engleski

Peer Violence among Children in Croatia – Incidence and Relations to Social and Economical Factors

As a part of an epidemiological project BECAN research on child abuse and neglect, an additional study on peer violence among children was conducted in Croatia. A multi-stage stratified cluster sample was used and participants were pupils aged 11, 13 and 16 (N=3549). The questionnaire of peer violence that was used in the study was developed specifically for the purpose of this research and it consists of 17 questions on victimization (α=.87) and 17 that deal with perpetration of violence (α=.86) within the last year. Results show that the frequency of both perpetration and victimization increases with age and that children experience more violence than they perpetrate. The most frequent form of violence among children is psychological violence, with behaviours like gossiping, yelling and insulting being experienced by 62.4%, 46.6% and 43.8% of children respectively. The least frequent forms are severe physical abuse like being beaten up (4.3%) and sexual abuse (5%). There is a significant correlation between perpetrated and experienced violence (r= .545, p<.01) and the results also reveal significant correlations between peer violence and different forms of abuse and neglect experienced at home (e.g. correlation between experienced peer violence and neglect at home is r=.369, p<.01). Furthermore, other variables, like financial status of the family, frequency of Internet usage, importance of religion in ones’ life etc., have been identified as being related with the frequency of victimization and perpetration of peer violence. On the basis of frequency of experienced and perpetrated violence children have been categorized in four groups: perpetrators, victims, violent victims and non-engaged children and the differences between those groups will also be presented.

BECAN; peer violence; violence against children

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