Middle School Bullying

School bullying has both immediate and long-term detrimental effects. Victimization due to bullying is correlated with student absenteeism (Rigby, 1996; Reid, 1989), poorer academic achievement (Nolin et al., 1996), social isolation (Slee & Rigby, 1993), and internalizing problems such as depression, anxiety, and poorer psychosocial adjustment (Callaghan, 1995; Olweus, 1979; Nansel et al., 2001; Sourander et al., 2000). Craig (1998) reported that all forms of bullying — physical, verbal, and social — were predictive of victim anxiety. Sourander et al. (2000) found that students who were repeatedly victimized in elementary school reported higher levels of internalizing problems at age 16. Likewise, longitudinal research suggests that many of the negative effects associated with childhood victimization (e.g., low self-esteem, depression, social isolation) continue into adulthood (Olweus, 1993; Rigby, 1996).

According to our survey of 402 students in grades 6, 7, and 8 in a suburban middle school in central Virginia, nearly half of all middle school students reported being bullied in the past month. About 15% of these students reported being bullied at least once a week. Students completed an anonymous survey that included a standard definition of bullying. This definition indicated that bullying involves the use of one's strength or status to intimidate, injure, or humiliate another person of lesser strength or status, and that bullying could be physical, verbal, or social.

	Approximately half of these middle school students reported that they were bullied in the past month. About 7% reported being bullied several times a week.
	Approximately one-third of the students admitted bullying someone in the past month. Only 4% reported bullying several times a week.

We asked students to “List up to three students whom are bullied often” and “List up to three students who often bully others.”

	Approximately two-thirds of the students were not identified as victims by their classmates. Out of those who were identified as victims, about 75% were identified by 1 to 3 students, while 25% were identified by four or more students.
	Approximately two-thirds of the students were not identified as bullies by their classmates. Out of those who were identified, about 75% were identified by 1 to 3 classmates and about 25% were identified by four or more students.

Links