NCJ Number
218247
Journal
Journal of Early Adolescence Volume: 27 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 145-174
Date Published
May 2007
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This study examined the amount of adolescent bullying and nonbullying behaviors observed in three less-structured school venues: the monthly school dance, the cafeteria, and the locker/hall area.
Abstract
Analyses of yearlong observational data revealed that all behaviors varied as an effect of venue. Specifically, the social nonbullying behaviors, cooperative interaction, and rough-and-tumble play occurred most often in the dance setting. All bullying behaviors occurred more often in the cafeteria and least often in the dance. In addition, children classified as bullies engaged in bullying behavior very little at the school dance and that bullies attended dances at both schools; however, victims attended dances only at the school with the lowest overall amount of bullying. The findings suggest that children who are labeled as bullies spend most of their time in these less-structured settings engaging in nonbullying behavior. One of the most important findings of this study is that school environments make a difference in terms of bullying behavior. With increased research in the area of school violence, there also has been an increased interest in how bullying behaviors differ for children of different ages. Utilizing middle school students, this study explored the social contexts of bullying and victimization in less-structured venues associated with school, school dances, the cafeteria, and the locker/hall area, and compared rates of bullying behaviors and cooperative behaviors in these venues. Tables, notes, references