School Bullying Research Articles

The Mediating Role of School Adaptation in the Impact of Adolescent Victimization from Bullying on Mental Health: A Gender Differences Perspective.

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of school adaptation in the impact of adolescent bullying victimization on mental health, as well as the gender differences therein. These findings offer a novel perspective for parents and educators, aiding bullied adolescents in managing and addressing mental health concerns. The primary data source for this study was the 2020/2021 Adolescent Health Theme Database from the China Population Health Data Center (PHDA). The research sample consisted of high school students from 16 cities in Shandong Province. Descriptive statistics, reliability and validity testing, structural equation modeling, as well as mediation analysis and multiple group analysis were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0. School adaptation serves as a mediating variable between adolescent bullying and mental health. The model fit indices are as follows: GFI=0.946, AGFI=0.922, RMSEA=0.070, NFI=0.978, IFI=0.979, CFI=0.97. Even when considering gender, the model still demonstrates good fit. School bullying has significant negative effects on the mental health of both male and female victims (p<0.05). For female victims, the mitigating effect of school adaptation on mental health is slightly lower than that for males (-2.256). Regarding cyberbullying, male victims face a greater threat to mental health (-3.234), with a impact of -0.109 from cyberbullying on male mental health and -0.065 from school bullying on female mental health. The school is found to mediate between school bullying, cyberbullying, and mental health. Schools may play a greater role in improving female mental health than male mental health. The impact of campus bullying on female mental health is greater than that of cyberbullying, whereas the opposite is true for males. Enhancing adolescents' school adaptation levels helps mitigate the adverse effects of school and cyberbullying on adolescent mental health.

Unveiling the shadows: School bullying and students' ability erosions in Chinese compulsory schools

Drawing upon data from the National Children's Study of China, this research investigates the school bullying victimization and its associations with the ability erosions among students in Chinese schools. Three key findings emerge. First, results suggest that the primary factors affecting bullying victimization mainly include authoritarian parenting, limited positive social interactions on campus, adverse experiences, and exposure to teacher and peer smoking. Second, estimates indicate that bullying victimization is significantly associated with ability erosions, particularly among students from relatively advantaged backgrounds. The further Oster's test, falsification test, and reverse causality check confirm the validity of the associations and suggest some causal effect of victimization on the student outcomes. Lastly, the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition shows that lower human capital investments derived from social interactions are the most significant contributors to the ability erosion linked to bullying victimization. These findings highlight the critical importance of social interactions both at home and in schools.

“Just Because I’m Different!”: The Call for Socio-Cultural Transformation of Covert Bullying Practices in Jamaican High Schools

With the growth of technology and social media, many forms of bullying in Jamaican high schools have intensified and remained covert, while promoting a climate of socio-cultural differences and relational aggression. The purpose of this article is to use the insights and implications garnered from a covert bullying study to share recommended transformational approaches and strategies that will reduce bullying practices and negative socio-cultural differences within local school communities, while also engendering a culture of equality and social justice.

Amplifying Player Experience to Facilitate Prosocial Outcomes in a Narrative-Based Serious Game

The rise and development of serious games have shown promise in addressing critical social issues, including school bullying. However, prior work often compares game-based interventions with the conventional non-game approach, failing to generate insights about which game features should be emphasized to create more effective games. To bridge this research gap, in light of video games’ advantages for creating immersive experiences that benefit persuasion, we created a narrative-based serious game addressing school bullying and conducted two studies (Study 1, &lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 130; Study 2, &lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 250) to explore the persuasive effects of two game features, respectively player–avatar similarity and in-game control, on player experience (including player–avatar identification, narrative engagement, and empathy) and prosocial intention. We found mixed results subject to player perspective such that only when players took the bully’s perspective did one of the game features—in-game control—successfully create the intended empathy via amplified narrative engagement toward the desirable prosocial intention.

Feeling better now? Being defended diminishes daily mood problems and self-blame in victims of bullying.

