Retrospective data were collected from adolescent students in order to clarify perceptions of victimization by bullies in small-town midwestern schools. Seventy-two percent of females and 81 percent of male respondents felt that they had experienced bullying at some point in their student careers (76.8 percent overall). Fewer students were considered chronic victims as self-reported severity of bullying increased. Though there are some difficulties in making a direct comparison, preliminary results indicate that victimization by bullies is more prevalent in the USA than in European countries.

The primary purpose of the investigation was to examine the relationship between bullying and risk behaviors among 591 fourththrough sixth-grade students in a mid-sized Midwestern (USA) town. More than one-third of respondents reportedly experienced bullying and about one-fifth reported bullying others. Victims tended to worry, dislike themselves and desire to stay home from school (for the sake of physical safety). Bullies were more likely than other students to spend time at home without adult supervision, drink alcohol, smoke or chew tobacco, cheat on tests and bring weapons to school. In addition, bullies' peers pressured them to emit high-risk behaviors such as smoking and drinking. Results were discussed in terms of previous research on bullies and in light of the possible relationship between bullying, antisocial and high-risk behavior.

We collected data on 170 college students to assess retrospective perception of school-aged bullying experiences, hardiness and aspects of friendships and romantic relationships on the dimensions of trust, relationship quality and shyness. We found that rates of reported victimization were positively correlated with contemporaneous shyness levels. We also noted a statistically significant, inverse relationship between retrospective victimization levels and both friendship quality and trust.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the maximal cardiorespiratory responses of 48, 5- to 6-year-old children (24 girls and 24 boys), who were tested on a treadmill (TM) and an electronically braked cycle ergometer (CE). We also examined the percentage of boys and girls who were able to achieve the criteria for reaching maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) on each testing mode. After an orientation period, each child was tested twice (once on the TM and once on the CE), with an interval of 1 week between tests. VO2max was measured during progressive, all out, continuous TM and CE tests using standardized procedures. A 2 x 2 analysis of variance test (genderxexercise mode) with Bonferroni adjustment revealed the following: (1) there were no gender differences in any of the measured dependent variables, (2) the children produced a significantly higher relative VO2max (ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) and a higher absolute VO2max (l x min(-1)) on the TM than on the CE (P < 0.001), (3) the children produced a higher heart rate on the TM than on the CE (P < 0.001), (4) the CE generated significantly higher values for respiratory exchange ratio (P < 0.001), (5) the criteria necessary to establish a maximal exercise effort were achieved on both the TM and the CE, and (6) all of the children reached two of the criteria associated with a maximal effort, while only 46% of the children reached three criterion measures. There were no significant differences in the attainment of criterion measures between the TM and the CE. The results of this study indicate a lack of gender differences in maximal exercise testing in 5- to 6-year-old children, and that both the CE and the TM are effective modes of maximal cardiorespiratory testing in this age group.

Middle and high school students (N=207) in small-