School factors associated with perpetrators and victims of direct and indirect bullying among adolescents

Abstract

Adolescents’ social relationships evolve rapidly, and that evolution is not exempt from difficulties and challenges. Therefore it is essential to know which factors influence social relationships in both victims and perpetrators of bullying in order to pinpoint those factors that put adolescents at risk, and to design strategies of prevention and intervention against school violence. This study evaluated 5028 secondary education students aged 12-16 years old. A correlation was made among the variables of age, gender, school coexistence, and direct/indirect bullying of both the bully and the victim. In turn, a multiple regression analysis was performed to predict direct and/or indirect bullying on the part of the perpetrator and/or the victim. The results revealed the existence of significant relationships among those variables. We discuss these relationships and provide an intervention proposal to prevent aggressive behavior at schools. In our findings, the general quality of coexistence is optimal, since social integration is high. Another factor that contributes to this climate is the good perception that these students have in general of the management of bullying by their teachers. Several future research lines can be drawn.