School bullying is a group phenomenon in which being defended by peer bystanders may buffer against the development of psychological problems in victims. This registered report examines whether being defended diminished victims' daily mood problems and self-blame, both from a within- and between-person perspective. Daily diary data were collected from n = 1669 Finnish 7th-9th grade students (M age = 14.45; 55.5% girl) across 3 weeks. In n = 1329 out of 12,366 assessments (10.7%), students indicated that schoolmates victimized them on the day of bullying. Multi-level regression analyses indicated that students reported lower depressed mood, greater positive mood and lower self-blame on days that they were victimized and defended as compared to days when they were victimized but non-defended. Effect sizes were medium for depressed mood and small for positive mood and self-blame. Repeated victims (n = 144) were less likely to blame themselves for victimization on days they were defended, which, in turn, diminished feelings of humiliation (mediation). Our findings indicate that being defended benefits victims of bullying by mitigating mood problems, both directly and indirectly via diminished self-blame. Anti-bullying programmes that encourage peer defending have the potential to improve victims' psychological adjustment, even on a daily basis.

Bullying Prevention Practices and Child Stress in Public Elementary Schools

This quantitative study employed surveys to assess the extent of bullying prevention efforts from schools and parents, and to measure levels of child stress in terms of distress, lack of well-being, and absence of social support. The sample consisted of students from multiple public elementary schools. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficients, and regression analysis. The study found that both school and parental bullying prevention efforts were very extensive. Child stress levels were generally low across various indicators. A significant negative relationship was found between bullying prevention practices and child stress, indicating that effective prevention efforts are associated with reduced stress levels in children. Both school-based and parental efforts were identified as significant predictors in reducing child stress. The findings suggest that comprehensive bullying prevention efforts are effective in reducing child stress. The study emphasizes the importance of a multi-faceted approach involving both schools and parents in bullying prevention programs. The study concludes that effective bullying prevention practices are associated with lower levels of child stress, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts between schools and parents. Recommendations are made for researchers, the Department of Education, school heads, and teachers to enhance bullying prevention programs.

Geographical Variation in the Associations Between School Characteristics and Homophobic Bullying: a Contextual Analysis.

Homophobic bullying constitutes a serious threat to adolescent well-being and could be understood as an ecological phenomenon, influenced by diverse school, regional, and community contexts. This study examined geographic variations in the relationship between school characteristics and homophobic bullying. Data from 2244 California schools, including student surveys and administrative records, were combined and analyzed using geographically weighted regression (GWR). Results showed that the associations between school characteristics and general victimization were consistent across geographic areas. However, when it came to homophobic bullying, the relationships with school characteristics varied significantly based on location. Notably, regions with high intolerance, urbanity, large school size, and small student-teacher ratios appeared to offer protection against bullying. Additionally, student socioeconomic status influenced bullying in disadvantaged rural schools with limited Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) presence. Ethnic diversity also played a role, with low diversity or dominance of two ethnic groups linked to higher bullying rates.

Counseling on Prevention of Sexual Violence and Bullying at State Elementary School 100 Barru

Sexual violence is an act involving sexual coercion or harassment against someone without their consent. Bullying is aggressive behavior that is carried out repeatedly by one individual or a group of individuals with the aim of hurting, degrading, or intimidating the victim. Sexual violence and bullying often occur in school environments. Children and adolescents are vulnerable to being victims or perpetrators of these acts. However, due to the taboo nature of this issue, many cases go unreported so existing statistics may not reflect the true numbers. Sexual violence and bullying in schools have serious impacts on victims, including psychological trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, decreased academic performance, and even a high risk of suicide. An unsafe school environment can also affect the entire student population, hindering their learning and social development. Some factors that contribute to sexual violence and bullying in schools include institutional indifference to reporting and action, lack of awareness and adequate education, power imbalances, detrimental social norms, and negative media influences. Preventing sexual violence and bullying in schools requires collaboration between students, teachers, parents, school staff, and the community. This shared responsibility is essential to protecting children and adolescents from physical and psychological harm. With proper education, social support, and proactive action, we can create safe, inclusive, and supportive school environments for all individuals.

