Bullying: Perceptions of Adolescent Victims in the Midwestern USA:
TL;DR: In this article, the authors collected data from adolescent students in order to clarify perceptions of victimization by bullies in small-town midwestern schools and found that Seventy-two percent of females and 81 percent of males reported bullying.
Abstract: Retrospective data were collected from adolescent students in order to clarify perceptions of victimization by bullies in small-town midwestern schools. Seventy-two percent of females and 81 percen...
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TL;DR: The issue of bullying merits serious attention, both for future research and preventive intervention, as well as the potential long-term negative outcomes for these youth.
Abstract: BULLYING AMONG SCHOOL-AGED youth is increasingly being recognized as an important problem affecting well-being and social functioning. While a certain amount of conflict and harassment is typical of youth peer relations, bullying presents a potentially more serious threat to healthy youth development. The definition of bullying is widely agreed on in literature on bullying.1–4 Bullying is a specific type of aggression in which (1) the behavior is intended to harm or disturb, (2) the behavior occurs repeatedly over time, and (3) there is an imbalance of power, with a more powerful person or group attacking a less powerful one. This asymmetry of power may be physical or psychological, and the aggressive behavior may be verbal (eg, name-calling, threats), physical (eg, hitting), or psychological (eg, rumors, shunning/exclusion).
The majority of research on bullying has been conducted in Europe and Australia. Considerable variability among countries in the prevalence of bullying has been reported. In an international survey of adolescent health-related behaviors, the percentage of students who reported being bullied at least once during the current term ranged from a low of 15% to 20% in some countries to a high of 70% in others.5,6 Of particular concern is frequent bullying, typically defined as bullying that occurs once a week or more. The prevalence of frequent bullying reported internationally ranges from a low of 1.9% among 1 Irish sample to a high of 19% in a Malta study.1,7–12
Bullying takes many forms, and findings about the types of bullying that occur are fairly similar across countries. A British study involving 23 schools found that direct verbal aggression was the most common form of bullying, occurring with similar frequency in both sexes.13 Direct physical aggression was more common among boys, while indirect forms were more common among girls. Similarly, in a study of several middle schools in Rome, the most common types of bullying reported by boys were threats, physical harm, rejection, and name-calling.14 The most common forms for girls were name-calling, teasing, rumors, rejection, and taking of personal belongings.
Research examining characteristics of youth involved in bullying has consistently found that both bullies and those bullied demonstrate poorer psychosocial functioning than their noninvolved peers. Youth who bully others tend to demonstrate higher levels of conduct problems and dislike of school, whereas youth who are bullied generally show higher levels of insecurity, anxiety, depression, loneliness, unhappiness, physical and mental symptoms, and low self-esteem.1–4,8,15–25 Males who are bullied also tend to be physically weaker than males in general.2 The few studies that have examined the characteristics of youth who both bully and are bullied found that these individuals exhibit the poorest psychosocial functioning overall.15,17,19,26
The current research provides a foundation for an understanding of the bullying problem. However, it is insufficient to guide intervention and policy development. Moreover, little is known specifically about bullying among US youth.6 In one county-wide middle school survey, 24.1% of youth reported bullying others at least once in the past semester26; it is not known whether this is characteristic of the rest of the nation.
The purpose of this study was to report the prevalence of bullying in a nationally representative sample of US youth in grades 6 through 10, along with information on differences in the prevalence of bullying by sex, grade, and race. In addition, the relationships among bullying, being bullied, and psychosocial adjustment are explored for 3 distinct groups: bullies only, those bullied only, and those who both bully and are bullied.
