Experiences of bullying-related behaviours by English and Zambian pupils: a comparative study

Abstract

Experiences of behaviours associated with bullying were compared between English and Zambian primary and secondary school pupils. Findings showed different patterns in the incidence of various types of behaviour for English and Zambian pupils overall and across age, school level and gender. English pupils generally reported experiencing proportionally more incidents of bullying-related behaviour than Zambian pupils. Proportionally more boys than girls reported such behaviours in both countries but these differences were only significant among English pupils. These findings are discussed as indicating possible differences in the salience of various types of behaviour, which are a function of age and gender in the two countries studied. Cultural and/or national differences in educational structures that may account for the differences are explored.

Keywords:

• bullying
• behaviour
• cultural differences
• pupils’ experiences