Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Bullying'

O conceito de bullying começa a ser mais audível na sociedade portuguesa, à medida que as pessoas vão ganhando maior consciência da sua envolvência, e ao mesmo tempo que vão sendo gradualmente destronadas ideias de que este fenómeno faz parte do universo de crescimento das crianças e jovens. Porventura a maior frequência e a maior exposição que é conferida aos casos existentes nas escolas portuguesas, que têm vindo a público através dos órgãos de comunicação social, têm contribuído para a alteração da percepção que a generalidade das pessoas tem deste fenómeno, colaborando assim para que as situações de bullying deixem de ser aceites como brincadeiras inofensivas e normais nas crianças. Ainda assim, e apesar das melhorias significativas na compreensão e discussão dos casos, há ainda um longo caminho a percorrer e um trabalho conjunto a desenvolver, que envolva toda a comunidade educativa, já que é nas escolas que o bullying adquire maior expressão, bem como a comunidade local onde ela está inserida. Toda a sociedade, mas em particular os pais, professores e educadores, enquanto elementos chave do processo de desenvolvimento e aprendizagem de cada um dos jovens, têm um papel preponderante na consciencialização e alerta para o bullying, bem como no seu combate. Desta forma, e para que o seu papel possa ser desempenhado de uma forma eficaz, é necessário que todos os intervenientes tenham conhecimento do que é o bullying e o cyberbullying, onde ocorre, de que forma se manifesta, quem são as potenciais vítimas, quais são os sintomas que apresentam, quem são habitualmente os bullies, o que motiva os seus comportamentos e como agir face a eles, ao mesmo tempo que têm consciência de que no bullying há um desequilíbrio de forças, mas que tanto vítimas, como bullies precisam de ajuda. Porque a prevenção é o melhor remédio, escolas e professores, enquanto agentes de mudança, devem ser capazes de unir esforços e nas suas aulas transmitir a ideia de que os comportamentos de bullying não são aceitáveis, nem tão pouco podem ser tolerados, apelando a uma consciencialização dos jovens e desencorajamento dessas atitudes. Várias são as estratégias que a comunidade escolar e local pode adoptar para prevenir e combater o fenómeno, mas o professor de inglês e porque falamos de um anglicismo, poderá ter um papel decisivo através da introdução e elaboração (também em conjunto com os alunos) de materiais didácticos anti-bullying nas suas aulas que visem o despertar para estes comportamentos agressivos.
The term Bullying has become commonplace in Portuguese society, as more people are now aware of its prevalence, while at the same time these ideas have gradually come to form part of the growing pains of children and adolescents. Perhaps the greater frequency and exposure that is given to existent cases of bullying in Portuguese schools that have come to the public‟s attention through social media, have contributed to the change in the perception that most people have of this phenomenon, contributing as such that bullying is no longer accepted as normal and inoffensive horseplay among children. Nevertheless, despite the greater clarity in the understanding and discussion of these cases, there is a long way to go and a cooperative effort to undertake, that involves the entire educative community, given that it is in the schools that bullying is most present, as well as the local communities in which schools are located. Society on the whole, but parents, teachers and educators in particular, as key elements in the developmental and learning processes of each and every child, have a predominate role to play in both in raising awareness of and combating bullying among children. In this way, and so that its role may be carried out in an effective way, it is necessary that all that intervene are aware of bullying and cyberbullying, where they occur, in which form they are manifested, who are the potential victims, which are the symptoms that they present, who are usually the bullies, what motivates their behaviour and how to react to them, at the same time are aware that inherent in bullying is an unequal power relationship, and that the victims and the bullies themselves need help. Because prevention is the best cure, schools and teachers, as agents of change, should be capable of uniting forces and in their classrooms transmitting the idea that bullying behaviour is not acceptable, nor will it be tolerated, calling for awareness and discouragement of such attitudes among the youth. Many strategies are available for adoption by local and scholastic communities to prevent and combat the phenomenon, but English teachers, and because we are talking about an Anglicism, can have a decisive role through the introduction and development (as well as in conjunction with students) of anti-bullying educational materials in their classrooms where they see the rise of this aggressive behaviour.

The present research addresses bullying behaviours among adult men and women prisoners in relation to personal/descriptive and prison-related behavioural characteristics (e.g. behaviours indicative of non-compliance with the regime), differences in social problem-solving, social self-esteem and assertiveness. The research was conducted in two phases. In phase one, male and female prisoners (n = 406) completed a self-report behavioural checklist that addressed indications of bullying behaviour at their present institution, and also a questionnaire that provided them with five different bullying scenarios (depicting indirect-physical, theft-related, sexual, verbal and indirect bullying) to which they were to suggest solutions. Men reported significantly more aggressive responses and positive consequences of using aggression than women for all types of bullying. Pure bullies favoured aggressive responses for all scenarios and reported significantly more positive consequences of using aggression in response to theft-related bullying. Bully/victims reported significantly more positive consequences in response to indirect bullying. Those not involved in bullying reported significantly more negative consequences in response to all scenarios except those involving indirect-physical bullying. In phase two, prisoners (n = 502) completed the same self-report behavioural checklist presented in phase one and also a measure of social self-esteem and assertiveness. Men were significantly more likely than women to report higher self-esteem and assertiveness scores. Pure victims reported lower total assertiveness scores than the other categories and there was a trend for pure bullies to report higher total assertiveness. The proportion of prisoners reporting behaviours indicative of 'being bullied' or 'bullying others' was high in both phases, with over half the sample reporting at least one incidence of 'being bullied' and approximately half reporting at least one incidence of 'bullying others'. In both phases, indirect forms of bullying behaviour were reported more frequently than direct forms, and prison-based behaviours were more predictive of bully-category membership than personal/descriptive characteristics. The implications of the findings for intervention into bullying are discussed and directions for future research are addressed.

This quantitative replicated study was adapted from Nielson et al. (2008). It explored the relationship between exposure to bullying and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as experienced by Licensed Professional Counselors (L PCs), who are themselves targets or have witnessed bullying in the workplace. The research questions probed (a) incidences of workplace bullying of LPCs, (b) the occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms because of workplace bullying, and (c) the manner in which sense of coherence moderates PTSD-related symptoms for counselors experiencing bullying. Online surveys were sent to LPCs via email as a means of data gathering. LPC email addresses were obtained from Medical Solution links. The instruments chosen for the study were three validated surveys. The 54 LPC participants have provided their perceptions and personal experiences on workplace bullying, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a sense of coherence. The findings showed that the LPC respondents in this study were extensively exposed to workplace bullying. It was also established that there were no significant differences in the self-reported PTSD symptoms of LPCs who have experienced workplace bullying and those who did not. Lastly, the study concluded that high, moderate, or low sense of coherence (SOC) makes no significant differences in the development of PTSD-linked aftereffects to bullying. These findings add to the body of knowledge concerning bullying of licensed professional counselors, its aftermath, and any long-lasting effects of post-traumatic stress.

Elder bullying is on the rise and occurs in many contexts such as senior living communities and nursing homes, causing concern for the well-being of the residents by families, staff, themselves, and society in general. Although research has been limited, it does reveal that resident-to-resident bullying in nursing homes is a problem warranting further scholarly attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) regarding resident-to-resident bullying in nursing homes. The theory of reasoned action and the theory of reflective equilibrium provided a conceptual lens from which to explore and describe the importance of the CNAs' attitudes and behavior when recognizing, observing, and addressing bullying incidences. A phenomenological research design was employed. Using open-ended questions, 10 CNAs were individually interviewed. One major discovery of the study was that 100% of the CNAs interviewed indicated that they experienced resident-to-resident bullying and that it was a major problem in the nursing home. The findings of this study presented many possibilities for positive social change across all levels, from individuals and families to nursing home organizations and society as a whole, but most importantly, it increased awareness about bullying across nursing homes as the ultimate goal was for the improvement on the quality of life experienced by residents in nursing homes.