The cross-lagged relationship between adolescent school bullying and loneliness——The predictive role of childhood emotional maltreatment

School bullying and loneliness have become common problems in adolescent interpersonal relationships. The increase of school bullying in recent years is closely related to adolescents’ loneliness, and loneliness may also affect the implementation of school bullying. Meanwhile, childhood emotional maltreatment plays an important role in interpersonal relationship problems triggered by adolescence, which has attracted a lot of attention from researchers. The purpose of this study was to explore the mutual and transactional relationship between loneliness and school bullying under childhood emotional maltreatment. A total of 1214 Chinese high school students (Mage = 15.46, SD = 0.71) completed the measures of childhood emotional maltreatment, loneliness, and school bullying. They provided data in three waves (T1, T2, and T3, 6 months apart). The results reality that loneliness under childhood emotional abuse and school bullying are correlated and that childhood emotional abuse significantly predicts loneliness and school bullying in adolescence. Specifically, loneliness positively predicted school bullying, but the predictive effect of school bullying on loneliness was influenced by gender. Moreover, childhood emotional maltreatment can lead to the perpetration of school bullying by triggering loneliness in adolescents. The results of the study, although unexpected, also reveal social problems and provide new ideas for studying adolescent interpersonal problems.

Association of child maltreatment and school bullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of peer relationships

BackgroundSchool bullying, a serious problem for the physical and mental health of adolescents, is presently a significant issue in China. It is essential to recognize and comprehend potential risk factors and establish efficient preventive strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between childhood maltreatment and school bullying in adolescents and to assess the mediating role of peer relationships.MethodsBetween March and April 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2119 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years in Guangdong Province, China. Self-report questionnaires were employed to collect data on childhood maltreatment, school bullying, and peer relationships. Subgroup analyses and mediating effects modeling were employed to analyze the data.ResultsThe results indicated that adolescents who had experienced maltreatment were more at risk of bullying victimization (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.34–3.64, P < 0.001), bullying perpetration (OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.99–4.05, P < 0.001), and bully-victimization (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.95–4.41, P < 0.001), compared to adolescents who have not. Sexual abuse showed the most significant connection with all forms of bullying. The mediating effect of peer relationships was found to mediate the association between child maltreatment and bullying behaviour. The results indicated that worse peer relationships may exacerbate the adverse effects of maltreatment experiences and increase the risk of adolescents becoming bullies, either perpetrators or victims of bullying.ConclusionsChild maltreatment has been identified as one of the most significant influences on bullying behaviour in adolescents. The quality of peer relationships has been demonstrated to play an important role in preventing and reducing the occurrence of bullying. The results underscore the crucial role of early intervention in cases of child maltreatment and the fostering of positive peer relationships in schools.

O BULLYING NO ENSINO MÉDIO E SUA RELAÇÃO COM O CLIMA ESCOLAR

The prevalence and consequences of school bullying have been widely reported in the literature. Likewise, it has been shown that this is multi-cause violence and, therefore, different aspects need to be considered for its prevention and containment, including the positive school climate. In this context, the present study proposes to investigate the phenomenon of bullying in high school and its association with the school climate and its dimensions (student-student relationships, teacher/student relationships, school safety, respect for diversity, clarity of expectations, and fairness of rules). The participants were 388 students from two public institutions in the northwest of Paraná state, who answered a questionnaire about the school climate and another about bullying victimization in 2019. This study is descriptive and relational. We analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The results predominantly indicated a positive school climate in the institutions, although we have founded evidence of bullying victimization. Regression analysis identified a significant relationship between the dimensions of the school climate, especially "student-student relationships" and "clarity of expectations," and the occurrence of bullying. Thus, we underscored the significance of fostering a positive school climate to cultivate healthy, violence-free relationships, nurture empathy among peers, and ensure clarity in institutional norms.

National Association of School Nurses Position Statement: Prevention and Intervention of Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools

National Association of School Nurses Position Statement: Prevention and Intervention of Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools

The silent shadow in primary school: The invisible face of bullying

The rates published by organizations such as UNICEF, WHO, UNESCO, and PISA on bullying in educational institutions worldwide are quite frightening. In fact, this is the reason for conducting this research. Because there is no concrete and urgent intervention plan on how to combat bullying in primary schools. This situation also constitutes a gap in the related field. Therefore, this research aims to prepare a concrete, urgent intervention plan on how educational stakeholders will fight against bullying in primary schools. The study was conducted with a nested single-case design, one of the qualitative research designs. In the study, “students, teachers, educational administrators, parents, and guidance counselors” were included in the study by using the “criterion sampling” technique, one of the purposeful sampling methods. Focus group interview was selected as the data collection tool in the study. The data obtained from focus group interviews were subjected to theme, descriptive, and content analysis. Throughout the research, eight themes, sixteen categories, and thirty-six codes were reached for the emergency intervention plan for combating bullying in primary schools. As a result, an eight-stage concrete emergency intervention plan was prepared on how educational stakeholders will act against bullying in primary schools.

