Proposing and testing the pathways from bullying victimization to bringing a weapon to school

Abstract

ObjectiveThe current study examined whether bullying victimization was associated with bringing a weapon to school, fully or partly mediated by feeling unsafe in school, negative future education orientation, and skipping school.MethodData from 6199 students (12–18 years old), who had filled out the 2017 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, were analyzed.ResultsThe results showed a positive association between bullying victimization and bringing a weapon to school. The link was both direct and indirect through the mediating roles of feeling unsafe in school, having a negative future education orientation, and skipping school.ConclusionThus, victims of bullying tended to feel unsafe in school, have a negative future education orientation, and skip school—all of which were positively associated with bringing a weapon to school.