Direct and Indirect Bullying Among Taiwanese Adolescents: Investigating Gender Differences in Psychosocial Risk Factors

Background and Purpose: School bullying is a common type of interpersonal violence that can lead to more serious delinquency and crimes. Past research has identified various psychological and social risk factors associated with bullying. However, most studies focus on direct bullying such as physical and verbal harassment while indirect forms of aggression are less examined. Also less known are the gender differences in risk factors. Finally, the applicability of western findings to eastern contexts is rarely validated.

Methods: This study explores the above issues using a sample of 834 7th-9th students from two middle schools in Taipei, Taiwan. Written consents were obtained and self-reported questionnaires were group-administered in class. Descriptive statistics were calculated and basic inferential statistics were performed. A path model was specified in which individual-level factors (hostility, pro-bullying attitude, academic failure) and social factors (teacher neglect and peer rejection) were hypothesized to contribute to direct and indirect bullying.

Results: Boys reported engaging in more direct and indirect bullying than girls, although the gender discrepancy is smaller in indirect aggression. Direct bullying increased with age for both boys and girls while no significant age difference was found in indirect bullying. Results of multi-group analysis showed several gender differences. Hostility was associated with direct/indirect bullying for both boys and girls. Pro-bullying attitudes contributed to direct and indirect bullying for boys but were not significantly associated with indirect bullying for girls. Academic failure contributed to direct and indirect bullying for girls but was not significantly associated with indirect bullying for boys. Teacher neglect contributed to direct and indirect bullying for boys but was not significantly associated with either direct or indirect bullying for girls. Finally, for both boys and girls, self-perceived peer rejection was negatively associated with direct bullying while not correlated with indirect bullying.

Implications: Both similarities and differences exist in the risk factors of direct/indirect bullying between male and female adolescents. Prevention and intervention efforts should take these facts into account and gender-specific programs can be designed to target different bully populations.