Profiling social, emotional and behavioural difficulties of children involved in direct and indirect bullying behaviours

Abstract

Being involved in bullying places a child at risk of poor psychosocial and educational outcomes. This study aimed to examine the profile of behavioural, emotional and social functioning for two subtypes of bullying: direct and indirect (relational). Pupils aged between 7 and 11 years completed sociometric measures of social inclusion and bullying behaviour to identify 192 pupils considered to be involved in either direct or indirect, both or neither type of bullying. These pupils and their teachers completed a battery of assessments relating to behaviour, social competence and self-perception. All bully groups experienced similar levels of significant social rejection. Direct and both groups showed the greatest number of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, while the indirect group showed weaknesses in self-perception, but no teacher-rated problems. Understanding the behavioural, emotional and social correlates of bullying is of particular importance for early identification of children at risk of becoming bullies and for developing targeted interventions.

Keywords:

• bullying
• conduct problems
• self-perception
• gender
• social competence