Peer-Victimization of Young Children With Developmental and Behavioral Difficulties-A Population-Based Study

Objective The aim is to investigate if young children with developmental and behavioral difficulties (DBDs) have greater risk of peer-victimization compared with typically developing (TD) children. Method The sample was drawn from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). MoBa has collected population-based data on children's health and development for 114,500 children. We included children that were 5 years of age (n = 41,609). Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of different DBDs and of co-occurring DBDs on peer-victimization compared with TD children. Categories of DBDs included autistic traits, emotional difficulties, behavioral difficulties, general learning difficulties, attention difficulties/impulsive behavior, motor development difficulties, language difficulties, and hearing and vision difficulties. Results were adjusted for socioeconomic status and the child's sex. Results Peer-victimization was 2.8% (933) among TD children, and 8.0% (615) among children with DBD. The highest risk of peer-victimization was found among children with autistic traits and children with five or more co-occurring DBDs (adjusted odds ratios [ORs] = 12.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.64-18.84; p <= .001) and 17.37 (95% CI 12.15-24.82; p <= .001)], respectively. The lowest risk was found among children with hearing and vision difficulties and children with only one DBD [adjusted ORs = 1.98 (95% CI 1.71-2.29; p <= .001) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.70-2.22; p <= .001)]. Conclusion Children with DBD have a substantially higher risk of peer-victimization compared with TD children. Peer-victimization varies with type of DBD and increases cumulatively by number of DBDs.