Bullying in Middle School: Individual and School Characteristics of Victims and Offenders

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine individual and school characteristics of victims and offenders of bullying in middle school, using survey data from the New Brunswick School Climate Studies (N = 6,883 students in Grade 6 from 148 schools, and N = 6,868 students in Grade 8 from 92 schools). Results show that gender and physical condition were the most important characteristics of victims in both Grades 6 and 8. Victims came from schools with poor disciplinary climate in both Grades 6 and 8. Gender was the most important characteristic of offenders, with affective and physical conditions being secondary, in both Grades 6 and 8. Offenders, however, varied considerably in school characteristics. School size was the salient contextual characteristic in both Grades 6 and 8, but significant school climate characteristics were entirely different between Grades 6 and 8. Schools where students bullied less can be characterized as having positive disciplinary climate and strong parental involvement in Grade 6 and having high academic press in Grade 8.