Citation

Mishna F, Wiener J, Pepler D. Sch. Psychol. Int. 2008; 29(5): 549-573.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0143034308099201

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study provides one of the first assessments of bullying among friends based on the perceptions of victimized children and their parents and teachers, with respect to actual situations that they raised for discussion. The qualitative methodology privileges the `lived experience' of study participants. Interviews were conducted with children in 4th and 5th grades who self-identified as victimized, and with their parents and teachers. Bullying by a child considered a friend can be particularly confusing. It can be difficult for the child to recognize that a friend is bullying and for parents and teachers to identify these interactions as bullying. Themes that emerged included the child's awareness of being bullied by friends; the adults' awareness that the child was bullied by friends; impact on the friendship and differentiating bullying from conflict in friendship. This exploratory research suggests that bullying among friends is an important issue that demands further investigation.