Education Commons^™

Empathy As A Moderator Of Adolescent Bullying Behavior And Moral Disengagement After Controlling For Social Desirability, Amy Zelidman

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the moderating influence empathy has on the associations between adolescent bullying behavior and moral disengagement after controlling for social desirability (e.g., response bias). 676 students in 7th and 8th grade from a suburban middle school in Southeast Michigan participated in this study in the fall of 2012.

Results showed male respondents were more likely than female respondents to (a) report engaging in all forms of traditional bullying behavior overall, including physical, verbal, and social bullying and (b) report higher rates of physical victimization and moral disengagement. Female respondents were more likely to …

Bullies And Victims In Middle School, Joseph James Zambo

Wayne State University Dissertations

837 students from two suburban middle schools in southeast Michigan participated in this study to assess bully/victim behavior. Sixth and seventh grade students were assessed along a continuum of interpersonal behavior (social information processing, emotion-related regulation, and social skills). The Olweus Bully/Victim measure was used to assess bully/victim tendencies. The school climate measure was used to assess whether student perceptions of their school environment mediated bully/victim outcomes. School climate mediated bully/victim and victim behaviors; bully and bully/victims shared aggressive and hostile social information processing and aggressive behavior. Victims and bully/victims shared worry, frustration and sadness, while bullies did not. Future …