Predictors of self-reported and peer-reported victimization and bullying behavior in early adolescents: the role of school, classroom, and individual factors

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine individual and contextual predictors of victimization and bullying on a sample of early adolescents. Using both self-reports and peer nominations for victimization and bullying assessment, potential differential predictors for self- vs. peer-reported victimization and bullying were examined. A total of 1905 elementary school students (49.9% boys) nested in 135 classrooms within 22 schools participated in the study. Students’ gender was found to be the most consistent predictor for both self- and peer-reported victimization and bullying. Other shared predictors of victimization and bullying were higher internalization and externalization of anger and perceived peer support for self-reported measures and younger age, lower academic achievement, higher anger internalizing and externalizing, perceived teacher support, and fewer peer-reported friendships for peer-reported measures. In addition, the same classroom characteristics—higher pro-bully classroom norms—represented a risk factor for both self-reported bullying and victimization.