Level of peer victimization as a predictor to social competence and self-esteem among grade 7 students of Marigondon National High School: Basis for social participation intervention program.

     The study aims to determine the Level of Peer Victimization as a Predictor to Social Competence and Self-Esteem among the Grade 7 Students of Marigondon National High School for the School Year 2014-2015. The study will utilize a descriptive co relational-survey study method with the total number of 360 respondents. The study utilized a descriptive correlational method. The respondents were selected according to this criterion: grade 7 students of Marigondon National High School, male and female students. Three research instruments were used: Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS), Modified Social Competence Scale on Bullied Teenagers and Modified Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale for Peer-Victims.

     Findings indicate that the level of peer victimization profile showed that out of 360 respondents, majority of the respondents scored moderate peer victimization with 62.3% followed by low peer victimization with 27.2% and 38 respondents scored high in peer victimization with 10.6%. As for the result of the level of social competence of which 2 items were missing, majority of the respondents scored moderate 60%. While 23.6% of the respondents fell under the high level and 15.8% fall under the low social competence. The result of the level of self esteem, majority of the respondents scored moderate with 70.3%. 29.7% or the respondents fell under the high level and no respondents scored low self esteem. Furthermore, the study revealed that there was a low significant influence of the level of peer victimization on the level of social competence. While it also revealed that the level of peer victimization shows no significant influence on the level of self esteem. The null hypothesis was accepted even though the result showed that there was a low significance on the relationship between the level of peer victimization and social competence while it was accepted in the case of the level of peer victimization and self esteem due to no significance was seen between both.

     In conclusion, respondents indicate moderate levels of peer victimization, social competence and self-esteem while low relationship was found between the level of peer victimization and social competence while no significant relationship was found between the level of peer victimization and self-esteem. Hence, the researcher would like to recommend for the respondents who scored high on peer victimization to be given attention by the collaboration of the guidance counsellors, occupational therapy, school administrators and parents to prevent further complications that may affect future participation in the community by promoting social interaction with other people and maintaining a keen eye to avoid peer victimization. In addition, to encourage the students to involve in group or extracurricular activities to establish good social relationship with classmates and avoid high level of peer victimization and low social competence. The Occupational Therapy practitioners can assess respondents with high peer victimization and low social competence to determine their concerns and be able to make an intervention program based on the results even if both variables have no correlation with each other. The Occupational Therapy students and future researchers to find other variables that could correlate to peer victimization as bullying nowadays is beginning to grow in number.