Teacher–Home Communication and Bullying Victimization: Do Parents’ Perceptions of Fairness of Rules Matter?

Abstract

Guided by the social–ecological model, this study used hierarchical linear modeling to examine the associations between parental perception of teacher–home communication and parental perception of their children's bullying victimization. This study also examined the multilevel moderating effects of parental perception of fairness of rules and school levels (elementary, middle, and high schools) on the association between teacher–home communication and bullying victimization. Participants were 11,484 parents of 4th–12th graders from 89 schools in Delaware. Controlling for student, parent, and school demographic factors, results revealed that parents' perceptions of teacher–home communication and fairness of rules were both associated with parents perceiving less frequent bullying victimization among their children. Moreover, the negative association between parent-level teacher–home communication and bullying victimization was significantly moderated by parents' perceptions of fairness of rules at both parent and school levels. Notably, the protective role of teacher–home communication on bullying victimization was stronger in schools that were perceived to be less fair. Additionally, the magnitude of the association between teacher–home communication and bullying victimization increased significantly from elementary school to high school. These findings highlight the importance of considering parents' perceptions of fairness of school rules and their children's grade levels in home–school engagement efforts targeting bullying and victimization.