NCJ Number
229749
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2010 Pages: 112-120
Date Published
March 2010
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This review examines bullying in a peer group context, which helps to better understand the individuals' motivation to bully, the lack of support provided to the victims, the persistence of bullying, and the adjustment of victims across diverse contexts.
Abstract
It is often stated that bullying is a "group process," and many researchers and policymakers share the belief that interventions against bullying should be targeted at the peer-group level rather than at the individual bullies and victims. There is less insight into what in the group level should be changed and how, as the group processes taking place at the level of the peer clusters or school classes have not been much elaborated. This paper reviews the literature on the group involvement in bullying, thus providing insight into the individuals' motives for participation in bullying, the persistence of bullying, and the adjustment of victims across different peer contexts. Interventions targeting the peer group are briefly discussed and future directions for research on peer processes in bullying are suggested. References (Published Abstract)