Relationship between physical exercise, bullying, and being bullied among junior high school students: the multiple mediating effects of emotional management and interpersonal relationship distress

ObjectiveThis paper investigates the relationships between physical activity (PA), school bullying, emotion regulation self-efficacy (ERS), and interpersonal relationship distress (IRD) among junior high school students. It also examines the underlying mechanisms of school bullying to provide insights into reducing adolescent bullying and to lay the groundwork for preventing and controlling aggressive behaviors.MethodsA survey was conducted on 484 students (240 males, 12.18 ± 0.8 years) from 4 secondary schools using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS), Emotional Management Self-Efficacy Scale (EMSS), Interpersonal Relationship Distress Scale (IRDS), and Campus Bullying Scale (CBS) to examine the effects among the variables. A stratified random sampling method was used to select the sample, and data were collected with a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 24.0 statistical software. The analysis included Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and bias-corrected percentile Bootstrap methods.Results(1) PA negatively predicts IRD, which in turn has an indirect effect on bullying (PA → IRD → Bullying), ES = -0.063. Additionally, EM and IRD act as mediators between PA and school bullying (PA → EM → IRD → Bullying), ES = 0.025. (2) PA negatively predicts IRD, which has an indirect effect on being bullied (PA → IRD → Being bullied), ES = -0.044. EM and IRD serve as chain mediators between PA and being bullied (PA → EM → IRD → Being bullied), ES = -0.071.ConclusionPA can positively predict bullying, but it can be mitigated through EM to reduce IRD, thereby decreasing the occurrence of campus bullying and being bullied.

“Just shut out the world”: Bullied adolescents’ structured recreational and sports activities and their relationship to wellbeing and friendship

Although bullied adolescents’ leisure activities and friendships may impact their wellbeing, the leisure environments of bullied adolescents has received limited attention in previous research. The aim of this study was to explore bullied adolescents’ perspectives on their out-of-school time, with a special focus on structured recreational and sports activities and how these relate to friendships and wellbeing. Based on interviews with 20 Swedish adolescents who experienced bullying in lower secondary school, we used a constructivist grounded theory approach to guide the research, further informed by concepts from the social-ecological perspective and identity theory. The findings indicate that structured recreational and sports activities can serve as a temporary refuge from school bullying, providing a safe environment that promotes self-recovery and friendship development. However, if bullies are present in these activities, it can undermine the positive effects and may lead victims to quit.

Implementation of Natural Language Processing for Bullying Complaints with Voice to Text Conversion

Bullying in high school is frequent and negatively affects students' psychological well-being. The lack of effective reporting mechanisms makes students hesitant to report bullying cases for fear of their identity being exposed, which can lead to stigma or retaliation. The lack of data on bullying incidents also hampers prevention and intervention measures. The study designed and implemented a mobile application that uses natural language processing (NLP) for speech-to-text conversion, enabling anonymous and convenient reporting of bullying cases. The app ensures the anonymity of whistleblowers and facilitates the collection of accurate data on bullying incidents, helping schools respond with appropriate preventive measures. Software engineering methodologies are used with a focus on requirements analysis, system design, implementation, and application testing. NLP technology is used to interpret verbal instructions into text, with the Support Vector Machine (SVM) method for text classification, ensuring high accuracy in detecting bullying incidents. The trial application in several high schools showed the relevance and effectiveness of the application. Ethical and security considerations are top priorities, with an emphasis on whistleblower identity protection and data security. The test results showed that the application achieved 92% accuracy, 90% precision, and 88% recall, demonstrating its effectiveness in collecting bullying reports anonymously and accurately.