The aim of the present thesis was to listen to, examine and conceptualise students’ perspectives on bullying. Students’ perspectives have not been commonly heard in research and less qualitative research has been conducted. This study contributes with students’ perspectives on bullying using semi-structured interviews with students from fourth-to eighth grade. This thesis includes four studies. The aim with paper I was to investigate how bystander actions in bullying situations and reasons behind these actions were articulated. Paper II was a comparison study between Sweden and US, focused on how students articulate and discuss what factors influence students’ decisions to defend or not defend victims when witnessing bullying. The aim in Paper III was to study how students themselves discuss, reason and make sense of how and why bullying processes emerges in their social worlds. In paper IV the aim was to study how junior high school girls discuss and understand bullying. Findings reveal that students’ reactions as bystanders to bullying depend on how they define the situation. Explanations to the emergence of bullying were understood through a complex social ordering of belonging process. Students position themselves and others in striving to belong, and when defining victims as responsible for bullying. Social norms and negotiation of identities were also discussed among the students. Students discussed how gender and a normative peer structure, where a pressure to fit in, interlinked with how they understood bullying.
Syftet med denna avhandling är att lyssna på, utforska och konceptualisera elevers perspektiv på mobbning då elevers perspektiv utgör ett viktigt bidrag till vår fortsatta förståelse av mobbning. Det finns fortfarande få kvalitativa studier som fokuserat elevers perspektiv på mobbning. Denna studie utgör därför ett viktig bidrag och baseras på semi-strukturerade intervjuer med elever ifrån fjärde till åttondeklass. Avhandlingen består utav fyra studier. Syftet med studie I var att undersöka hur åskådarageranden i mobbningssituationer artiklueras av eleverna och skälen bakom dessa. Syftet med studie II var att jämföra hur elever i Sverige och USA artikulerar och diskuterar vilka faktorer som influerar deras beslut att ingripa eller inte ingripa när de blir åskådare till mobbning. Syftet med studie III var att undersöka hur elever diskuterar, resonerar och förstår vad som producerar mobbning. Syftet med studie IV var att undersöka hur högstadietjejer diskuterar och förstår mobbning. Resultaten visar att elevers reaktioner som åskådare till mobbning är situationsbundna utifån hur de definierar situationen. Förklararingar till vad som producerar mobbning sammanlänkas med en komplex socialt ordnande process där eleverna positionerar sig själv och andra i strävan att tillhöra och den utsatta ofta görs ansvarig för mobbningen. Även sociala normer och förhandlade av identiteter kommer till uttryck när eleverna diskuterar hur kön och normativa kamratnormer, där strävan att passa in, sammanlänkas med deras förståelse av mobbning.

La presente investigación trata de abordar comprensivamente el fenómeno del bullying, el cual se ha instalado y apoderado de nuestras escuelas. Hoy por hoy nuestros/as niños/as son partícipes activos de un fenómenos con repercusiones a nivel social, que involucra a la globalidad de culturas. Es ante este tópico que nos hemos de plantear como problema de investigación el ¿Cómo es vivenciado, percibido e interpretado el fenómeno del bullying por los/as niños/as de NB1 y la respuesta que la comunidad educativa tiene para con el fenómeno en un centro educacional de nivel socio-económico y cultural medio-alto?. Este fenómeno no sólo se ha instalado en nuestras escuelas sino que además se ha hecho parte de las relaciones que establecen nuestros estudiantes. Es por ello que nuestro objetivo principal reside en develar cómo es vivenciado, percibido e interpretado el fenómeno del bullying por niños/as de NB1, y la respuesta que tiene la comunidad educativa hacia el fenómeno en un centro educacional de nivel socio-económico y cultural medio-alto. Pues si bien hacemos referencia a un fenómeno que abarca la mayoría de las culturas, se presentan de distintas formas según los contextos. Si bien las expresiones son diversas, las características para detectar el fenómeno no difieren mucho. Sin embargo, se ha venido creyendo socialmente que el bullying es exclusivo de un grupo social, lo cual difiere de nuestro planteamiento inicial, no obstante suponemos que el fenómeno del bullying se evidencia en escuelas del nivel socio-económico y cultural medio-alto, por medio de violencia psicológica. Esto dado por el capital cultural, valórico y moral que traen desde sus hogares. De igual forma, el imaginario social cree que es un hecho que se da casi exclusivamente en la adolescencia, sin embargo, hoy planteamos que ya en la niñez temprana es posible evidenciar características y prever posibles víctimas y victimarios/as del fenómeno del bullying. Para comprender e interpretar el fenómeno en cuestión se utilizó el paradigma cualitativo de tipo exploratorio-interpretativo, usando el estudio de caso como tipo de estudio, pues lo esencial es comprender las percepciones de un grupo de sujetos de NB1, a fin de dar cuenta que el fenómeno existe, aun en niveles básicos iníciales, y que los sujetos tienen bastante que decir frente al mismo.

Workplace bullying (WPB) is a pervasive problem in contemporary society, inflicting detrimental repercussions upon employees, employers, and organizations alike. It affects the physical, psychological, and financial wellbeing not only of its victims, but also their families, their communities, and society as a whole. Research into this phenomenon has evolved significantly over the past two decades. While related to the physically violent phenomenon of schoolyard bullying, WPB is primarily a psychological phenomenon, manifesting as abusive power in workplace relationships, rather than as interpersonal conflict. Bullying at work comes in many forms, has many faces, and occurs in many places. It ranges from subtle to overt acts, with subtle forms occurring more regularly. The rubric of bullying can include: harassment, mobbing, scapegoating, social exclusion, repudiation, humiliation, and/or workplace mistreatment or abuse. Corresponding to a lack of attention on bullying among adults, WPB seems to occur everywhere—from businesses and factories to colleges and hospitals. To address this phenomenon, this study a) explored the prevalence of WPB in Kuwait and its association with employee demographics, b) evaluated the sample’s views regarding professional social workers in the workplace, and c) explored the relationship between these variables and absenteeism. This non-experimental, quantitative study employed a cross-sectional survey with correlational analyses and prediction research designs. Using the snowball sampling method via social media platforms, the researcher distributed the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R) survey and a demographic questionnaire to an anonymous, non-randomized sample of employees. The target sample included any adult, volunteer participant who was working in Kuwait for at least six months before receiving the survey. From a total of 8,531 recorded surveys, 3,725 surveys with missing data and 119 surveys that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded, leaving 4,687 (53.9%) complete surveys used for the analysis. The majority of participants were males ranging between 30-39 years old. The vast majority were Kuwaiti, married, bachelor degree graduates, employed in lower-level positions within the governmental sector, earning 800-1,399 KD monthly income. Seventy percent of targets were dissatisfied with management, compared to 50% of the general participants. Similarly, 50% of targets were dissatisfied with their daily supervisors, compared to 35% of the general participants. Around two-thirds of both targets and general participants agreed with the importance of having a social worker or psychologist at the workplace to address WPB. The vast majority of targets were bullied by their immediate superiors (50%) or other superiors (45%). Based on a criterion of a minimum of three negative acts monthly, the results of this study indicated a 39% prevalence rate of WPB in Kuwait. This percentage corresponded with the percentage of the targets who labeled themselves as victims. Regarding demographics, a large majority of targets reported being bullied by someone of the opposite gender. Among female targets, 92.7% were bullied by male perpetrators, and among male targets, 82.8% were bullied by female perpetrators. Females were more often reported as perpetrators, and males more often as targets. Non-Kuwaiti employees, the young, the divorced, those working in low-level positions, and those earning low income had the highest rate of exposure to WPB. Regarding prediction, those more likely to experience WPB included: females, the young, non-Kuwaiti employees, and workers in middle-level positions with low education or low income, who were dissatisfied with management, their daily supervisors, or their own jobs, and those who expressed a need for a counselor in the workplace. In terms of predicting WPB-related absenteeism, males, the divorced, and those working in lower-level positions with low income, low education, dissatisfaction with their job, or dissatisfaction with their daily supervisors were more likely to report high absenteeism. The high rate of WPB has implications in the workplace, calling for concerted efforts to identify the elements that trigger and escalate WPB. This study was the first of its kind to measure such elements of WPB in Kuwait. By using the NAQ-R scale, the demographic questionnaire, and a modified operational definition of WPB, this study has provided a template for needed research in the Arabian Gulf region.

