Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026

Social Defeat Stress Model for Adolescent C57BL/6 Male and Female Mice
Published on: March 15, 2024
Level and change of bullying behavior during high school: a multilevel growth curve analysis
Annalaura Nocentini1, Ersilia Menesini, Christina Salmivalli
1Department of Psychology, University of Florence, Via di San Salvi, 12, I-50135, Florence, Italy. annalaura.nocentini@virgilio.it
Abstract:
The development of bullying behavior was examined across three years in a sample of 515 adolescents (46% females) from 41 classrooms. At time 1, the students were in grades 9 and 10 (mean age=14.5 years; SD=.54). Results of a multilevel growth model showed that both baseline level and change of bullying varied significantly across individuals as well as across classrooms. At the individual level, gender, aggression and competition for social dominance were related with baseline level of bullying. Competition for social dominance and class change were additionally associated with increases in bullying over time. At the classroom level, pro-bullying behaviors were associated with higher baseline level of bullying, whereas anti-bullying behaviors with decreases in bullying over time. Finally, a cross-level interaction underlined that the link between aggression and bullying was moderated by the pro-bullying behaviors within each class. Results are discussed according to the child by environment perspective.
Related Concept Videos
Bullying
Conduct Disorder
Longitudinal Research
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Cognitive Development During Adolescence
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
