Educational Psychology Commons^™

Bullying In Elementary Schools, Matthew Earnhardt, Meline M. Kevorkian, Albert Rodriguez, Tom D. Kennedy, Robin D'Antona, Jia Borror

Publications

The goal of this study was to report key descriptive data from 1,588 third through fifth graders who completed a survey regarding their perceptions of bullying in schools. Key findings were that 40 % of third through fifth graders reported being bullied, while girls reported being victims of bullying more often than boys. When bullying was reported to a school administrator or a parent/guardian, only about 19 % of those bullied reported that bullying stopped completely; 16 % reported that bullying had stopped for a while, and 11 % indicated that bullying never stopped and in some cases got worse. …

Person-Level Predictors Of Bullying And Bystander Behaviors Of Middle School Students, Todd Jason Dollar

Wayne State University Dissertations

This research examined the ways in which person-level factors (social goals, self-efficacy for defending, moral disengagement, and empathy) influence bullying and bystander experiences of middle school students. Participants (N = 207) in grades 6 to 8 (ages 11- to 15-years-old) who were enrolled in a suburban Public School Academy (i.e., charter school) middle school located in Southeastern Michigan completed a self-report questionnaire on one occasion. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed gender and grade differences in person-level factors. Gender differences were found for victimization. Females experienced significantly more social victimization than males. Multiple regression analyses revealed a synergistic effect for some, …

Parent And Principals' Perceptions Of Cyberbullying In 21st Century Rural Elementary Schools, Kathleen Virginia Hosterman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyberbullying is a common form of harassment and aggression engaged in by today's youth. This phenomenon is affecting primary-school-aged children as technology devices are now made available to elementary school students in rural settings. Based on the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, this mixed methods project study included a survey to quantitatively investigate the associations between parental knowledge of the phenomenon of cyberbullying and children's grade levels, and a focus group to gather qualitative data from school principals regarding their perceptions of the extent and impact of cyberbullying in 4 rural elementary schools in Massachusetts. Due to highly skewed …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use Of School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports At Reducing The Presence Of Bullying In Middle Schools, Kristine Marie Harper

Dissertations

Each day students throughout the world are exposed to bullying in many different ways and on many different occasions. Bullying has received such a great amount of attention through the media, that it leaves parents and community members with the belief that bullying has become a bigger problem today than it ever has before Austin, Reynolds, & Barnes, 2012; Carrera, DePalma, & Lameiras, 2011; Packman et al., 2005; Rigby & Smith, 2011). Nearly every state in the nation has passed laws regarding bullying and increasing the responsibility of schools and districts to implement programs to prevent and/or address bullying on …

The Relationship Between Religiousness And Bullying Among Parochial High School Students In The Southeast, Matthew Adam Willis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Bullying and peer abuses are persistent problems in the educational community. Many studies have been undertaken that focus on the aftermath of bullying or prevention of abuse, but few have focused on social variables and their relationship to bullying and peer abuses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is any relationship between an individual's self-reported levels of religiousness and their perspectives on bullying. The study used a correlational design. This design analyzed students who have taken the Olweus bullying scale and a religious commitment survey. The surveys were analyzed using the Stepwise regression model. Understanding the …

Four Decades Of Research On School Bullying: An Introduction, Shelley Hymel, Susan M. Swearer

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article provides an introductory overview of findings from the past 40 years of research on bullying among school-aged children and youth. Research on definitional and assessment issues in studying bullying and victimization is reviewed, and data on prevalence rates, stability, and forms of bullying behavior are summarized, setting the stage for the 5 articles that comprise this American Psychologist special issue on bullying and victimization. These articles address bullying, victimization, psychological sequela and consequences, ethical, legal, and theoretical issues facing educators, researchers, and practitioners, and effective prevention and intervention efforts. The goal of this special issue is to provide …

Understanding The Psychology Of Bullying: Moving Toward A Social-Ecological Diathesis–Stress Model, Susan M. Swearer, Shelley Hymel

