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Nature and dynamics of peer violence in Polish upper secondary schools

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Abstract

The number of studies on school violence and bullying is increasing but research on the topic in Poland and other Central and Eastern European countries is in its early stages. This survey was answered by 904 Polish adolescents from six upper secondary schools in three cities. The results showed that victimization of any type was suffered by 18.7% of the participants, perpetration was reported by 13.1% of the students and a high percentage of students reported being perpetrators and victims at the same time (44.1% with mild and severe frequencies). Involvement in any bullying role was more common in boys and in technical and vocational schools. Victimization was related to lower academic performance. Occasional victims and students involved in both victimization and perpetration (victim/perpetrator) reported ignoring, telling friends or not doing anything when attacked. Fighting back was the most common reaction in severe victim/perpetrators. Only a small percentage of bystanders told the adults about bullying (5%) and only 38.6% never witnessed aggression towards peers. Given the small number of studies on the topic in this geographic area, it is necessary to conduct more research and compare findings among different studies. Violence is common in Polish schools and it is important to design and conduct interventions to eradicate it.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Note adjusted standardized residuals (ASR) ≥ |1.96 | are in “cry” in uninvolved and frequent victim/perpetrators, “ignore” in uninvolved and occasional victim/perpetrators, “tell friends” in uninvolved, occasional victims and occasional victim/perpetrators, “tell teachers” in uninvolved, occasional and severe victims and severe victim/perpetrators, “tell parents” in uninvolved, “nothing” in uninvolved and occasional victim/perpetrators, “go away” in uninvolved, “fight back” in uninvolved, occasional victims and severe victim/perpetrators and “other” in severe victim/perpetrators. Chi squared values for each answer are as follows: Cry (Χ 2(4)  = 13.54, p < .01), Ignore (Χ 2(4)  = 26.10, p < .01), Tell friends (Χ 2(4)  = 21.40, p < .01), Tell teachers (Χ 2(4)  = 20.06, p < .01), Tell parents (Χ 2(4)  = 8.10, p = .088), Nothing (Χ 2(4)  = 20.45, p < .01), Go away (Χ 2(4)  = 18.10, p < .01), Say stop (Χ 2(4)  = 4.34, p < .36), Fight back (Χ 2(4)  = 47.50, p < .01), Other (Χ 2(4)  = 6.90, p = .141)

Fig. 3

Note adjusted standardized residuals (ASR) ≥ |1.96 | were found in “stealing” in uninvolved, occasional victims, occasional and frequent victim/perpetrators, “insulting” in uninvolved and frequent victim/perpetrators, “threatening” in frequent victim/perpetrators, “breaking things” in uninvolved, occasional victims and frequent victim/perpetrators, “physical” in uninvolved, occasional and frequent victims and frequent victim/perpetrators, “lying” in uninvolved, frequent and occasional victim/perpetrators, “rejecting”, “telephone” and “internet” in uninvolved and frequent victim/perpetrators and “other” in uninvolved. Chi squared values for each answer are as follows: Stealing (Χ 2(4)  = 51.22, p < .01), Insulting (Χ 2(4)  = 26.58, p < .01), Threatening (Χ 2(4)  = 16.47, p < .01), breaking things (Χ 2(4)  = 25.99, p < .01), Physical (Χ 2(4)  = 26.71, p < .01), Lying (Χ 2(4)  = 34.95, p < .01), Rejecting (Χ 2(4)  = 20.33, p < .01), Telephone (Χ 2(4)  = 11.11, p < .05) Internet (Χ 2(4)  = 16.35, p < .01), and Other (Χ 2(4)  = 7.09, p = .131)

Fig. 4

Note adjusted standardized residuals (ASR) ≥ |1.96 | were found in “stealing” in frequent victim/perpetrators, “insulting” in uninvolved and frequent victim/perpetrators, “threatening” in uninvolved, occasional and frequent victim/perpetrators, “breaking things”, “physical”, “lying”,”internet” and “telephone” in uninvolved and frequent victim/perpetrators, “rejecting” in uninvolved, occasional and frequent victim/perpetrators and “other” in uninvolved and occasional victim/perpetrators. Chi squared values for each answer are as follows: Stealing (Χ 2(4)  = 8.78, p = .067), Insulting (Χ 2(4)  = 57.68, p < .01), Threatening (Χ 2(4)  = 47.47, p < .01), Breaking things (Χ 2(4)  = 30.21, p < .01), Physical (Χ 2(4)  = 44.78, p < .01), Lying (Χ 2(4)  = 26.27, p < .01), Rejecting (Χ 2(4)  = 21.52, p < .01), Telephone (Χ 2(4)  = 27.70, p < .01), Internet (Χ 2(4)  = 11.70, p < .05), and Other (Χ 2(4)  = 11.85, p < .05)

Fig. 5

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Acknowledgement

Part of the current work was supported by a research grant for the project “E-Intelligence: risks and opportunities of the emotional competencies expressed online” (PSI2015-64114-R), granted to the first author and the research team by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness within the I+D+I 2015 National Program for Research Aimed at the Challenges of the Society (RETOS).

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  1. Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Córdoba, Avda. San Alberto Magno s/n, 14004, Córdoba, Spain

    Izabela Zych, Rosario Ortega-Ruiz & Vicente J. Llorent

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  1. Izabela Zych
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Correspondence to Izabela Zych.

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Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R. & Llorent, V.J. Nature and dynamics of peer violence in Polish upper secondary schools. Soc Psychol Educ 20, 427–443 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-017-9378-x

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