Skip to main content

School Bullying, Victimization and Pro-social Behaviour

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Well-Being, Positive Peer Relations and Bullying in School Settings

Part of the book series: Positive Education ((POED))

Abstract

This chapter will provide an overview of the international research relating to bullying, victimization and pro-social behaviour. Historical, cultural and social factors related to school bullying, victimization and pro-social behaviour will provide a backdrop to the discussion. While bullying at school has long been recognised as existing in literature the empirical study of the phenomenon really did not begin until 1989–90. The interesting question concerns just why school bullying has become the focus of so much research internationally? Part of the answer to this question is the impetus that international research has given to the research. The chapter will describe the nature and developmental course of bullying including cyberbullying.

Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. Mahatma Gandhi

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

Bullying:

Repeated negative behaviour intended to harm a person in an interpersonal relationship where there is an imbalance of power

Covert Bullying:

Relational or Indirect Bullying which is subtle and conducted out of sight, such as spreading rumours, deliberately damaging another’s reputation, and non-verbal insults

Cyber-bullying:

Bullying undertaken through digital and electronic means e.g. using online social media and mobile phones

Exclusion:

Deliberately and repeatedly leaving some out and not including them in social interactions

Overt Bullying:

Direct bullying involving face-to-face interactions such as name calling, physical violence and threatening behaviour

School Violence:

The use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself or others intended to cause harm in a school, or school related, context

Violence:

The use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself or others intended to cause harm

References

  • Archer, J. (2004). Sex differences in aggression in real-world settings: A meta-analytic review. Review of General Psychology, 8, 291–322.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Archer, J., & Coyne, S. M. (2005). An integrated review of indirect, relational, and social aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 9, 212–230.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berger, K. S. (2007). Update on bullying at school: Science forgotten?. Developmental Review, 27(1), 90–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkowitz, L. (1993). Aggression. Its causes, consequences, and control. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, M. E., Stephanou, A., & Urbach, D. (2007). ASG student social and emotional health report. Oakleigh, Vic: Australian Scholarships Group Friendly Society Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, M. A. (2005). Cyber bullying: An old problem in a new guise? Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 15(1), 68–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, M. A. (2011). Cyberbullying: A threat to student mental health and wellbeing. In R. Shute (Ed.), Mental health and wellbeing: Educational perspectives. Adelaide, South Australia: Shannon Research Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, M. (2010). Research in cyberbullying. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 20(2), 129–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Card, N. A., Stucky, B. D., Sawalani, G. M., & Little, T. D. (2008). Direct and indirect aggression during childhood and adolescence: a meta-analytic review of gender differences, intercorrelations, and relations to maladjustment. Child Development, 79, 1185–1229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chalmers, C., Campbell, M. A., Spears, B. A., Butler, D., Cross, D., Slee, P., et al. (2016). School policies on bullying and cyberbullying: perspectives across three Australian states. Educational Research, 58(1), 91–109. doi:10.1080/00131881.2015.1129114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coffey, B., & Woolworth, S. (2004). “Destroy the scum, and then neuter their families:” the web forum as a vehicle for community discourse? The Social Science Journal, 41, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig, W. M. (1998). The relationship among bullying, victimization, depression, anxiety, and aggression in elementary school children. Personal Individual Differences, 24, 123–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66, 710–722.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cross, D., Shaw, T., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., Lester, L., & Thomas, L. (2009). Australian covert bullying prevalence study (ACBPS). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia: Child Health Promotion Research Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross, D., Monks, H., Campbell, M. A., Spears, B., & Slee, P. T. (2010). School-Based strategies to address cyber bullying. CSE. Occasional Papers, 118. Melbourne, CSE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elledge, L. C., Cavell, T. A., Ogle, N. T., Malcolm, K. T., Newgent, R. A., & Faith, M. A. (2010). History of peer victimization and children’s response to school bullying. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2), 129–141. doi:10.1037/a0020313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelhor, D., Turner, H. A., & Hamby, S. (2012). Let’s prevent peer victimization, not just bullying. Child Abuse and Neglect, 36, 271–274. doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2011.12.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gini, G., & Pozzoli, T. (2008). Association between bullying and psychosomatic problems: A metaanalysis. Pediatrics, 123, 1059–1065.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, R. (1997). The Strength and difficulties questionnaire: A research note. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 38, 581–586.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, S., & Juvonen, J. (1998). Self-blame and peer victimization in middle school: An attributional analysis. Developmental Psychology, 34, 587–599.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths, M. D. (2014). Adolescent trolling in online environments: A brief overview. Education and Health, 32(3), 85–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawker, D., & Boulton, M. (2000). Twenty years’ research on peer victimization and psychosocial maladjustment: a meta‐analytic review of cross‐sectional studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 41(4), 441–455.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herring, S., Job-Sluder, K., Scheckler, R., & Barab, S. (2002). Searching for safety online: Managing “Trolling” in a feminist forum. The Information Society, 18, 371–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Archives of Suicide Research, 41, 206–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hodges, E. V. E., Boivin, M., Vitaro, F., & Bukowski, W. M. (1999). The power of friendship: Protection against an escalating cycle of peer victimization. Developmental Psychology, 35, 94–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jimerson, S. R., Swearer, S. M., & Espelage, D. L. (2010). International handbook of school bullying: An international perspective. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Juvonen, J., & Graham, S. (2014). Bullying in schools: The power of bullies and the plight of victims. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 159–185. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115030.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Juvonen, J., & Gross, E. F. (2008). Extending the school grounds? Bullying experiences in cyberspace. The Journal of School Health, 78, 496–505.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaltiala-Heino, R., Rimpelii, M., Rantanen, P., & Rimpela, A. (2000). Bullying at school: An indicator of adolescents at risk for mental disorders. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 661–674.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kanetsuna, T., & Smith, P. K. (2002). Pupil insights into bullying, and coping with bullying: A bi-national study in Japan and England. Journal of School Violence, 1, 5–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y. S., Koh, Y. l., & Leventhal, B. (2005). School bullying and suicidal risk in Korean middle school students. Pediatrics, 115, 357–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koo, H. (2007). A time line of the evolution of school bullying in differing social contexts. Asia Pacific Education Review, 8(1), 107–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotz, P. (2010). Phoebe Prince, 15, commits suicide after onslaught of cyber-bullying from fellow students. Retrieved from http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/01/phoebe_prince_15_commits_suici.php

