Victimization by Peers: Antecedents and Long-Term Outcomes

In a number of studies two broad forms of social maladjustment in children and youth have been identified. One generally refers to aggressive, disruptive, acting-out behavior, the other to withdrawn, anxious, and inhibited reaction patterns. Several, more or less synonymous terms have been used to designate these syndromes of disturbance: unsocialized aggression and overinhibited behavior (Hewitt conduct problems and personality problems (Peterson, 1961); antisocial and neurotic behavior (Rutter, Tizard, hostility and introversion (Schaefer, 1971); anger-defiance and apathy-withdrawal (Kohn, 1977); undercontrol and overcontrol (Block externalizing and internalizing syndromes (Achenbach,1978).