The present study consists of two phases. The first phase includes the development of the Turkish Bully Scale to identify bully, victim and bully/victim groups and to describe the incidence of bullying among the elementary school students. The second phase of the study evaluates the effect of the Bullying Management Training Program on reducing bullying behaviours of bully/victim elementary school students. In the development of the Bully Scale a pilot (N=453, sixth grade students) and a main study (N=519, sixth grade students) were conducted to examine the validity evidence and the reliability estimates. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses were used to analyse the validity evidence and the reliability of the Bully Scale, which is used for the selection of the subjects. In the second phase of the study, an experimental 3 x 2 design with one training and two control groups was used to investigate the effectiveness of Bullying Management Training Program. The 19-item Bully Scale including a self-report (N=367) and peer nomination (N= 396) forms were administered to a sample of the 7th grade students. The training program was conducted with the bully/victim group. Contrary to the expectation, the results of repeated measures ANCOVA analyses were not significant, except for the victimization scores of the peer nomination form. The post hoc analyses did not indicate a significant difference for the victimization score between the training and two control groups. The Bullying Management training was not found as an effective technique to reduce bully/victim students&rsquo
bullying and victimization.

Bullying at school is a widespread and persistent problem facing Canadian youth today (Craig & Harel, 2004). In addition to the small but significant minority of students who are involved directly as bullies and victims, more than two thirds of youth are bystanders or witnesses to school-based violence ( Craig & Pepler, 1997; Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Björkqvist, & Osterman, 1996; Salmivalli, Lappalainen, & Lagerspetz, 1998). Given the high probability that students will at some point in their school career witness bullying, it is important to examine the risks and responsibilities associated with being a bystander. Successful efforts to reduce or eliminate bullying requires knowledge of the types of strategies peers are likely to use to respond to bullying, as well as the students who are most likely to engage in these behaviours. This research investigated how secondary students’ bystander behaviour varied as a function of their age, gender, and concurrent experiences with bullying and/or victimization at school. In a school-based survey examining social experiences at school, Grade 8 to 12 students (N= 50,334, 49% male) who reported witnessing bullying (n=18,839) rated how often they had engaged in different bystander responses. Results of a series of hierarchical regressions indicated that student’s gender and personal experiences with bullying and victimization each accounted for a small but significant proportion of variance for prosocial, aggressive and passive bystander responses; age was only a significant predictor for passive bystander behaviour. These results both confirm and extend the literature on bystanders and bullying, and suggest a number of important areas for future research. Gaining a better understanding of the individual characteristics and contextual factors that encourage or discourage bystander’s defending behaviour can assist educators in developing and delivering effective school-based anti-bullying programs that promote safe and positive bystander intervention.

Studies which examine conflict have identified coping strategies as potent variables for the social competencies of children. To extend these ideas to more specific indicators of social adjustment this study examined emotional impairments and coping strategies of victims and bullies. Inventories measuring emotional impairment: depression, anger, anxiety and self-concept were completed by 103 primary school children aged 9-11. A questionnaire measured five coping strategies: problem solving, social support seeking, distancing, externalising and internalising. Bully and victim nominations identified almost 5 times as many male bullies compared to girls therefore findings which specifically relate to bullying refer to boys only. Emotional impairments were identified as predictory variables for bullying and victimisation particularly for boys where anger was identified as moderating the relationship between externalising and bullying behaviour while anxiety was identified as a mediating variable between problem solving and victimisation. Findings here also suggest that all children learn how to cope with negative emotions through their experiences with adults. For bullies internalisation as a result of poor experiences during problem solving with adults makes problem solving with peers less likely.

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo conocer las teorías subjetivas de un grupo de docentes de una institución educativa pública de educación básica regular de Lima Metropolitana sobre el bullying y su rol en este. Para ello, se entrevistó a 6 docentes de una Institución Educativa Pública de Lima Metropolitana. Posteriormente, se realizó el análisis de la información recogida siguiendo la propuesta de la teoría fundamentada, a lo cual se incorporó los procesos de análisis pertinentes para las teorías subjetivas. Las teorías encontradas en el presente estudio evidenciaron una falta de nivel argumentativo en lo que respecta a su propia fundamentación. En consecuencia, estas construcciones personales presentaron un distanciamiento significativo respecto a lo que sugiere la literatura académica sobre el tema del bullying. Las conclusiones del presente estudio proponen que los participantes elaboraron sus teorías subjetivas en el mismo momento en que manifestaban sus discursos, lo cual podría deberse a la falta de experiencia en el tema o al simple desconocimiento de este. De esta manera, los docentes sí reconocerían el bullying como una problemática necesaria de trabajar, pero no tendrían nociones sobre cómo abordarlo adecuadamente desde la docencia.
The objective of this research was to know the subjective theories of a group of teachers from a public educational institution of regular basic education in Lima about bullying and their role in it. To do this, 6 volunteer teachers were interviewed for 45 minutes each. Subsequently, the analysis of the information collected was carried out based on the guidelines of the grounded theory, to which the pertinent analysis processes for subjective theories were incorporated. The theories found in the present study evidenced a lack of argumentative level regarding their own foundation. Consequently, these personal constructions presented a significant distance from what the academic literature suggests on the subject of bullying. The conclusions of the present study propose that the participants elaborated their subjective theories at the same time that they manifested their discourses, which could be due to the lack of experiences on the subject or due to simple ignorance. In this way, teachers would recognize bullying as a necessary problem to work, but they wouldn’t have any notions on how to properly address it from their teacher’s role.
Tesis

Bullying is a major concern for school-age children. This study compares the use of bibliotherapy and didactic instruction techniques for teaching anti-bullying strategies to young children. The study explores 36 first graders' perceptions of bullying and their perceptions of their roles and responsibilities in bullying situations. In comparison to the control group, students who were taught specific bully intervention skills, both through didactic instruction and bibliotherapy, reflected an increased understanding of bullying, used a larger bully vocabulary, and demonstrated more specific and varied actions in response to bullying from pre-test to post-test conditions. Participants in the group who received didactic instruction demonstrated more positive change in both describing the concept of bullying (77.2%) and providing adaptive responses to a hypothetical bullying situation (144%) than the bibliotherapy (33.3%, 44%) and control groups (13.4%, -15%), possibly due to the explicit instruction and repetition of concepts students received in the didactic group. These data suggest that children benefit from explicit instruction and rehearsal about how to combat bullying. Recommendations for practice are to schedule more time when planning to use bibliotherapy, to simplify concepts and use repetition, and to integrate social/emotional concepts into regular class activities.

This project study addressed the problem of bullying, victimization, and the awareness of these activities at a public suburban middle school in Northwest Georgia. The study school implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in 2009, yet had not evaluated the program to identify whether or not it met its goals after 1 year of implementation. Using a quasiexperimental, goal-free program evaluation, the research questions explored whether or not the OBPP succeeded in reducing the student reported rates of bullying and victimization while also increasing awareness of such activities. A Mann Whitney U test was utilized for analysis due to violations of normality and homoscedasticity in the data. The quantitative sequence consisted of descriptive analyses of archived student data from the pre- and postimplementation (N = 346 and 137, respectively) Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) administration. Results indicated an increase, though not statistically significant, in student reporting of victimization and awareness and a statistically significant increase in rates of bullying. Results in the evaluation report supported continued OBPP implementation with anticipation that implementing more than 1 year should yield a decrease in student reported rates of bullying and victimization and increase in awareness of what constitutes these activities. The project study could lead to positive social change by increasing awareness of bullying in the learning community and reducing the number of reported incidents of bullying and victimization.

Student self-report surveys showed bullying behaviors were problematic among students in one Midwest middle school. Despite implementing a version of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, students continued to self-report bullying behaviors that occurred on school property during school hours. It is crucial that educators are proactive in intervening and preventing bullying to establish a safe environment for academic success. The purpose of this study was to describe teachers' perceptions of bullying behaviors and their practices in reporting bullying incidents. Bandura's social learning and Locke's social contract theories served as the study's framework. Teachers were asked to describe behaviors they perceived as bullying and their practices in reporting bullying incidents. A qualitative, bounded, descriptive case study was used to collect interview data from 12 purposefully selected classroom teachers who were tasked with bullying intervention and prevention. Thematic analysis using the lean, open coding strategy was used to analyze the data. Teachers reported observing physical, verbal, and cyber bullying behaviors, credited their bullying knowledge to schoolwide professional development (PD), and believed they recognized bullying behaviors when incidents occurred. Teachers also reported bullying incidents to the principal and to parents if they had a positive relationship with them. Based on these findings, a 4-day PD was designed for teachers to collaboratively develop uniform practices in reporting bullying incidents to parents or guardians. These endeavors may contribute to positive social change by equipping teachers with procedures in reporting bullying incidents; thus, reducing bullying, improving the learning environment, and creating a safer school culture for teachers and students.

Bullying is a pervasive problem among children and adolescents worldwide, but relevant research, although growing, lacks coherence. The proposed study is the first to integrate three large bodies of research - on children's attachment, anger, and Social Information Processing (SIP) - in a comprehensive, developmentally informed, multi-method, multi-trait design to elucidate the origins of bullying behavior, victimization, and anti-bullying attitudes and emotions. It was predicted that (1) children's early attachment insecurity would be linked to their maladaptive SIP patterns and to higher anger proneness; (2) higher anger proneness would be associated with maladaptive SIP; (3) anger proneness and maladaptive SIP would both predict greater parent-reported aggression; (4) parent-reported aggression would predict both bullying behavior and victimization; (5) lower anger proneness and more adaptive SIP would be associated with anti-bullying attitudes and sympathy for victims of bullying. A series of path analyses revealed overall well-fitting models; however, the analyses of the specific pathways described in the hypotheses above were less conclusive. Theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that attachment security, anger proneness, and social information processing each plays a role in the development of positive or negative peer relations, but how these factors come together needs to be further elucidated.

The results of the study provided a unique perspective of 20 teachers and how their personal childhood bullying experiences influenced their response to student bullying. Teachers who participated in this study acknowledged that they had a heightened awareness of student bullying, felt their positive attitude was due to their Olweus training as well as a sensitivity towards students who are bullied, indicated that they were aware of the negative impact on their self-esteem, and identified the role empathy played in their response to student bullying. The question of self-efficacy in fourteen participants (70 percent) was an alarming emergent theme in teachers’ response to student bullying. Although fifteen participants (75 percent) responded in a proactive way, the participants’ self-confidence in stopping bullying altogether remained an issue. The benefits of responding to bullying, according to the participants, included stopping the cycle so as the student being bullied would not bully others, and these same participants felt that responding to bullying helped to build trust between teachers and students. The results of the study provide a framework of recommendations for educational leaders, policy makers, guidance counselors, school psychologists, and teachers.

Research on principals' perceptions and responses to school bullying is scarce. This study investigated the perceptions of seven middle school principals and their responses to six hypothetical vignettes depicting incidents of physical, verbal, or relational bullying. During interviews, respondents were asked to rate the seriousness of each incident and describe how they would respond. Respondents rated all the incidents, regardless of the form of bullying, as moderately serious, serious, or very serious. When asked to describe how they would respond to incidents, all responded they would take action (e.g., consequences for the instigator, interventions to change the behavior of the instigator, support for the target). State statute on bullying, school anti-bullying policies, past experience with bullying, and a belief that students deserve to feel safe were key to guiding their responses. The principals recognized that bullying occurred on their campuses but indicated that incidents were minimized as a result of their strong school anti-bullying polices and a belief that no form of bullying was to be tolerated on their campuses.

Youth bullying is a common form of youth violence; and recently, this behavior has diverged into two forms: traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Bullying has typically occurred within the context of school; however, with the aid of electronic devices and the Internet, youth are now able to bully beyond the schoolyard. Cyberbullying is a transmutation of traditional bullying earmarked by anonymity, a lack of guardianship, and physical distance. Using data from the 2009-2010 Health Behaviors of School-aged Children survey, this study examines the relationship between traditional bullying perpetration and cyberbullying perpetration. Logistic regression analyses suggest a relationship exist between the two forms of bullying and the link appears to be verbal and relational aggression. Additionally, gender has been shown to play a role in bullying perpetration with males engaging in all types of bullying behavior at a higher frequency than females.

Bullying has become a widespread social issue. Previous research has focused on both genders and various grade levels; it has shown that programs reduce bullying and improve social climates and attitudes toward academics. The effect of these programs, specifically on female youth, has not been studied. This study addressed the effect of bullying prevention programs on perceptions of bullying among female youth in Grades 5-7 in 2 schools in rural eastern Pennsylvania. One school utilized a prevention program while the other did not. Teachers and administrators were also interviewed to gain insight regarding their perceived effectiveness of the program. The main research question examined if prevention programs resulted in reductions in the perceptions of peer bullying among female youth in Grades 5-7. Telephone interviews with 30 students were conducted to assess if bullying programs alter perceptions of bullying. The theoretical bases of social learning theory and general aggression model were used to determine if programs altered perceptions of bullying. Bullying perceptions of participants from both schools were compared. An ethnographic design was employed, using partial grounded theory as the primary methods of research. Data were reviewed and codes were determined based upon the frequency of responses to interview questions. Results showed that bullying was prevalent in both schools; however, the prevention program did not alter perceptions of bullying, indicating problems with program implementation. The current research provides insights for school administrators regarding changes needed in program implementation to improve students' perceptions and possibly reduce bullying among this population.

Bullying among children and adolescents is a major public health problem. The negative consequences of bullying are not limited to health problems, nor to experiences in childhood and adolescence, and can persist into adulthood. This research found that one in seven Australian children experienced bullying victimisation; bullying victimisation contributes a significant proportion of the burden of disease; a substantial annual cost to Australian society results from bullying; and further investment in bullying prevention is an efficient use of scarce healthcare resources. This thesis makes an important contribution to the field of bullying and the vital role of bullying intervention programmes.

O presente estudo tem como principais objetivos aprofundar o estudo do bullying homofóbico nas suas variadas manifestações e os motivos que o despoletam, no Ensino Secundário. Para tal, foram utilizadas duas escalas: a Escala de Comportamento de Observadores de Bullying – ECOB (Melo & Pereira, 2017) e a sua adaptação para o estudo do bullying homofóbico. Esta escala permite identificar o papel que os/as observadores/as assumem durante as situações de bullying e de bullying homofóbico; e a Escala de Observação de Manifestações e Motivos do Bullying Homofóbico – EOMMBH, construída propositadamente para este estudo, que visa avaliar as manifestações e os motivos que despoletam o bullying homofóbico. O estudo foi realizado em função de variáveis sociodemográficas como o sexo, tipo de curso frequentado e ano de escolaridade. Os resultados da análise psicométrica das escalas permitiram verificar que medem os constructos de forma válida e fiável. Relativamente aos principais resultados, estes sugerem que as raparigas são mais propensas a atuar como defensoras e os/as alunos/as dos cursos profissionais revelam mais comportamentos pro-bully. Por sua vez, os/as alunos/as que frequentam o 10º ano são os que relatam utilizar mais estratégias de afastamento das situações de bullying e de autoeficácia em comparação com os/as alunos/as que frequentam os 11º e 12º anos; Abstract: Manifestations and motives of homophobic bullying: a study in a High School The main goal of this study is to deepen the understanding of homophobic bullying in it’s several manifestations, and the reasons that trigger it in High School. Two scales were used for such: the Escala de Comportamento de Observadores de Bullying – ECOB (Melo & Pereira, 2017) and it’s adaptation for the study of homophobic bullying. This scale allows the identification of the roles assumed by the observants on bullying and homophobic bullying situations; and the Escala de Observação de Manifestações e Motivos do Bullying – EOMMBH, custom built for this study with the purpose of evaluating the motives and manifestations that trigger homophobic bullying. The study was performed according to sociodemographic variable like sex, kind of courses attended and the school year. The results from the psychometric analysis of the scales allowed the confirmation that they measure the constructs in a valid and reliable way. Regarding the main results, they suggest that girls are more prone to act as defenders, as well as the male and female students and students from professional courses show more pro-bully behavior. On the other hand, male and female students that attend to the 10th school year are the ones that most report using strategies for distancing from bullying and self-efficiency situations, in comparison with the male and female students that attend to the 11th and 12th school years.

Researchers on bullying have given little attention to workplace bullying. This study examined the frequency among teacher-to-teacher bullying in the public school environment. From a sample of 318 teachers in 18 elementary, five high school, and three unit districts, rates of bullying were identified by three negative act sub-factors—work-related, person-related, and physically intimidating related bullying. Teacher demographics were utilized to determine if certain subsets of the population were more susceptible to bullying than others.

This study collected and analyzed data using a mixed-methods approach. Six questions were developed to address the purpose of the study and to provide the context within which data were gathered to answer the questions. The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised was utilized for the purpose of measuring exposure to bullying in the workplace. Six demographic questions preceded the 22 questions of the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised. One self-identifying question asked at the conclusion of the survey whether the participant identified as a bully, onlooker, or victim. The qualitative portion of the study examined laws as well as school district documents to determine how teachers were informed of anti-workplace bullying policies.

Statistical significance was found between teachers who had less than 10 years of teaching experience and teachers with 10-30 years of teaching experience for the work-related and person-related bullying. Teachers with graduate degrees reported higher frequency of encountering negative acts compared to teachers with bachelor degrees. The difference was found to be statistically significant in all three sub-factors. There were no significant statistical differences found with gender, age, grade level taught, or teaching experience for the physically intimidating sub-factor. One percent of the teachers (n = 3) perceived themselves as bullies; 72.6 percent of the teachers (n = 231) self-identified as onlookers; and 18.9 percent (n = 60), self-identified as a victim of bullying by another teacher. There are currently no federal or state laws; or Illinois School Codes that address workplace bullying. One school district of the 26 had anti-bullying workplace policy language. In this study, the highest frequency of encountering negative acts related to having your opinion ignored, or being ignored or excluded.

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O bullying escolar é um comportamento agressivo deliberado no qual uma(s) pessoa(s) inflige repetidamente outra(s) que é incapaz de se defender. Apesar da pluralidade de variáveis envolvidas no fenômeno, os achados da literatura mostram que há uma estreita relação entre a qualidade da vinculação afetiva entre mãe e criança e o nível de competência social para tornar-se um adolescente vítima ou praticante de bullying. Também se encontram indícios de que praticante e vítima apresentam formas particulares de refletir sobre a própria experiência subjetiva, quer sejam motivados pela qualidade de suas respectivas vivências de apego, quer sejam motivados pelas suas respectivas vivências escolares. Nesse sentido, a autoconsciência reflexiva constitui um modo epistemológico de refletir sobre si mesmo regado pelo autoconhecimento, ao passo que a autoconsciência ruminativa constitui uma maneira ansiosa de refletir sobre si mesmo, regado por aflição psicológica. Este estudo teve como objetivo elucidar as relações entre a prática e a vitimização no bullying e variáveis externas associadas como tipos de padrões de apego (seguro/inseguro) e estilos de autoreflexão (ruminação/reflexão). Para fins de testar a hipótese foi realizada uma pesquisa da qual participaram 293 adolescentes apresentando idades entre 12 e 18 anos. Para efetivação do objetivo, a aplicação de três escalas psicométricas – Escala de Disposição ao Bullying; Escala de Autoconsciência Situacional; e Escala das Experiências de Apego nas Relações de Amizade - foi coletiva em cada uma das salas de aula na qual a coleta de dados foi realizada após as garantias éticas vinculadas ao processo. Além das medidas relatadas os participantes também responderam um Questionário Sóciodemográfico contendo duas variáveis de interesse para este estudo (Sexo e Grau de União Familiar). Os dados foram tratados através do software estatístico SPSS, com o qual foram levantadas as principais estatísticas descritivas, após o que se procedeu a avaliação das características psicométricas das escalas do estudo com apoio em procedimentos da Análise Fatorial e Psicometria, tendo-se encontrado uma adequação dos instrumentos para uso no teste empírico da hipótese. Análises subseqüentes foram efetuadas com apoio nos coeficientes de correlação de Pearson, e Spearman, Regressões passo-a-passo e análise multivariada não métrica tipo SSA (Análise de Estrutura de Similaridade), para exame das inter-relações entre as variáveis, interpretados à luz da teoria das facetas. Entre os resultados elencamos: 1) Correlação Positiva entre Apego Inseguro Ambivalente, Apego Inseguro Desorganizado e Disposição à Prática de Bullying; 2) Correlação Positiva entre Apego Inseguro Evitante, Apego Inseguro Ambivalente, Apego Inseguro Desorganizado e Disposição à Vitimização; 3) Correlação Positiva entre Disposição à Vitimização e Autofoco Ruminativo; Correlação Positiva entre Disposição à Prática, Autofoco Ruminativo e Reflexivo. O bullying escolar é um tipo de violência cujos riscos de prática e de vitimização podem vir a ser incidentes em adolescentes cujos vínculos de apego são inseguros, o que confirma a importância crucial da relação entre pais e filhos tanto para o desenvolvimento dos padrões relacionais afetivos quanto para a aquisição da capacidade de autoconsciência reflexiva, sendo ambas as condições determinantes para conduzir-se socialmente no ambiente escolar. Concluímos a pesquisa atestanto que as disposições à prática e à vitimização no bullying escolar apresentam enlances desenvolvimentais com os vínculos de apego, e estes últimos com as disposições para as formas reflexivas de autofoco.
O bullying escolar é um comportamento agressivo deliberado no qual uma(s) pessoa(s) inflige repetidamente outra(s) que é incapaz de se defender. Apesar da pluralidade de variáveis envolvidas no fenômeno, os achados da literatura mostram que há uma estreita relação entre a qualidade da vinculação afetiva entre mãe e criança e o nível de competência social para tornar-se um adolescente vítima ou praticante de bullying. Também se encontram indícios de que praticante e vítima apresentam formas particulares de refletir sobre a própria experiência subjetiva, quer sejam motivados pela qualidade de suas respectivas vivências de apego, quer sejam motivados pelas suas respectivas vivências escolares. Nesse sentido, a autoconsciência reflexiva constitui um modo epistemológico de refletir sobre si mesmo regado pelo autoconhecimento, ao passo que a autoconsciência ruminativa constitui uma maneira ansiosa de refletir sobre si mesmo, regado por aflição psicológica. Este estudo teve como objetivo elucidar as relações entre a prática e a vitimização no bullying e variáveis externas associadas como tipos de padrões de apego (seguro/inseguro) e estilos de autoreflexão (ruminação/reflexão). Para fins de testar a hipótese foi realizada uma pesquisa da qual participaram 293 adolescentes apresentando idades entre 12 e 18 anos. Para efetivação do objetivo, a aplicação de três escalas psicométricas – Escala de Disposição ao Bullying; Escala de Autoconsciência Situacional; e Escala das Experiências de Apego nas Relações de Amizade - foi coletiva em cada uma das salas de aula na qual a coleta de dados foi realizada após as garantias éticas vinculadas ao processo. Além das medidas relatadas os participantes também responderam um Questionário Sóciodemográfico contendo duas variáveis de interesse para este estudo (Sexo e Grau de União Familiar). Os dados foram tratados através do software estatístico SPSS, com o qual foram levantadas as principais estatísticas descritivas, após o que se procedeu a avaliação das características psicométricas das escalas do estudo com apoio em procedimentos da Análise Fatorial e Psicometria, tendo-se encontrado uma adequação dos instrumentos para uso no teste empírico da hipótese. Análises subseqüentes foram efetuadas com apoio nos coeficientes de correlação de Pearson, e Spearman, Regressões passo-a-passo e análise multivariada não métrica tipo SSA (Análise de Estrutura de Similaridade), para exame das inter-relações entre as variáveis, interpretados à luz da teoria das facetas. Entre os resultados elencamos: 1) Correlação Positiva entre Apego Inseguro Ambivalente, Apego Inseguro Desorganizado e Disposição à Prática de Bullying; 2) Correlação Positiva entre Apego Inseguro Evitante, Apego Inseguro Ambivalente, Apego Inseguro Desorganizado e Disposição à Vitimização; 3) Correlação Positiva entre Disposição à Vitimização e Autofoco Ruminativo; Correlação Positiva entre Disposição à Prática, Autofoco Ruminativo e Reflexivo. O bullying escolar é um tipo de violência cujos riscos de prática e de vitimização podem vir a ser incidentes em adolescentes cujos vínculos de apego são inseguros, o que confirma a importância crucial da relação entre pais e filhos tanto para o desenvolvimento dos padrões relacionais afetivos quanto para a aquisição da capacidade de autoconsciência reflexiva, sendo ambas as condições determinantes para conduzir-se socialmente no ambiente escolar. Concluímos a pesquisa atestanto que as disposições à prática e à vitimização no bullying escolar apresentam enlances desenvolvimentais com os vínculos de apego, e estes últimos com as disposições para as formas reflexivas de autofoco.

Childhood bullying is associated with a wide variety of adverse consequences, including psychological distress and psychopathology. In this paper, the literature investigating the association between being bullied by peers in childhood and negative outcomes in adulthood will be reviewed and evaluated. Previous research largely utilising retrospective measures of bullying have found a consistent association between being bullied in childhood and experiencing a range of adverse effects in adulthood, particularly depression, body image dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. However, there are numerous methodological limitations to bullying research, including a lack of consensus over defining and measuring bullying, failure to investigate moderating or mediating variables, over-reliance on female and undergraduate populations and a lack of longitudinal research to establish if the association between being bullied in childhood and experiencing adverse consequences in adulthood is causal. Recommendations for future empirical investigations and the implications for clinical practice are suggested.

Psychotic phenomena are prevalent in non-clinical populations, with a continuum existing between psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and incidence of clinical relevance. Phenomena-associated distress often demarcates a threshold whereby individuals seek help, and experiential risk factors are consistent at both ends of the continuum. Increased exposure to stressors may predict the transition from transient, to persistent and impairing psychotic-like symptoms. PLE-specific trajectories have been noted in the literature, with childhood bullying victimisation mooted to predict the development of paranoid thinking; paranoid thinking underlies some expressive violence. Whilst bullying victimisation is a cause for concern in itself, the cognitive and behavioural consequences for victims are potentially significant. Paranoid individuals can incorrectly appraise threat in neutral social situations, and employ maladaptive safety behaviours to reduce perceived danger. Such misperception of social events, and behavioural responses, could result in aggressive or violent actions towards others. The current thesis examines this topic.

Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Sinsey E. Johnson has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Gabriel Telleria, Committee Chairperson, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. George Larkin, Committee Member, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Tanya Settles, University Reviewer, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2016 Workplace bullying is a source of distress and contributes to productivity losses and poor mental health among workers in the United States. Little, though, is known about how organizational structure and culture may impact the frequency of bullying within the context of federal public organizations. Using Schein's theory of organizational climate as the foundation, this correlational study examined the relationship between organizational size, type including protective services, the United States Postal Service, or other government agencies, and climate as defined by Schein. Survey data using the modifications of the Negative Acts Questionnaire and the Psychosocial Safety Climate Scale were used to collect data from a sample of 78 employees of the federal government. Data were analyzed using a linear regression technique. Results indicate that organizational size and type are not predictive of bullying behavior, but there is a statistically significant relationship between organizational climate and bullying (p = .001). The positive social change implications stemming from this study includes recommendations to federal government executives to explore organizational policies and rules to mitigate bullying behaviors through attention to organizational climate, thereby potentially increasing organizational efficiency and improving the work experience of federal employees.