  • Krauss, H. H. (2005). Conceptualizing violence. In F. Denmark, H. H. Krauss, R. W. Wesner, E. Midlarsky, & U. P. Gielen (Eds.), Violence in schools: Cross-national and cross-cultural perspectives (pp. 11–36). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, B., & Kochenderfer-Ladd, G. W. (2002). Identifying victims of peer aggression from early to middle childhood: Analysis of cross-informant data for concordance, estimation of relational adjustment, prevalence of victimization, and characteristics of identified victims. Psychological Assessment, 14(1), 74–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S. H., Smith, P. K., & Monks, C. (2011). Perception of bullying-like phenomena in South Korea: A qualitative approach from a lifespan perspective. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 3, 210–221.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q., Cross, D., & Smith, P. K. (2012). Cyberbullying in the global playground: Research from international perspectives. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Menesini, E. (2003). Il bullismo: le azioni efficaci della scuola. Trento: Erickson Edizione.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mesch, G. S. (2009). Parental mediation, online activities, and cyberbullying. CyberPsychology and Behavior, 12, 387–393.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mora-Merchán, J. A., & Jäger, T. (2010). Cyberbullying: A cross-national comparison. Landau: Verlag Empirische Pädagogik.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morita, Y., Soeda, H., Soeda, K., & Taki, M. (1999). Bullying in Japan. In P. K. Smith, Y. Morita, J. Junger-Tas, D. Olweus, R. Catalano, & P. Slee (Eds.), The nature of school bullying: A cross-national perspective (pp. 309–323). London and New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nansel, T. R., Craig, W., Overpeck, M. D., Saluja, G., & Ruan, W. J. (2004). Cross-national consistency in the relationship between bullying behaviors and psychosocial adjustment. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 158, 730–736.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Neurauter-Kessels, M. (2011). Im/polite reader responses on British online news sites. Journal of Politeness Research, 7, 187–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolaides, S., Toda, Y., & Smith, P. K. (2002). Knowledge and attitudes about school bullying in trainee teachers. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 72(1), 105–118.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Connell, P., Pepler, D., & Craig, W. (1999). Peer involvement in bullying: Insights and challenges for intervention. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 437–452.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Sullivan, P. B., & Flanagin, A. J. (2003). Reconceptualizing ‘flaming’ and other problematic messages. New Media Society, 5(1), 69–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1978). Aggression in the schools. Bullies and whipping boys. Washington, DC: Hemisphere.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school: What we know and what we can do. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (1997). Bullying in schools: Facts and intervention. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 12(4), 495–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olweus, D. (2013). School bullying: Development and some important challenges. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9, 751–780. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185516.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2006). Bullies move beyond the schoolyard a preliminary look at cyberbullying. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 4, 148–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pellegrini, A. D., & Long, J. D. (2002). A longitudinal study of bullying, dominance, and victimization during the transition from primary school through secondary school. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 20(2), 259–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prinstein, M. J., Boergers, J., & Vernberg, E. M. (2001). Overt and relational aggression in adolescents: Social psychological adjustment of aggressors and victims. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 479–491.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. NewYork: Simon and Schuster.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, K. (1999). Peer victimization at school and the health of secondary students. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 95–104.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, K., & Slee, P. T. (1991). Bullying among Australian school children: Reported behaviour and attitudes towards victims. Journal of Social Psychology, 131, 615–627.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, K., & Slee, P. T. (1999). Suicidal ideation among adolescent school children, involvement in bully–victim problems and perceived social support. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 29, 119–130.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Salmivalli, C., Lagerspetz, K., Björkqvist, K., Österman, K., & Kaukiainen, A. (1996). Bullying as a group process: Participant roles and their relations to social status within the group. Aggressive Behavior, 22(1), 1–15. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1098-2337(1996)22:1<1::AID-AB1>3.0.CO;2-T.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, M. (2008, August 3). The trolls among us. The Times Magazine Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&th&emc=th

