NCJ Number
206484
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2004 Pages: 269-294
Date Published
August 2004
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This study examined the multivariate influence of shame management variables, family variables, school variables, and personality variables on the development of self-initiated bullying.
Abstract
Previous research has established links between children’s bullying behavior and variables related to school, family, personality, and psychological well-being. Poorly understood is the role of shame in explaining these interrelationships. The relevance of shame management variables to the understanding of bullying is supported by research that suggests a link between shame, anger, and criminal behavior. The current study relied on reintegrative shaming theory as a theoretical framework for gathering data from 1,401 students in grades 4 through 7 who were attending 32 public and private schools in the Australian Capital Territory, as well as 978 of their parents. The MOSS-SASD instrument was developed to measure shame management capacity in children. Self-initiated bullying was the dependent variable; independent variables included family support, liking for school, perceived control of bullying, school hassles, self-esteem, guilt proneness, pride proneness, shame proneness, and empathy. Results of statistical analyses indicated that self-initiated bullying was influenced by a child’s unacknowledged shame and its displacement to other-directed blame and anger. Path analysis further revealed that shame management partially mediated the effects of family, school, and personality variables on bullying. These findings show that bullying is multidimensional; each dimension must be addressed in order to curb bullying behavior. Tables, figures, appendix, notes, references