Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Child Psychiatry & Human Development https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-019-00903-7 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Trajectories of Verbal and Physical Peer Victimization Among Children with Comorbid Oppositional Defant Problems, Conduct Problems and Hyperactive‑Attention Problems Mariam Ter‑Stepanian 1  · Alexa Martin‑Storey 1  · Roxanne Bizier‑Lacroix 1  · Michèle Déry 1  · Jean‑Pascal Lemelin 1  · Caroline E. Temchef 2 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract The high levels of comorbidity between oppositional/conduct problems and hyperactivity/attention problems underscore the need for assessing how vulnerability for peer victimization is shaped by overlap among these behavior problems. Children (mean age 8.39, SD = 0.93) participating in a longitudinal study of the development of conduct problems (N = 744; 348 girls) in Quebec, Canada, were evaluated by their teachers regarding experiences of peer verbal and physical victimization every year for 6 years. Parent and teacher ratings of clinically signifcant oppositional/conduct problems, and hyperactivity/ attention problems, as well as cormorbid opposition defant/conduct problems and hyperactivity/attention problems were regressed onto trajectories of verbal and physical victimization. While behavior problems (both alone and together) were associated with higher levels of verbal and physical victimization, some variation was observed across rater and type of victimization. Ultimately, these fndings suggest the importance of adapting programming for reducing victimization to children with oppositional and conduct problems. Keywords Conduct problems · Oppositional problems · Hyperactivity/attention problems · Victimization · Gender Introduction Peer victimization, or the consistent experiences of aggres- sive behavior from peers within the context of a power diferential [1], afects approximately 13% of school-aged children [2, 3] and is associated with worse physical and mental health outcomes both concurrently and across the lifecourse [4, 5]. Despite the decline in overall victimization during adolescence [6], the increased importance of peer acceptance during this period may make victimization dur- ing the transition to adolescence particularly toxic for short and long-term psychosocial functioning [6–8]. The serious consequences of victimization underscore the importance of understanding who is most vulnerable, and how this vulner- ability evolves during this particular developmental period. While also engaging in bullying behavior, previous research suggests that children with oppositional defant problems and/or conduct problems (e.g., children with higher levels of frustrated, antisocial, aggressive or hostile behaviors) are at greater risk for being victimized compared to their peers [9, 10]. Highly comorbid with both of these problems, however, are hyperactivity/attention problems [11, 12], which are characterized by difculties in paying atten- tion, excessive activity, and impulsivity. As is the case for oppositional defant and/or conduct problems, hyperactivity/ attention problems are also associated with both a greater risk for peer victimization, as well as bullying behavior [13, 14]. Indeed, hyperactivity/attention symptoms increase the likelihood of specifc peer-related behaviors including poorer attention to social feedback and more social bids related to disruption that are likely to negatively infuence peer relationships and increase the likelihood of rejection and victimization [15]. Understanding risk for victimization among children with oppositional and/or conduct problems requires assessing how these problems are comorbid with * Alexa Martin-Storey alexa.martin@gmail.com 1 Faculty of Education, Department of Psychoeducation, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada 2 Faculty of Education, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, University McGill University, Sherbrooke, Canada