Longitudinal Relations between Students’ Social Status and Their Roles in Bullying: The Mediating Role of Self-Perceived Social Status

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigated the longitudinal relations between students’ roles in bullying (i.e., bullying, defending, and victimization) and social status within the class. Moreover, we tested the hypothesis that students’ perception of their own status may mediate these relations. A sample of 432 early adolescents completed peer nominations for behavior and status and a self-report on perceived social status. Path analysis showed a positive bidirectional relation between bullying others and popularity. Moreover, low popularity and low self-perceived social preference emerged as significant risk factors for victimization. Finally, defending behavior positively predicted social preference over time, but neither social preference nor popularity predicted this behavior 1 year later. However, students’ perception of being low in popularity and high in social preference acted as driving forces for defending. Findings highlighted perceived social status as an important construct in explaining the relationship between students’ role in bullying and their status within the class.