Citation

Von Marées N, Petermann F. Sch. Psychol. Int. 2010; 31(2): 178-198.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0143034309352416

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The study discussed herein assessed the prevalence of bullying and analysed possible predictors for bullying in a sample of urban primary school-age children. Factors considered were students’ gender and age differences as well as parents’ educational level and migration backgrounds. Using a cross-informant approach (self- and teacher-reports), bullying was assessed among 550 children between the ages of 6.5 and 10.8 years attending 12 regular primary schools in Bremen and Lower Saxony, Germany. Overall, 10 percent of children were classified as bullies, 17.4 percent as victims and 16.5 percent as bully/victims, with boys being bullies and bully/victims more often than girls. Direct bullying was more likely directed at, and employed by, boys. Indirect/relational bullying occurred less frequently and mainly within same-gender groups. Results from logistic regression analyses showed that, apart from age and gender, low parental educational levels were a significant predictor for a child’s bullying status (bully, victim, bully/victim). Implications for bullying assessment, prevention and intervention programs are discussed.