Peer Relations of Bullies, Bully-Victims, and Victims: The Two Social Worlds of Bullying in Second-Grade Classrooms

University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.journal.uchicago.edu

Y

29

R305L030162

Bullying; Peer Relationship; Victims of Crime; Social Environment; Classroom Environment; Interpersonal Relationship; Peer Evaluation; Student Behavior; Group Dynamics; Elementary School Students

10.1086/648983

0013-5984

This study examined the social relations of bullies, victims, and bully-victims in second-grade classrooms. Bully-victims are identified as both bullies and victims. The sample consisted of 537 ethnically diverse second-grade students (247 boys, 290 girls) from 37 classrooms across 11 participating schools. Bullies, bully-victims, and victims tended to have somewhat distinct sociometric status and peer-assessed behavioral characteristics. Furthermore, bullies and bully-victims had distinct affiliation patterns. Bullies tended to be members of peer groups that contained few victims and most were in groups in which more than 50% of the members were not involved in bullying. In contrast, bully-victims tended to be members of groups that were composed primarily of bullies (i.e., bullies and bully-victims) and victims (i.e., victims and bully-victims). Implications for understanding the social dynamics of bullying in elementary school are discussed.

As Provided

Yes

2010

EJ890681