Bullying in Spanish Secondary Schools: Gender-Based Differences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bullying in its various forms from the perspective of all of the individuals involved (victims, bullies, and witnesses) and to explore its distribution as a function of gender. The study had a correlational design and used a representative sample of 1500 Spanish students attending compulsory secondary education in the academic year 2007-2008. It applied an instrument measuring different types of bullying, taken from the studies conducted by Díaz-Aguado, Martínez, and Martín (2004) and the Defensor del Pueblo (Spanish Ombudsman's Office)-UNICEF (2007). The findings reveal that all the types of bullying considered take place at school and that there is an inverse relationship between the severity and the prevalence of bullying behaviors, with verbal abuse proving to be the most common type of abusive behavior. Boys are involved in all kinds of bullying incidents as bullies significantly more often than girls are, except in cases involving 'talking about someone behind their back'; in these situations, girls are involved significantly more often as bullies than boys are. As for victimization, boys are victims of direct physical abuse significantly more often than girls are, while girls are more often the subject of malicious gossip.

Bullying Victimization in Primary School: A Cross-Sectional Study in One Municipality in Belgrade

“…In this study, bullying victimization was significantly more frequent among boys and pupils in lower grades, which is in line with the findings of other authors (31,36). Some authors suggested that the gender difference in bullying is related to gender roles, where boys are more aggressive per se and violence among them is reinforced (39). It is also underscored that this phenomenon enables particular individuals to become more prominent within their class or peer group (39).…”

Violence against children perpetrated by peers: A cross-sectional school-based survey in Uganda

“…Girls in our sample were at a higher risk of emotional violence than boys. In other studies, girls are more likely to be perpetrators and victims of emotional violence through malicious gossip and teasing ( Azeredo, Levy, Araya, & Menezes, 2015 ; Carrera Fernandez, Fernandez, Castro, Failde Garrido, & Otero, 2013 ; Mazur & Malkowska, 2003 ; Silva, Pereira, Mendonça, Nunes, & de Oliveira, 2013 ) than boys. However, there were no gender differences in the experience of physical violence.…”

The Involvement of Girls and Boys with Bullying: An Analysis of Gender Differences

“…One suggested explanation is that the stereotypical participation of boys and girls in situations of bullying has social roots, because traditionally the more aggressive behavior and violence of boys are reinforced, whereas indirect involvement or further victimization of girls is more consistent with traditional stereotypes of femininity. These stereotypes reveal the strategies used by different genders to ensure a prominent place in the group and in peer relations [ 13 ].…”

“…In a recent study using a representative sample of 1,500 Spanish students enrolled in compulsory secondary school during the 2007–2008 academic year, it was revealed that concerning bullies, boys are involved in all kinds of bullying incidents to a significantly higher degree than are girls, except in cases of indirect manifestation of the phenomenon (such as speaking ill of someone, for example) in which girls are significantly more associated with than are boys. For victims, too, the boys experience direct experiences of bullying, such as physical aggression, and girls are more involved in situations of indirect violence, such as malicious gossip [ 13 ]. Another article that reviews integrates empirical findings on the risk factors associated with bullying and peer victimization in schools, found that many studies report that boys are in general more likely to engage in bullying than girls, and boys are commonly victims and perpetrators of direct forms of bullying, while girls experience indirect bullying [ 14 ].…”