3,934 citations
TL;DR: Both in-school and online bullying experiences were independently associated with increased social anxiety, and repeated school-based bullying experiences increased the likelihood of repeated cyberbullying more than the use of any particular electronic communication tool.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Bullying is a national public health problem affecting millions of students. With the rapid increase in electronic or online communication, bullying is no longer limited to schools. The goal of the current investigation was to examine the overlap among targets of, and the similarities between, online and in-school bullying among Internet-using adolescents. Additionally, a number of common assumptions regarding online or cyberbullying were tested. METHODS: An anonymous Web-based survey was conducted with one thousand four hundred fifty-four 12- to 17-year-old youth. RESULTS: Within the past year, 72% of respondents reported at least 1 online incident of bullying, 85% of whom also experienced bullying in school. The most frequent forms of online and in-school bullying involved name-calling or insults, and the online incidents most typically took place through instant messaging. When controlling for Internet use, repeated school-based bullying experiences increased the likelihood of repeated cyberbullying more than the use of any particular electronic communication tool. About two thirds of cyberbullying victims reported knowing their perpetrators, and half of them knew the bully from school. Both in-school and online bullying experiences were independently associated with increased social anxiety. Ninety percent of the sample reported they do not tell an adult about cyberbullying, and only a minority of participants had used digital tools to prevent online incidents.
1,219 citations
Cites background from "Bullying: Perceptions of Adolescent..."
...CONCLUSIONS: The findings have implications for (1) school policies about cyberbullying, (2) parent education about the risks associated with online communication, and ( 3 ) youth advice regarding strategies to prevent and deal with cyberbullying incidents....
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...we examined the validity of specific assumptions discussed earlier about (1) the distress associated with cyberbullying, (2) the anonymity of online harassment, and ( 3 ) the low frequency of reporting incidents to adults....
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...Most notably, our findings suggest that (1) among heavy users of the Internet, cyberbullying is a common experience; (2) the forms of online and in-school bullying are similar and the experiences overlap across the 2 contexts; ( 3 ) although some electronic communication methods and devices are associated with elevated risk of cyberbullying, they are merely tools, not causes of mean behavior; (4) independent of school-based bullying, ......
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TL;DR: In this article, a special issue on bullying and victimization in school psychology review highlights current research efforts in American schools on bullying, peer victimization, and how this research can in
Abstract: This special issue on bullying and victimization in School Psychology Review highlights current research efforts in American schools on bullying and peer victimization, and how this research can in
1,186 citations
Cites background from "Bullying: Perceptions of Adolescent..."
...In a study of junior high and high school students from midwestern towns, 88% reported having observed bullying and 77% reported being a victim of bullying during their school years (Hoover et al., 1992)....
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TL;DR: The authors reviewed risk factors associated with bullying and peer victimization in school within the context of Bronfenbrenner's ecological framework, and discussed the efficacy of the current bullying prevention and intervention programs, followed by directions for future research.
921 citations
TL;DR: The authors found that bullying and victimization are prevalent problems in the area of adolescent peer relationships, with 30.9% of the students reporting being victimized three or more times in the past year and 7.4% reported bullying three ormore times over the past one year.
Abstract: Bullying and victimization are prevalent problems in the area of adolescent peer relationships. Middle school students (N = 4,263) in one Maryland school district completed surveys covering a range of problem behaviors and psychosocial variables. Overall,30.9% of the students reported being victimized three or more times in the past year and 7.4% reported bullying three or more times over the past year. More than one half of the bullies also reported being victimized. Those bully/victims were found to score less favorably than either bullies or victims on all the measured psychosocial and behavioral variables. Results of a discriminant function analysis demonstrated that a group of psychosocial and behavioral predictors—including problem behaviors, attitudes toward deviance, peer influences, depressive symptoms, school-related functioning, and parenting—formed a linear separation between the comparison group (never bullied or victimized), the victim group, the bully group, and the bully/victim group.
897 citations
Cites background from "Bullying: Perceptions of Adolescent..."
...Other survey research has indicated that 75% of adolescents have been victimized at least once during their school years (Hoover et al., 1992)....
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...The prevalence of being victimized three or more times over the past year was 31% and is within the broad range documented in previous studies (Batsche & Knoff et al., 1994; Hoover et al., 1992)....
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...” Other survey research has indicated that 75% of adolescents have been victimized at least once during their school years (Hoover et al., 1992)....