  • Shachaf, P., & Hara, N. (2010). Beyond vandalism: Wikipedia trolls. Journal of Information Science, 36(3), 357–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skrzypiec, G. K., Askell-Williams, H., Slee, P. T., & Rudzinski, A. (2014). IB Middle years programme (MYP): Student social-emotional well-being and school success practices. Final report. South Australia: Research Centre for Student Wellbeing and Prevention of Violence, Flinders University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skrzypiec, G. K., Slee, P. T., Askell-Williams, H., & Lawson, M. J. (2012). Associations between types of involvement in bullying, friendships and mental health status. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 17(3–4), 259–272. doi:10.1080/13632752.2012.704312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skrzypiec, G. K., Slee, P. T., Murray-Harvey, R., & Pereira, B. (2011). School bullying by one or more ways: Does it matter and how do students cope? School Psychology International, 32(3), 288–311. doi:10.1177/0143034311402308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skrzypiec, G. K., Slee, P. T., & Sandhu, D. (2015). Using the photostory method to understand the cultural context of youth victimisation in the Punjab. International Journal of Emotional Education, 7(1), 52–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slee, P. T. (1995). Bullying: Health concerns of Australian secondary students. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 5, 215–224.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slee, P. T., Ma, L., Hee-og, S., Taki, M., & Sullivan, K. (2003). School bullying in five countries in the asia-pacific region. In J. Keeves & R. R. Watanabe (Eds.), The handbook on educational research in the Asia Pacific Region. The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slonnje, R., Smith, P. K., & Frisen, A. (2013). The nature of cyberbullying, and strategies for prevention. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 26–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. K., del Barrio, C., & Tokunaga, R. (2012). Definitions of bullying and cyberbullying: How useful are the terms? In S. Bauman, D. Cross, & J. Walker (Eds.), Principles of cyberbullying research: Definition, measures, and methods (pp. 29–40). Philadelphia, PA: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. K., Madsen, K. C., & Moody, J. C. (1999). What causes the age decline in reports of being bullied at school? Towards a developmental analysis of risks of being bullied. Educational Research, 41, 267–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. K., Cowie, H., Olafsson, R. F., & Liefooghe, A. P. D. (2002). Definitions of Bullying: A comparison of terms used, and age and gender differences, in a fourteen-country international comparison. Child Development, 73(4), 1119–1133. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00461

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, P. K., & Steffgen, G. (2013). Cyberbullying through the new media: Findings from an international network. Hove: Psychology Press. http://www.psypress.com/9781848722545

  • Smith, P. K., Talamelli, L., Cowie, H., Naylor, P., & Chauhan, P. (2004). Profiles of non-victims, escaped victims, continuing victims and new victims of school bullying. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 565–581.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Solberg, M. E., & Olweus, D. (2003). Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Aggressive Behavior, 29, 239–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, J. T., & Felson, R. B. (1994). Violence, aggression, and coercive actions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay, R. E., & Nagin, D. S. (2005). The developmental origins of physical aggression in humans. In R. E. Tremblay, W. W. Hartup, & J. Archer (Eds.), Developmental origins of aggression (pp. 83–106). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turnbull, C. (1961). The Forest People. Simon & Schuste.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaillancourt, T. (2005). Indirect aggression among humans: Social construct or evolutionary adaptation? In R. E. Tremblay, W. W. Hartup, & J. Archer (Eds.), Developmental origins of aggression (pp. 158–177). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaillancourt, T., McDougall, P., Hymel, S., Krygsman, A., Miller, J., Stiver, K., et al. (2008). Bullying: Are researchers and children/youth talking about the same thing? International Journal of Behavioral Development, 32(6), 486–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van der Wal, M. F., de Wit, C. A. M., & Hirasing, R. A. (2003). Psychosocial health among young victims and offenders of direct and indirect bullying. Pediatrics, 111, 1312–1317.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, J., Iannotti, R. J., & Nansel, T. (2009). School bullying among adolescents in the United States: Physical, verbal, relational, and cyber. Journal of Adolescent Health, 45(4), 368–375.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (1996). Violence: A public health priority: WHO global consultation on violence and health. Geneva, 2–3 December.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ybarra, M. L., & Mitchell, K. J. (2004). Online aggressor/targets, aggressors, and targets: A comparison of associated youth characteristics. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 1308–1316.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Phillip T. Slee .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Slee, P.T., Skrzypiec, G. (2016). School Bullying, Victimization and Pro-social Behaviour. In: Well-Being, Positive Peer Relations and Bullying in School Settings. Positive Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43039-3_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics