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Bullying, victimization, and bystander behavior: Risk factors across elementary-middle school transition
Kelly N Clark1, Morgan A Eldridge1, Nicole B Dorio2
1Department of Psychology.
School Psychology (Washington, D.C.)
|November 2, 2021
Summary
Student mental health issues predict later bullying, victimization, and bystander roles. Externalizing problems link to bullying and victimization, while internalizing problems link to victimization and defending behaviors in middle school. Gender did not impact these associations.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Students with mental health challenges face higher victimization risks.
- The transition to middle school often sees increased bullying behaviors.
- Existing research primarily focuses on bullying and victimization, with less on bystander roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between fifth-grade internalizing and externalizing problems and sixth-grade bullying, victimization, and bystander behaviors.
- To investigate these associations through a social-ecological lens.
- To determine if gender moderates the relationship between mental health problems and bullying roles.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with 1,139 students transitioning from fifth to sixth grade.
- Utilized structural equation modeling to analyze data.
- Assessed internalizing and externalizing problems, bullying, victimization, and bystander behaviors (assisting, defending, outsider).
Main Results:
- Externalizing problems in fifth grade predicted increased bullying, assisting, and victimization in sixth grade.
- Internalizing problems in fifth grade predicted increased victimization and defending behaviors in sixth grade.
- No significant gender differences were found in these associations.
Conclusions:
- Fifth-grade internalizing and externalizing problems are significant predictors of various sixth-grade bullying roles.
- Findings highlight the importance of social-emotional screening and interventions during the school transition.
- The social-ecological model provides a useful framework for understanding these complex relationships.
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