Concurrent Validity of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire

• NCJ Number: 229582
• Journal: Journal of School Violence Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: January-March 2010 Pages: 56-73
• Author(s): Talisha Lee; Dewey Cornell
• Date Published: January 2010
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Test/Measurement; Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the concurrent validity of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (BVQ) in a convenience sample of 202 middle school students in central Virginia.

Abstract

This appears to be the first published study to compare BVQ reports of being bullied and of bullying others with independent criteria not subject to shared method variance. Self-reported bullying on the BVQ was significantly correlated with peer nominations for bullying (r equals .12, p less than .05) and academic grades (r equals -.15, p less than .05), but not disciplinary infractions. Self-reported victimization was significantly correlated with peer nominations for victimization (r equals .42, p less than .01) and academic grades (r equals -.12, p less than .01). These results provide only modest support for the concurrent validity of the BVQ and raise concern about reliance on student self-report to measure school bullying. 3 tables and 39 references (Published Abstract)