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

With growing recognition that bullying is a complex phenomenon, influenced by multiple factors, research findings to date have been understood within a social-ecological framework. Consistent with this model, we review research on the known correlates and contributing factors in bullying/victimization within the individual, family, peer group, school and community. Recognizing the fluid and dynamic nature of involvement in bullying, we then expand on this model and consider research on the consequences of bullying involvement, as either victim or bully or both, and propose a social-ecological, diathesis– stress model for understanding the bullying dynamic and its impact. Specifically, we frame involvement …

Do Cyberbullies Really Want To Hurt Others?, Danielle Law

Clear Language Summaries

Cyberbullying occurs when computer and mobile technologies are used to intentionally harm others. When communicating online there are two basic motivations for online aggression: whether they are posting mean things with intention to harm, or whether they are engaging in these behaviours to defend themselves. This research found that the majority of teenagers are not intentionally mean; rather, they are navigating a world of miscommunication that lends itself to retaliation that spirals out of control in aggressive ways. A small percentage of teens are deliberately malicious and require special intervention. When educating teens about cyberbullying it is important to understand …

Bullying And Peer Victimization: An Examination Of Cognitive And Psychosocial Constructs, Kisha M. Radliff, Cixin Wang, Susan M. Swearer

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Research has demonstrated a link between internalizing factors and bullying perpetration and peer victimization; however, few studies have examined predictors of cognitive and psychosocial factors, such as locus of control and hopelessness. The current study examined cognitive and psychosocial factors in bullying perpetration and peer victimization in a sample of 469 middle school students. A mediator model of hopelessness was also investigated. Students involved in bullying reported a greater external locus of control compared with peers who were not involved in bullying. Bully victims endorsed the highest externality. Results showed that hopelessness fully mediated the relationship between verbal/relational victimization and …

Does Student Status Affect Perceptions Of School Climate And Bullying?, Samantha Palladino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Students with disabilities are a diverse group of individuals who may experience the world in ways that are distinct from typical peers. Extant research suggests that these students are at risk for academic, social, and emotional challenges. Given the amount of time that students spend in school, their perceptions of the school climate and experiences with bullying have the potential to significantly impact their well-being academically, socially, and emotionally. While there is expansive literature related to school climate and bullying, few studies have investigated these topics simultaneously and specifically through the lens of students with disabilities. This was an archival …

The Effect Of Bullying Prevention Programs On The Perceptions Of Bullying Among Female Youth, Karen Tokarick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying has become a widespread social issue. Previous research has focused on both genders and various grade levels; it has shown that programs reduce bullying and improve social climates and attitudes toward academics. The effect of these programs, specifically on female youth, has not been studied. This study addressed the effect of bullying prevention programs on perceptions of bullying among female youth in Grades 5-7 in 2 schools in rural eastern Pennsylvania. One school utilized a prevention program while the other did not. Teachers and administrators were also interviewed to gain insight regarding their perceived effectiveness of the program. The …

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 …

Predictors Of School Administrator Responses In Bullying Situations: Implications For Bullying Prevention Programs, Aguib Diop

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate school administrators' responses to bullying situations and explore variables that predict their responses. Elementary, middle and high school administrators (n = 126) from school districts throughout Michigan participated in the study. Data were collected during the 2013-2014 school year.

Differences between beliefs about the causes of victimization were found in that school administrators were less likely to endorse normative beliefs about the causes of victimization than assertive or avoidant beliefs. School administrators were more likely to endorse assertive beliefs for girls than for boys. Empathy towards victims, perceived seriousness of the bullying …

Social Cognitive Factors Associated With Verbal Bullying And Defending, Heather L. Carroll

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine defending and verbal bullying and the role of social cognitive variables, including empathy, values, moral disengagement, and efficacy among middle school students. Middle school students (n=282) in grades 6 through 8 in an urban public school district in Michigan participated in the study. Data were collected using a self-report survey format during the 2013-2014 school year. Social cognitive variables were analyzed by grade and gender. Results indicated a statistically significant main effect for gender. Female students reported significantly higher scores for empathy, self-transcendence values and openness to change values, in comparison to …

Exploring Heterosexist Bias And Oppressive Bullying In Anti-Bullying Prevention Programs, Shayna Yamashiro

