Students' psychosocial characteristics as predictors of different forms of victimization and bullying

• Main Authors: Katja Košir, Tina Pivec, Lucia Klasinc, Tanja Špes, Marina Horvat
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Slovenian Psychologists' Association 2018-12-01
• Series: Psihološka Obzorja
• Subjects: victimization; bullying; peer relations; teacher–student relations; self-concept
• Online Access: http://psiholoska-obzorja.si/arhiv_clanki/2018/kosir_et_al.pdf

Students’ psychosocial characteristics are conceptualized as one of the crucial aspects that contribute to the bullying dynamics. The aim of the study was to examine perceived peer and teacher support, social self-concept, friendships and perceived popularity as predictors of physical, verbal and relational victimization and bullying and the possible moderator role of gender in these relationships. In addition, the incremental predictive role of perceived teachers’ support with regard to measures of peer relations for different forms of victimization and bullying was examined. 1905 students (49.9% boys) from 22 elementary schools participated in the study. Self-report as well as peer nomination measures were used to assess victimization and bullying. Students’ psychosocial characteristics were operationalized as either self-report measures or as peer nomination measures (friendship, popularity). The results indicated similar predictors for different forms of victimization as well as bullying. Perceived peer support and social self-concept predicted all three forms of victimization. Students’ age, peer perceived popularity, and perceived teachers’ support were significant predictors for all three forms of bullying. Students’ gender was found to moderate the relationship between perceived teacher support and verbal victimization as well as physical and verbal bullying; perceived teacher support represents a protective factor against verbal victimization only for girls and against verbal and physical bullying behavior only for boys. Boys that perceive less peer support and have lower social self-concept report higher levels of physical victimization; girls that are perceived as more popular by their peers report higher levels of verbal victimization.