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References
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TL;DR: The degree of longitudinal consistency in aggressive behavior patterns is much greater than has been maintained by proponents of a behavioral specificity position, and important determinants of the observed longitudinal consistency are to be found in relatively stable, individual-differentiating reaction tendencies or motive systems within individuals.
Abstract: Considered in the review are 16 studies on the stability of aggressive behavior and reaction patterns. There is great variation among the studies in sample composition, in definition of variables, in method of data collection, and in the ages and intervals studied. Generally, the size of a (disattenuated) stability coefficient tends to decrease linearly as the interval between the two times of measurement (T2— 7\) increases. Furthermore, the degree of stability can be broadly described as a positive linear function of the interval covered and the subject's age at the time of first measurement, expressed in the age ratio T-^/T^,. The degree of stability that exists in the area of aggression was found to be quite substantial; it was, in fact, not much lower than the stability typically found in the domain of intelligence testing. Marked individual differences in habitual aggression level manifest themselves early in life, certainly by the age of 3. It was generally concluded that (a) the degree of longitudinal consistency in aggressive behavior patterns is much greater than has been maintained by proponents of a behavioral specificity position, and (b) important determinants of the observed longitudinal consistency are to be found in relatively stable, individual-differentiating reaction tendencies or motive systems (personality variables) within individuals.
1,387 citations
TL;DR: The authors reviewed the history of school climate research, noting the influence of climate instruments developed to study climate in settings other than the total school building, such as business, college, and classroom settings.
Abstract: School climate has been studied with a multitude of variables, methodologies, theories, and models, resulting in a not easily defined body of research. This analysis of the school climate literature, based on over 200 references, uses an organizational theory taxonomy to organize the diverse body of research and to draw conclusions about common findings. The history of school climate research is reviewed, noting the influence of climate instruments developed to study climate in settings other than the total school building, such as business, college, and classroom settings. The difficulty of defining school climate is reflected in the diversity of climate typologies that have evolved, despite their often common roots. The debate about school climate is tied to differences among researchers in theory base, variables to study (and their hypothesized interrelationships), unit of measurement choices, and the validity of subjective and qualitative data (based on participant or observer perception). Some common...
1,029 citations
998 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it is suggested that females have high need for affiliation which influence their achievement motives and behavior, sometimes enhancing and sometimes blocking them. But, they do not have the ability to develop neither adequate skills nor confidence but continue to be dependent upon others.
Abstract: Research findings in child development are reviewed to shed light on female achievement motives. It is suggested that females have high needs for affiliation which influence their achievement motives and behavior, sometimes enhancing and sometimes blocking them. Since girls as compared to boys have less encouragement for independence, more parental protectiveness, less pressure for establishing an identity separate from the mother, and less mother-child conflict which highlights this separation, they engage in less independent exploration of their environments. As a result they develop neither adequate skills nor confidence but continue to be dependent upon others. Thus while boys learn effectance through mastery, the effectiveness of girls is contingent on elicting the help of others. Affective relationships are paramount in females and much of their achievement behavior is motivated by a desire to please. If achievement threatens affiliation, performance may be sacrificed or anxiety may result.
417 citations
TL;DR: In contrast to the non-shys who recalled suffering very little bullying at the hands of agemate peers, the love-shy groups' formative years were recalled as having been fraught with victimization by bullies.
Abstract: Love-shyness is a degree of inhibition and reticence with the opposite sex that is sufficiently severe to preclude participation in courtship, marriage and family roles. Love-shyness is believed to be the result of a genetic-biologically rooted temperament and learning experiences with peers and family. Two love-shy groups (an older one and a younger one) were compared to a nonshy group on several variables pertaining to past peer group history, recreational proclivities, etc. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was also administered to all subjects. The love-shys recalled going through life as social isolates and outcasts and experienced very stressful and nonsupportive relationships with agemate peers. In contrast to the non-shys who recalled suffering very little bullying at the hands of agemate peers, the love-shys' formative years were recalled as having been fraught with victimization by bullies. The implications of these findings are discussed and recommendations are offered.
137 citations