Individual and Social Characteristics Associated with States of Childhood Bullying and Victimization

Purpose: Aggression among children in elementary school is frequently characterized by bullying behavior. Bullying represents a complex set of behaviors and social interactions that involves bullies, victims, bully-victims, and bystanders. Prior studies have examined the characteristics of bullies and victims but few investigations have analyzed differences in individual and social traits among these four groups.

Methods: We use data from a group-randomized trial of a bullying prevention intervention in 28 schools to examine the characteristics of bullies, victims, bully-victims, and bystanders. A multilevel multinomial logistic regression model was fitted to examine differences in bully and victim states on items from the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire and on measures of school attachment, perceived classroom friction, antisocial peer influence, antisocial attitudes, empathy, perspective taking, delinquency, and depression.

Results: Findings indicate that children who bullied others and who reported being victims of bullying reported significantly higher levels of classroom friction, delinquency, and depression than bystanders. Bully-victims also reported a significantly higher number of antisocial peers and demonstrated less empathy and perspective taking ability than bystanders. Victims reported significantly more classroom friction, antisocial attitudes, and depression than bystanders.

Implications for Practice: Implications of findings detailing differences in individual and social characteristics among children representing the four bullying states are discussed.