Participant roles of bullying in adolescence: Status characteristics, social behavior, and assignment criteria

Abstract

This study had three goals. First, we examined the prevalence of the participant roles of bullying in middle adolescence and possible gender differences therein. Second, we examined the behavioral and status characteristics associated with the participant roles in middle adolescence. Third, we compared two sets of criteria for assigning students to the participant roles of bullying. Participants were 1,638 adolescents (50.9% boys, M(age) = 16.38 years, SD =.80) who completed the shortened participant role questionnaire and peer nominations for peer status and behavioral characteristics. Adolescents were assigned to the participant roles according to the relative criteria of Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Björkqvist, Österman, and Kaukiainen (1996). Next, the students in each role were divided in two subgroups based on an additional absolute criterion: the Relative Only Criterion subgroup (nominated by less than 10% of their classmates) and the Absolute & Relative Criterion subgroup (nominated by at least 10% of their classmates). Adolescents who bullied or reinforced or assisted bullies were highly popular and disliked and scored high on peer-valued characteristics. Adolescents who were victimized held the weakest social position in the peer group. Adolescents who defended victims were liked and prosocial, but average in popularity and peer-valued characteristics. Outsiders held a socially weak position in the peer group, but were less disliked, less aggressive, and more prosocial than victims. The behavior and status profiles of adolescents in the participant roles were more extreme for the Absolute & Relative Criterion subgroup than for the Relative Only Criterion subgroup.

Valores humanos e bullying: idade e sexo moderam essa relação?

“…Crianças e adolescentes que praticam bullying são percebidos por seus pares como populares, portanto, a agressão pode ser uma forma utilizada para alcançar status e uma posição social dominante (de Bruyn, Cillessen, & Wissink, 2010;Morales, Yubero, & Larrañaga, 2016;Pouwels et al, 2016). Deste modo, há que demandar algum cuidado em promover descontextualizadamente os valores de realização, fazendo perceber a importância também das relações interpessoais.…”

“…Considerando a descrição destas subfunções e as evidências que indicam que a prá-tica do bullying está relacionada com elevado status e dominância frente aos pares (Pouwels, Lansu, & Cillessen, 2016;Salmivalli, 2010), é possível hipotetizar que os envolvidos em comportamentos de bullying, no papel de agressor, priorizem valores de realização, visto que estes caracterizam pessoas que buscam o poder e o reconhecimento, podendo-se utilizar de agressões como um meio para alcançar posições de liderança (Benish-Weisman, 2015;LaFontana & Cillessen, 2010;Schumann, Craig, & Rosu, 2014). Por outro lado, valores sociais, especifi camente os interativos, que descrevem aquelas pessoas pautadas em interesses sociais, que valorizam o estabelecimento de laços afetivos duradouros, podem se confi gurar como um fator de proteção contra a prática do bullying (Gouveia, 2013).…”

The Health-Related Quality of Life of Students Involved in School Bullying

“…More specifically, underachievement has been shown to be a risk factor for being an aggressor and low involvement in school and lack of contact with teachers have been identified as risk factors for involvement in bullying [28][29][30].…”

Human Values and Bullying: Do Age and Gender Moderate this Relationship?

“…Considering the description of these subfunctions and the evidence that indicates that bullying is associated with high status and dominance of peers (Pouwels, Lansu, & Cillessen, 2016;Salmivalli, 2010), it is possible to hypothesize that those involved in bullying behaviors as bullies prioritize promotion values, as these characterize people who seek power and recognition and may use aggression as a means to achieve leadership positions (Benish-Weisman, 2015;LaFontana & Cillessen, 2010;Schumann, Craig, & Rosu, 2014). On the other hand, social values, particularly the interactive subfunction, describe people driven by social interests who value the establishment of lasting emotional bonds, which can be a protective factor against bullying (Gouveia, 2013).…”