Peer Victimization and Authoritative School Climate: A Multilevel Approach

• NCJ Number: 249662
• Journal: Journal of Educational Psychology Volume: 107 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2015 Pages: 1186-1201
• Author(s): D. Cornell; K. Shukla; T. Konold
• Date Published: November 2015
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2012-JF-FX-0062
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Publication Format: Article; Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Since school climate is widely recognized as an important influence on peer victimization in schools, this study examined how authoritative school climate theory provides a framework for conceptualizing two key features of school climatedisciplinary structure and student supportthat are associated with three measures of peer victimization.

Abstract

Multilevel multivariate modeling in a statewide sample of 39,364 7th- and 8th-grade students attending 423 schools revealed meaningful associations at both the student and school levels of analysis. Higher disciplinary structure was associated with lower levels of prevalence of teasing and bullying, bullying victimization, and general victimization. Higher student support was associated with lower prevalence of teasing and bullying and general victimization. Overall, these findings add new evidence to the theory that an authoritative school climate is conducive to lower peer victimization. (Publisher abstract modified)