RIASSUNTO Introduzione Il fenomeno del mobbing, la cui frequenza si stima essere di circa il 15% a livello mondiale, è ampiamente riconosciuto come uno dei maggiori fattori di stress nelle organizzazioni di lavoro. Il mobbing comporta una serie di conseguenze negative per chi ne è vittima ma anche per i testimoni ed i colleghi, con costi rilevanti per le organizzazioni lavorative e la societa’ nel complesso. Alla luce della “work environment hypothesis” del mobbing - un approccio teorico che enfatizza lo stretto legame tra la presenza di un ambiente di lavoro psicosociale sfavorevole e l’emergere del mobbing -diversi studi hanno identificato una serie di antecedenti lavorativi del fenomeno quali ad esempio il carico di lavoro eccessivo, lo scarso livello di autonomia, il conflitto e l'ambiguità di ruolo e la qualita’ della leadership. In particolare, il ruolo di quest’ultima quale fattore antecedente il mobbing costituisce un' area di indagine molto recente, sebbene Leymann - il precursore nello studio del mobbing - gia’ ne avesse riconosciuta l'importanza fin dagli albori della ricerca sul fenomeno. Nonostante il substrato teorico alla base della relazione leadership-mobbing sia solido, tutti gli studi empirici condotti sinora si sono basati su un disegno di studio cross-sectional, limitando in tal modo la possibilita’ di effettuare inferenze causali. Inoltre un importante gap nella letteratura corrente è costituito da una scarsa conoscenza dei possibili meccanismi (moderatori o mediatori) alla base della relazione tra ambiente di lavoro psicosociale e mobbing. Obiettivo Alla luce dello stato attuale della ricerca sul mobbing, l'obiettivo di questa tesi è duplice. Il primo obiettivo è quello di studiare la relazione tra alcune caratteristiche rilevanti dell’ambiente psicosociale di lavoro, ossia pressione lavorativa e mancanza di autonomia (primo articolo) e scarsa qualita’ della leadership (secondo articolo), e presenza di mobbing sul posto di lavoro. Il secondo obiettivo è quello di indagare la presenza di moderatori o mediatori nella relazione tra ambiente psicosociale di lavoro e mobbing, al fine di individuare alcuni possibili meccanismi alla base di questo fenomeno. In particolare, viene esaminato il senso di coerenza - una caratteristica individuale - come potenziale moderatore (primo articolo) e il senso di comunità sociale sul posto di lavoro - una caratterstica del contesto lavorativo - come potenziale mediatore (secondo articolo). Metodi La tesi si basa su dati raccolti nell’ambito di uno studio prospettico a due tempi di misura (2006-2008) denominato Workplace Bullying and Harassment Cohort (WBH), condotto tramite questionario autosoministrato su un campione di lavoratori impiegati in diverse organizzazioni di lavoro in Danimarca. Il campione utilizzato e' costituito da 3363 lavoratori nel 2006 (primo articolo) e da 1664 lavoratori nel 2008 (secondo articolo). Il campione e' composto per lo più da donne (67,2%), con un'età media di 45,7 (SD = 10.11) e una anzianità media nel posto di lavoro attuale di 11,1 anni (SD = 10.1). Circa due terzi del campione risulta impiegato in organizzazioni pubbliche come ospedali (22%), istruzione superiore (13,8%), settore assistenza agli anziani (8,6%), pubblica amministrazione e servizi (7,2%), scuole pubbliche (4,3%), scuole superiori (3,8%), ecc.; circa un terzo risulta invece impiegato in ambienti di lavoro privati, quali trasporti (11,6%), industria (10,8%), edilizia (3%), finanza e servizi alle imprese (2,3%); all’incirca il 2,5% lavora infine come medico, dentista o veterinario. Risultati Nel primo articolo, basato su un disegno di studio cross-sectional, regressioni lineari gerarchiche hanno rivelato che le due dimensioni del modello job demand-control, ossia elevata pressione lavorativa e scarsa autonomia decisionale, sono significativamente associate ad una maggiore presenza di mobbing. Sebbene dal punto di vista statistico livelli piu’ elevati di senso di coerenza siano risultati ridurre significativamente la relazione tra ambiente psicosociale di lavoro sfavorevole (elevata pressione lavorativa e scarsa autonomia sul lavoro) e mobbing, tale effetto di moderazione si e’ rivelato di scarso impatto a livello pratico. Cio’ suggerisce che condizioni psicosociali negative sul posto di lavoro possano essere associate al mobbing indipendentemente dalle caratteristiche personali dei soggetti target, almeno in termini di senso di coerenza. Nel secondo articolo, basato su un disegno di studio longitudinale, i risultati delle regressioni lineari gerarchiche mostrano che la scarsa qualità della leadership svolge un ruolo significativo nella creazione di condizioni di lavoro favorenti il mobbing. Inoltre, l’analisi di mediazione ha mostrato che il senso di comunita' sociale sul posto di lavoro opera come mediatore totale dell'effetto esercitato dalla scarsa qualità della leadership sul mobbing. Conclusioni/implicazioni pratiche Una prima conclusione è che condizioni di lavoro psicosociale sfavorevoli portano ad un maggiore rischio di mobbing sul posto di lavoro. Il primo studio sottolinea in particolare l'importanza di progettare posti di lavoro in modo tale che ai lavoratori siano assegnati carichi di lavoro ragionevoli e un adeguato grado di autonomia nello svolgimento dei compiti lavorativi. Il secondo studio, confermando il ruolo di una scarsa qualita’ della leadership nel creare condizioni di lavoro favorenti il mobbing, indica l'importanza di pianificare programmi di formazione per i leader in modo da aumentare in questi la consapevolezza di come i loro comportamenti possano avere influenza sui subordinati. Inoltre, la mediazione totale del senso di comunita’ sociale sul posto di lavoro rilevata in questo studio nella relazione tra scarsa qualità di leadership sul mobbing, suggerisce che le organizzazioni di lavoro dovrebbero operare forti investimenti nel miglioramento delle relazioni sociali sul posto di lavoro allo scopo di promuovere un ambiente di lavoro a ridotto rischio mobbing. Originalità dello studio Il primo articolo contribuisce in maniera originale alla ricerca sul mobbing in quanto non esistono studi precedenti sul ruolo del senso di coerenza come moderatore della relazione tra ambiente psicosociale di lavoro e mobbing. Inoltre, il problema metodologico relativo alla significativita' statistica vs valore pratico dell’effetto di moderazione è stato raramente affrontato e discusso in letteratura. Il secondo studio, essendo di natura longitudinale, porta un sostanziale contributo alla letteratura sul mobbing in quanto conferma, mediante un disegno di studio robusto, precedenti studi cross-sectional sul ruolo sostanziale svolto dai leader nel processo di mobbing. Inoltre, nella relazione tra leadership e mobbing, il senso di comunità sociale sul posto di lavoro agisce come mediatore totale, risultato che contribuisce significativamente al dibattito scientifico attuale sui meccanismi - a tutt’oggi poco noti - coinvolti nel processo di generazione del mobbing.
SUMMARY Background Broadly recognized to be one of the major stressors in organizations, with a global estimate of about 15%, workplace bullying has detrimental consequences for victims, witnesses, organizations, and the society at large. Within the work environment hypothesis of bullying, which emphasizes the important link between a stressful and poorly organized work environment and bullying, a large number of antecedents have been identified, such as workload, low level of autonomy, role conflict, role ambiguity, and leadership. In particular, the role of leadership as antecedent of bullying is a relatively recent research area, although Leymann - the pioneer in the study of bullying - has recognized its importance since the origins of research on the phenomenon. Despite the existence of a solid theoretical basis for the relationship between leadership and workplace bullying, almost all empirical studies conducted so far are based on a cross-sectional study design, thereby limiting the possibility to draw causal inferences. In addition, to date there is scarce evidence concerning the possible mechanisms (moderators and mediators) involved in the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and workplace bullying. Aims In light of the current state of the art in the research on workplace bullying, the aim of this thesis is twofold. The first objective is to investigate the relationship between some important characteristics of the psychosocial work, such as work pressure and lack of autonomy (Paper I) and poor quality of leadership (Paper II), and the occurrence of bullying at work. The second objective is to examine moderators and mediators of the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and workplace bullying and identify possible mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. In particular, my thesis examines sense of coherence - an individual feature - as a potential moderator (Paper I), and social community at work - a characteristic of the work environment - as a potential mediator (Paper II). Methods The thesis is based on the Workplace Bullying and Harassment Cohort (WBH). This cohort consists of 3,363 employees at baseline (2006) (Paper I and Paper II) and 1,664 employees at follow-up (2008) (Paper II). At baseline, the sample was composed mostly of female employees (67.2%); the mean age was 45.7 years (SD = 10.11) and the mean job seniority in the current workplace 11.1 years (SD = 10.1). Approximately two thirds of the sample were employed in public organizations such as hospitals (22%), high education (13.8%), the eldercare sector (8.6%), public administration and services (7.2%), public schools (4.3%), high schools (3.8%), etc.; approximately one third were employed in private workplaces such as transportation (11.6%), industries (10.8%), construction (3%), finance, and business service (2.3%) or as doctors, dentists, vets (2.5%) etc. Results In Paper I, based on a cross-sectional study design, hierarchical linear regressions revealed that the two dimensions of the job demand-control model, i.e. high work pressure and low decision latitude, are significantly associated with an increased presence of bullying at work. Moreover, a higher sense of coherence was found to significantly moderate the relationship between higher job demands and higher work-related bullying, and that between lower job control and higher person-related bullying. However, the effect size of these interactions was very low. This suggests that negative psychosocial conditions in the workplace are likely to be associated with bullying regardless of the personal characteristics of the targets, at least in terms of sense of coherence. In Paper II, based on a longitudinal study design, the results of hierarchical linear regressions showed that poor quality of leadership plays a significant role in the creation of conditions favouring bullying. Furthermore, the mediation analysis showed that social of community at work operates as a full mediator of the effect exerted by poor quality of leadership on workplace bullying. Conclusions/practical implications My first conclusion is that adverse psychosocial working conditions may lead to an increased risk of bullying at work. Paper I highlights in particular the importance of designing jobs so that workers are assigned reasonable workloads and an appropriate degree of autonomy in their work tasks. Paper II, confirming the role of poor quality of leadership in creating working conditions that favour bullying, indicates the importance of planning training programs for leaders so as to increase their awareness of how their behaviours may affect subordinates. In addition, the full mediation of social community at work in the relationship between poor quality of leadership and workplace bullying suggests that organizations should improve social relations at work in order to promote work environments with a low risk of workplace bullying. Originality of the study Paper I gives an original contribution to the existing literature on workplace bullying since there are no previous studies on the role of sense of coherence as a moderator of the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and bullying. Moreover, the methodological problem concerning the statistical vs practical value of the moderating effect has been rarely addressed and discussed in the literature. Paper II, based on a longitudinal study, gives a substantial new contribution by supporting, through the adoption of a robust design, previous cross-sectional studies on the important role played by leaders in the process of workplace bullying. Moreover, the finding that social community at work acts as full mediator of the relationship between quality of leadership and workplace bullying contributes significantly to the scientific debate over the poorly known mechanisms involved in the generation of bullying.

