Bullying at School: The role of family

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate whether family and, the way that children are raised, constitute an influencing factor in the demonstration of intimidating behaviors among children at school environment. MethodsStudy population consists of 460 students, (2nd and 3rd junior high classes and, 1st class of high school) with a mean of age 14.5 years, who attend in the public secondary educational institutes of the urban area of Heraklion, at Crete, Greece. The measurement instruments used are the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and, thirteen further questions referring to family, from the general questionnaire of the Health Behavior in School Children research program (launched by WHO). FindingsA percentage of 17.5% of the students of the sample were victimized and a 16.5% have participated in bullying others. Furthermore, the majority of students, (40%) in the sample, assess teachers’ counteraction to bullying as “little or nothing” while, only the 2.61% of students feel it as “very”. Students’ involvement in bullying incidents increases when there is no punishment, despite the child's misbehave, or when parents enforce the discipline methods without justification. Moreover, bullying is related with parents’ reluctance to provide assistance on issues towards school. Finally, some parenting behaviors which reflect children's upbringing are connected with bullying. ConclusionsThe outcomes of this study reveal a significant connection between the bullying behaviors of students and specific parenting behaviors related to the upbringing and discipline methods.