Multilevel Perspective on the Climate of Bullying: Discrepancies Among Students, School Staff, and Parents

• NCJ Number: 234998
• Journal: Journal of School Violence Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: April - June 2011 Pages: 115-132
• Author(s): Tracy Evian Waasdorp; Elise T. Pas; Lindsey M. O'Brennan; Catherine P. Bradshaw
• Date Published: April 2011
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1U49CE000728-011; K01CE001333-01; T32MH18834; T32MH19545-11
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health; National Ctr for Health Statistics
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined how school climate and bullying are perceived by students, parents, and staff, and the potential influence of school contextual factors on these perceptions.

Abstract

Although many bullying prevention programs aim to involve multiple partners, few studies have examined perceptual differences regarding peer victimization and the broader bullying climate among students, staff, and parents. The present study utilized multilevel data from 11,674 students, 960 parents, and 1,027 staff at 44 schools to examine the association between school-level indicators of disorder, norms regarding bullying and bullies, and students, parents, and staff perceptions of safety, belonging, and witnessing bullying. Results revealed several important discrepancies between adults and youth with regard to their perceptions. Moreover, results highlight the significance of normative beliefs about bullies, retaliation, and the influence of school contextual factors on students' risk for exposure to bullying. (Published Abstract)