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Children in the K-12 school environment who identify in the sexually underrepresented groups experience the effects of heterosexism, which is a manifestation of oppressive bullying. This work explores and analyzes the results of Anti-Bullying Prevention Pilot Program (ABPPP) which is a large-scale three-year evaluation. This study analyzed qualitative data (structured interviews) by utilizing a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) and Mixed Methods approach to find the emergent theme of heterosexism. Grounded Theory was then used to code that information. This work found thick descriptions which illustrated the presence of heterosexist bias in the qualitative data. Thus, this writer proposes a model …

Bullying Prevalence In Mississippi: A Comparison Of Urban And Rural Schools, Valarie Mccaskill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the prevalence of bullying in urban and rural schools in Mississippi. Students at eight middle schools completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire to identify bullies and bully victims. The results of the study showed that approximately 50% of students in both urban and rural schools were identified as being bullied once or more during the current school term. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of bullying at urban and rural schools based on students who attended the eight middle schools who participated in the study. However, there was a significant difference in the prevalence of bullying …

The Bullying Cycle : Bullies, Victims, And Curriculum Advances, Jordana Marshall

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Although bullying occurs in all age groups, and in every situation from prisons to corporate institutions, the scope of this paper is limited to the effects of bullying on children. The author reviews and explores the empirical data and evidence as it specifically relates to children, from preschool through adolescence and high school. Lastly, this paper explores legislation, preventative programs, and curricular responses that have been developed in response to this disturbing and dangerous social interaction

Bullying : What You Need To Know, Hela Erez

Graduate Student Independent Studies

Examines the bullying phenomenon and the different factors it involves. Statistics of bullying provide additional information and show the severity and complexity of bullying. This research is intended to help educators and parents oversee the origins from which the bullying phenomenon emerges and consequentially, help resolve bullying among school age children.

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Origination And Manifestation Of The Cyberbully/Cyberbullying Victim Relationship From The Perspective Of Cyberbullying Victims, Michael Boyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cyberbullying has gained a considerable amount of media attention in recent years (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, 2008). However, little is known about the details of cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationships within the lived experience of victims. This phenomenological study investigated the origination and manifestation of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship. The study is phenomenological in order to examine the origination of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship and how the relationship is manifested in the lived experience of participants who were cyberbullying victims. The study examines the impact of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship from the theoretical perspective of Vygotsky's (1986) sociocultural learning theory and Maslow's …

What Influences Principal Perceptions Of Bullying?, Matthew Benjamin Alred

Dissertations

Bullying is a wide-spread problem that affects millions of students every day. School bullying is a serious social issue that can have both short-term and long-term devastating effects on the victims, bullies, and bystanders. Federal, state, and local agencies have created policies to address school bullying. However, the school principal has the most pivotal role in reducing the incidents of bullying and appropriately intervening in incidents that do occur. Furthermore, the principal is the most empowered by his or her role to bring about change to the school’s climate and culture which are key factors in the prevalence of bullying. …

Bully/Victim Power Inventory: Measuring The Power Imbalance In The Bully/Victim Relationship, Marybeth Plonkey-Lehto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The empirical study of the power imbalance in the bully/victim relationship has impeded research synthesis, and the need for a quantitative measure of this key component has been well established in the literature. Lack of differentiation between victimization with and without power imbalance has been cited as a possible cause for imprecise measurement. Increased precision in bully victimization measurement is needed to accurately inform research investigating psychosocial health, treatment and positive outcomes, in addition to prevention and intervention programs. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was the initial development and validation of the Bully/Victim Power Inventory aimed at differentiating perceived …

The Influence Of Gender, Empathy, Group Norms, And Prosocial Affiliations On Bullying Roles, Danielle M. Taylor

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

School bullying is a common social phenomenon associated with a number of deleterious short and long term effects (Andreou, 2000; Brown & Taylor, 2008; Olweus, 1993). Despite awareness that bullying is deeply rooted in the social context in which it occurs, little is known about how social norms and friendships influence bullying behavior (Espelage & Swearer, 2003; Salmivalli & Voeten, 2004). This study examined the relationships among gender, empathy, perceived group norms, prosocial affiliations, and bullying behaviors. Two hundred and sixty-two students from six different schools along the east coast participated in this study.

Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Carolyn Spears Daugherty

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) and to provide an annotated bibliography of professional literature related to bullying for professional educators. The OBPP used a whole school approach and taught common vocabulary to define the word bullying. Bullying rose to front-page news in recent years and the events led to injuries, death, and even suicide. Long-term effects were severe and included self-esteem issues. The OBPP was one of the better-known programs; however, there were contradictory reports on its effectiveness. This mixed methods study gauged teacher and principal perceptions of …

Predicting Teachers' Awareness Of And Interventions In Classroom Episodes Of Gender-Based Bullying : Individual And Systems Factors, Evan David Slater

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Gender-based bullying (GBB) includes threatening behaviors based on gender/gender-role expectations, verbal/physical harassment, unwanted sexual attention and coercion, insults, intimidation, and assaults based on sexual orientation. In this study, 342 teachers completed an online survey to identify which variables predicted their rates of witnessing and intervening in GBB. Individual variables included teacher rates of homophobia and heterosexism. Systems variables included teachers' fear of angry backlash for reporting GBB, the comprehensiveness of districts' safe school policies (SSP), the timeliness of districts' responses to reports of GBB, and the consistency of administrative responses. Also included were the number of district trainings concerning their …

Effect Of Parent Personal Experience On Views, Level Of Concern, And Reactions To Middle School Students' Bullying Behavior, Leigh A. Cooper

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study sought to generate a base of literature pertaining to parent historical experiences with bullying. Specifically, parent history of bullying was examined as a predictor of current perceptions, level of concern, and strategies used to prevent and intervene with bullying for middle school students. Parents from a public school district in the Northeast were invited to complete an online survey through letters distributed to their student and media-based announcements. Two-hundred-sixty participants provided viable responses. A series of hierarchical regression analyses were used to determine if parent history of involvement in bullying was predictive of their current responses to bullying.

The Effect Of Classroom Bibliotherapeutic Intervention On Perceptions Of Bullying Among Teachers Of Young Children Aged Four And Five, Patricia Gail Doss

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

This paper investigates how the application of bibliotherapeutic intervention affects teachers’ perceptions of bullying in their young students, ages four and five. Bullying has become a serious global concern that has manifested itself in school dropouts, shootings, and suicides. Bibliotherapy is one way to help children solve problems using books and is advocated by researchers for use with bullying prevention.

Little research has been done on bullying in young children. This qualitative phenomenological study will add to the body of literature regarding bullying in young children ages four and five and will examine perceptions of teachers of young children regarding …

Bullying And Gender: The Social/Emotional, Psychological, And Physical Effects On Middle School Students In South Mississippi, Cassundra Peyton-Brown

Dissertations

Bullying is a great concern in schools today. When bullying occurs, it hinders school success and academic performance. During the late 1980s and 1990s, school violence was prevalent in middle school characterized by events such as the Columbine shooting. This forced both students and school personnel to deal with school shootings, gang activities and other violent acts. According to subsequent investigations, some of these incidents occurred because students were bullied and teased. This supports the maxim that students can only be successful academically in a safe and orderly environment.

The first interest of this study was to assess the effects …

Being Bullied And Psychosocial Adjustment Among Middle School Students In China, Yulan Cheng, Ian Newman, Ming Qu, Lazarous Mbulo, Yan Chai, Yan Chen, Duane F. Shell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: Using the Chinese version of the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS), this article describes the prevalence of being bullied among a nationally representative sample of Chinese students in grades 6-10 and explores the relationships between being bullied and selected indicators of psychosocial adjustment.
Methods: A total of 9015 students in middle schools in Beijing, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Urumqi completed the Chinese version of the GSHS. Researchers analyzed the results from 2 questions about the frequency and form of being bullied and 11 questions about psychosocial adjustment. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used in the analysis.
Results: About 25.7% …

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 …

Effects Of Implementation Intentions On Teacher Intervention For Name Calling, Joseph A. Putrino, Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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