Co-transitioning Peers Impact the Continuation of Victimization Across the Transition from Primary to Secondary School

The present two-wave longitudinal study examined the stability of self- and peer-reported victimization across the transition from primary to secondary school and the role of children’s peer group in this stability. A total of 193 students from 36 primary school classrooms in the Netherlands (60% boys; Mage T1 = 12.16 years) were followed as they transitioned into 37 secondary school classrooms. Their level of victimization before and after the transition was determined using self-reported questionnaires and peer nominations. We further determined whether any of their primary school classmates transitioned to the same classroom in secondary school, and if so, whether these co-transitioning peers were friends in primary school, as determined by peer nominations. Multilevel analyses revealed that self-reported victimization was likely to continue if students co-transitioned to the secondary school classroom without peers, but not if they co-transitioned with peers, regardless of the friendship relation with them. In contrast, peer-reported victimization tended to be stable across all groups. However, it was more stable among students with co-transitioning non-friends than among those with a co-transitioning friend or without co-transitioning peers. Practical implications are discussed.