victimisation among native and immigrant adolescents in Norway

Despite the rapid increase in immigration all over Europe and concerns expressed for the adjustment of immigrant children and young people, studies on peer victimisation among them are scarce. By combining the predictions of the acculturative stress model with the social–ecological perspective of peer victimisation, this study compared different forms of peer victimisation in native Norwegian and immigrant young people, and explored whether depressive symptoms and the ethnic composition of peer groups in multicultural classes were related to levels of victimisation. Victimisation and depressive symptoms were investigated with self-assessments. Social cognitive mapping was used to identify peer groups in classes. The sample comprised 97 native adolescents and 59 immigrant adolescents attending 10 grade 8, 9 and 10 classes in a multicultural urban Norwegian secondary school. In line with the predictions of the acculturative stress model, young immigrants reported higher global victimisation compared with native Norwegians. However, they did not differ regarding depressive symptoms. In total, 42 peer groups were identified; 26 were ethnically mixed. Taking into account the base rate of ethnically mixed peer groups in the sample, the number of victims was not related to their ethnic composition. Moreover, gender and immigrant status did not moderate the associations between depressive symptoms and victimisation. The study highlights the importance of investigating the ethnic composition of peer groups to understand better the dynamics of victimisation in multicultural classes.

Friendship During Adolescence and Cultural Variations

First, in this article previous research on the issue of friendship during adolescence is reviewed regarding cultural variations in the understanding of differentiating between individualistic and collectivistic cultures. The main theme is then to raise issues that may question the importance and appropriateness of differentiating cultural variations in these two categories. How the identity consists of different dimensions is focused. Furthermore, the impact of social and cultural changes on peer interaction and friendships is paid attention to. This article concludes with a discussion of future directions for friendship in research on adolescence and cultural variations.

Methodological Challenges in an Immigrant Study in Norway

The paper will focus on methodological challenges in an immigrant study in Norway. The study investigates psychological and sociocultural adaptation among adolescents in Norway with immigrant background compared to natives in Norway. More specifically depressive symptoms and bullying were studies i relation to different variables. First, problems concerning small immigrnt samples, generalization and issue concerning immigrants as a homogenous group will be discussed. Second, important considerations when using specific concepts or cultural categories (as e.g. depression) will be focused. Third issues related to measures on ethnic versus native peer contact will be raised. Last the measurement of acculturation strategies will be discussed in relation to behaviour.