Performance-based measures, experimental approaches, and intensive repeated measures to examine interpersonal characteristics of victims

Research suggests that bullied individuals have more maladaptive interpersonal characteristics and more interpersonal conflicts than persons without bullying experiences. However, these findings are mostly based on studies using retrospective questionnaires of interpersonal functioning. This implies that interpersonal processes involving bullied individuals have rarely been studied systematically. As a consequence, little is known about causal or predictive relations between bullying victimization and interpersonal functioning. This chapter argues for filling this gap in the literature by calling for examining the interpersonal characteristics of bullied individuals using (1) performance-based measures of interpersonal functioning, (2) experimental designs focusing on the manipulation of interpersonal processes, and (3) intensive-repeated measures of interpersonal functioning in naturalistic settings. Several specific examples are provided. These alternatives to retrospective questionnaires can help to improve our understanding of bullied individuals’ interpersonal problems and may also help us understand the role of their interpersonal characteristics in explaining their risk for mental health problems.