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Bullying Among Spanish Secondary Education Students: The Role of Gender Traits, Sexism, and Homophobia

NCJ Number
245736
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 28 Issue: 14 Dated: September 2013 Pages: 2915-2940
Author(s)
María-Victoria Carrera-Fernández; María Lameiras-Fernández; Yolanda Rodríguez-Castro; Pablo Vallejo-Medina
Date Published
September 2013
Length
26 pages
Annotation

The aim of the present study was to assess the combined influence of gender stereotypes, sexism, and homophobia on attitudes toward bullying and bullying behavior.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the combined influence of gender stereotypes, sexism, and homophobia on attitudes toward bullying and bullying behavior. A total of 1,500 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age 49.3% girls and 50.7% boys completed a questionnaire that included measures of bullying, attitudes toward bullying, gender-stereotyped personality traits instrumentality and expressiveness, hostile and benevolent sexism, and attitudes toward gay men and lesbians. First, the findings demonstrated that boys scored significantly higher on all the variables assessed except on benevolent sexism. Two similar models were obtained for both sexes. Benevolent sexism and, in boys, more positive attitudes toward gay men predicted more negative attitudes toward bullying when mediated by more expressive gender traits. An inverse pattern was also observed: Hostile sexism predicted more favorable attitudes toward bullying when mediated by instrumental gender traits. Attitudes toward bullying were highly correlated with bullying behavior. The five-predictor variables including attitudes toward bullying explained 58% of the variance of bullying behavior in girls and 37% of such variance in boys. Abstract published by arrangement with Sage.

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