Bullying occurs to some extent in all schools. Study 1 investigated and screened for frequently bullied students in a randomly selected and stratified sample of Year 4 students in 29 primary schools using multiple informants and a comprehensive measure of bullying. Using self- and/or parent-report, 16.3% of students were identified as frequently bullied, defined as 'about once a week' or more. There were no sex differences in the proportion of students identified as frequently bullied, however, frequently bullied boys were more likely to experience physical bullying and having money or other things taken away or broken. Self- and parent-report revealed significantly more depressive and anxiety symptoms, somatic complaints, and lower peer self-concept and general self-worth in frequently bullied students. Furthermore, a greater proportion of frequently bullied students experienced clinical levels of depressive, anxiety and/or somatic symptoms. The results clearly highlight the need for interventions that reduce and prevent the distress of frequently bullied students. In taking a universal approach to bullying intervention, it is important that the needs of targeted groups are not overlooked. In Study 2, a group randomised controlled trial with follow-up investigated the impact of the first year of a universal whole-school bullying preventive intervention, Friendly Schools, on the psychological health of frequently bullied students aged 8-9 years. The program utilised the Health Promoting Schools (HPS) approach to facilitate implementation of classroom curriculum, whole-school policy and practice, and partnerships with parents.At post-intervention and 4-month follow-up the proportion of students who remained frequently bullied did not differ across the groups. Furthermore, there were no significant group differences on self-report victimisation frequency or self and parent-report health outcomes. A preventive effect was revealed however, when students were categorised to clinical and healthy subgroups on the basis of student report pre-intervention scores on the Children's Depression Inventory and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. A greater proportion of intervention students with low levels of depression and/or anxiety remained healthy at post-intervention, compared to control group children. However, this effect was not maintained at follow-up and the intervention did not reduce symptoms into a healthy range for frequently bullied children reporting high levels of symptomology at pre-intervention. Process evaluation revealed moderate to high levels of use and satisfaction with Friendly Schools by school staff, students and parents. These results suggest that the universal intervention protected students who were frequently bullied from developing clinical levels of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms in the short term. This is a positive finding given that a universal approach acknowledges the social context of bullying and is highly suitable to the school environment, offering economy, practicality and reduced stigmatisation of bullied students.However, the lack of maintenance of the result emphasises the need for an on-going, multi-year approach. Furthermore, to effectively meet the mental health needs of frequently bullied students already experiencing high levels of symptoms, levels of intervention beyond universal are required. Schools and related health services should address this finding in their planning and implementation of intervention aimed at addressing bullying and helping students victimised by their peers. To help achieve this, further research is required to determine effective targeted strategies that complement universal, whole-school action.

The present study aimed to investigate the cyber bullying and empathy relationship with respect to gender by utilizing the traditional bullying and empathy relationship. Additionally, the predictive role of traditional bullying, frequency use of information and communication tools, and adult monitoring of the Internet use on cyber bullying was examined. The sample consisted of 717 adolescents (411 females, 302 males) with a mean age of 16.83 (SD=1.46). Cyber Bullying Inventory (Erdur-Baker &
KavSut, 2007) was revised, Traditional Bullying Questionnaire was developed and Basic Empathy Scale (Jolliffe &
Farrington, 2006) was adapted into Turkish and utilized in the present study. Results of the study pointed that 55.2% of the adolescents reported to engage in traditional bullying and 47.6% of them reported to involve in cyber bullying. Males&rsquo
scores were higher than females&rsquo
for both traditional and cyber bullying. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that traditional bullying and frequent use of ICT predicted cyber bullying well. Finally, results of multiple regression analyses indicated that gender was a mediating factor in the negative relationship between empathy and bullying. In other words, females who have higher empathy scores reported to have less frequent traditional and cyber bullying experience. Males who have lower empathy levels reported to have more frequent traditional and cyber bullying experience. However, gender did not moderate the negative relationship between empathy and bullying. Findings were discussed in the light of the literature.