Brief Description

The Peer Experiences Questionnaire (PEQ) is a self-report assessment tool designed to record experiences of aggression and victimization among peers in children and adolescents. The questionnaire consists of 31 statements and examines three main types of behavior: physical, verbal, and relational, from both the perspective of the aggressor and the victim. It is designed to identify patterns of bullying and contribute to the understanding of children’s social interactions.

Purpose

The purpose of the PEQ is to record and assess the frequency with which children or adolescents experience or exhibit aggressive or bullying behavior. This tool can help detect victims and perpetrators of bullying, enabling the design of targeted interventions in both educational and research settings. At the same time, it contributes to raising awareness and fostering a safe school environment.

Scoring Method

Participants are asked to rate 31 statements using a five-point Likert scale, where 0 means “Never”, 1 means “Rarely”, 2 means “Sometimes”, 3 means “Often”, and 4 means “Always”. The statements cover experiences of aggression and victimization and are categorized into physical, verbal, and relational forms, for both the role of the aggressor and the victim. The total score for each subscale is derived from the sum or the average of the relevant statements.

Validity

The Peer Experiences Questionnaire has been empirically validated as a reliable and valid tool for measuring aggression and victimization. Its structure is supported by factor analysis, while its subscales demonstrate distinctiveness and high conceptual coherence. Furthermore, its results positively correlate with other measures of psychosocial difficulties, reinforcing its validity as a tool for research and intervention.

Reliability

The PEQ demonstrates high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha values exceeding 0.80 in most subscales. Test-retest reliability has been confirmed with positive results over short time intervals, further supporting its usefulness in repeated applications for monitoring behavior.

Data Analysis and Use

Data from the PEQ are statistically analyzed based on the mean or sum of responses in each subscale. Analysis may include comparative studies by gender, age, or educational setting. Additionally, correlations and regressions are used to examine the relationship of the results with other psychological variables such as anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. The data are utilized both at the individual level for interventions and at the research level for understanding social relationships and the phenomenon of bullying.

References

Prinstein, M. J., Boergers, J., & Vernberg, E. M. (2001). Overt and relational aggression in adolescents: Social-psychological adjustment of aggressors and victims. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30(4), 479–491.
Storch, E. A., & Masia-Warner, C. (2004). The Peer Experiences Questionnaire: Development and validation of a self-report measure of peer victimization and aggression. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33(6), 515–530.
Holt, M. K., & Espelage, D. L. (2007). Peer victimization and suicide risk in children and adolescents. School Psychology Review, 36(3), 347–364. reflects the real experiences of participants regarding their relationships with peers.