Does bullying perpetration predict bullying victimization, or does bullying victimization predict bullying...

The reciprocal relationships between bullying perpetration and victimization represent a critical yet understudied aspect of interpersonal aggression. This meta-analysis synthesized longitudinal evidence from 83 studies to systematically examine: (1) whether bullying perpetration predicted subsequent victimization, and (2) whether victimization conversely predicted future perpetration. We implemented a strategic search across five databases (Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, ProQuest, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) to retrieve potentially eligible reports published from inception to 29 March 2026. The meta-analysis included 83 articles (88 samples, N = 124,075). Participants were 4.00-21.24 years old at T1 (M = 12.96, SD = 2.70). Employing robust random-effects modeling, this study found that bullying perpetration longitudinally and positively predicted bullying victimization (r = 0.252, 95% CI = [0.230, 0.273], p < .001), and bullying victimization also longitudinally and positively predicted bullying perpetration (r = 0.255, 95% CI = [0.235, 0.276], p < .001), indicating moderate bidirectional effects. Notably, these relationships were moderated by age, time lag, country of origin, types of bullying, measurement instruments, and the nature of items. Specifically, the predictive effect of bullying perpetration on victimization was stronger when the study was conducted in the U.S., when Wright and Li's Bullying Scale (2013) was used, and when multiple-item measures were employed. Conversely, the effect of bullying victimization on perpetration was stronger under the following conditions: older participants, shorter time lags, samples from the U.S. or Spain, cyberbullying settings, use of the Wright and Li's Bullying Scale (2013), and employment of multiple-item scales. The findings advance the theoretical understanding of bullying as a self-perpetuating cycle while highlighting the need for targeted interventions that address both perpetration and victimization.