Influence of School Bullying on Motivation in Physical Education Classes

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to identify gender and age differences in motivation toward physical education (PE) and to explore the relationship between bullying roles, in PE and in the educational context in general, and motivation toward PE. A total of 1352 schoolchildren (49.7% girls) from 5th year of Compulsory Primary Education to 1st year of Baccalaureate, completed 3 questionnaires to determine their attitude toward bullying and their motivation toward PE. The findings showed that being a girl and being older provoked a lower self-determined motivation toward PE. Regarding the attitude toward bullying, active defense behavior was a significant predictor of higher self-determined motivation. Conversely, victimization predicted lower self-determined motivation and increased demotivation toward PE. Motivation toward PE is influenced by gender, age, and bullying behavior, underscoring the need to implement programs that promote active defense behaviors and reduce victimization in the educational setting through PE.

School Bullying Mapping for Educators in South Jakarta

This research analyzes Bullying Mapping on Educators in South Jakarta. This descriptive research method seeks to discover educators' knowledge and attitudes towards bullying in schools. The sample is educators with a distribution of school levels, namely Junior High School (24 respondents), Senior High School (SMA) / Equivalent as many as 62 respondents, and SLB B-C as many as two respondents. Cases of bullying that occurred in several schools in South Jakarta based on the knowledge of educators who were respondents concluded that most of them never happened, followed by occasional occurrences. Most of the forms of bullying that commonly occur in schools are in the form of cyberbullying, verbal, social, violent, and psychological violence. So, educators and students need to receive further education about anti-bullying.

Exploring the interplay of parenting styles, basic empathy, domestic violence, and bystander behavior in adolescent school bullying: a moderated mediation analysis.

This study investigates how parental styles, basic empathy, and family violence influence adolescents' bystander behaviors in school bullying. A survey was conducted with 1,067 students from three middle schools in southern China. Multifactor logistic regression and a moderated mediation model were employed to analyze the relationships between positive and negative parental styles, basic empathy, and bystander behaviors. The study found significant correlations and predictive relationships: Positive parental styles were strongly associated with increased basic empathy (r= 0.29, p < 0.01) and behaviors that protect victims (r = 0.29, p < 0.01). In contrast, negative parental styles correlated positively with behaviors that support bullying (r = 0.12, p < 0.01) and instances of family violence (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). Basic empathy negatively predicted behaviors that promote bullying (β= -0.098, p < 0.01) and positively predicted protective behaviors toward victims (β = 0.249, p < 0.001). Furthermore, family violence weakened the positive effects of positive parental styles on both empathy (β = -0.075, p < 0.001) and protective behaviors (β = -0.025, p < 0.01). The findings indicate that positive parental styles indirectly promote adolescents' victim protector behaviors by enhancing their basic empathy, underscoring the importance of emotional cultivation. Meanwhile, family violence weakens the positive impact of these parental styles on basic empathy and protective behaviors, harming adolescents' emotional security and behavioral norms.

Understanding and Promoting School Climate, Bullying, and Social-Emotional Learning: Transdisciplinary and Transnational Science Advancing Positive Youth Outcomes

School climate is an important part of school improvement efforts, capturing student engagement, connectedness, safety, and relationships. A positive school climate is associated with more prosocial behaviors, academic achievement, reduced engagement in risky behaviors, teacher retention, and reduced burnout. With growing interest and attention to the research of social and emotional learning (SEL), the definitions and conceptualizations of social and emotional learning have expanded significantly across the past few decades. Understanding the intersection between students’ identities, their educational experiences and their academic, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes is a necessary precursor to being able to strategically and systematically identify and implement universal and targeted supports to meet the overlapping and unique needs of students. To achieve true equity in education, interventions supporting the needs of all students, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds must be identified and appropriately vetted. A transnational understanding of the structural patterns and the association between these variables is critical for both the development of culturally sensitive SEL and bullying prevention programs and the transnational adaptation and applications of effective programs that promote a positive school climate. Articles featured in this special issue advance transdisciplinary and translational research by contributing high-quality studies focusing on the impact of bullying and/or SEL programs and interventions on school climate. These articles bridge the research-to-practice gap, including empirical papers with important implications for theory, research, practice, and policy. Impact Statement Promoting school climate and social and emotional learning are important to support student success at school and beyond. Transdisciplinary and transnational research provides valuable information to understand and implement supports that are culturally sensitive and responsive. While school climate and social and emotional learning are often studied separately, both are necessary for students to thrive.