Motivation and Purpose
School bullying has adverse effects on students’ physical health and is closely related to criminal behavior in adulthood, which may pose a threat to society. Although bullying behavior peaks in elementary, secondary, and high school, studies focusing on bullying among ordinary students in senior high schools and vocational high schools are limited. Therefore, the present study investigated the prevalence of bullying among ordinary students in senior high schools and vocational high schools and the factors that contribute to their bullying behavior. The study elucidated the landscape of bullying among students in senior high schools and vocational high schools and the pathways leading to bullying behavior in these students. Specifically, the study explored whether experiences of bullying and being bullied increase the likelihood of subsequent bullying behavior. The research deviated from the convention of using qualitative interviews or a consultation-based approach in Taiwanese studies on the topic by employing a quantitative methodology. Moreover, this study investigated the impacts of bullying experiences and victimization experiences on bullying behaviors. The study applied routine activity theory (RAT) to analyze data collected from 2,171 students from senior high schools and vocational high schools to elucidate the pathways and effects associated with bullying behaviors.
Literature Review
The research findings revealed that demographic variables, such as gender, ethnicity, grade level, family socioeconomic status, and school features, as well as personal experiences of bullying and being bullied had an impact on bullying behavior. Additionally, three factors that contribute to bullying behavior were identified: family-related factors, including parenting style, family atmosphere, and family support; school-related factors, such as classroom atmosphere, teacher-student interactions, peer interactions, school responses to bullying, and academic performance; and physical and psychological factors, such as sports participation, self-identity, and empathy. These family-related factors, school-related factors, and physical and psychological factors were used as mediating variables in an analysis of the pathways leading to bullying among ordinary students.
Methodology
The mediating variables were measured using a questionnaire that was primarily developed with reference to the scales or studies of other scholars, with the items from several scales being modified and compiled. Before the official questionnaire was administered, a pilot test analysis involving 808 students from high schools and vocational high schools from areas outside the Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties was conducted. Inappropriate items were removed or modified on the basis of the pilot test results to ensure the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. Subsequently, a formal questionnaire survey was conducted with regular high school and vocational high school students in the Taoyuan and Hsinchu counties, with an effective sample size of 2,171 participants. This study aimed to elucidate the prevalence of campus bullying. Percentage and mean analyses and F tests were conducted on the background variables and bullying behaviors. Multiple regression analysis was performed on bullying behaviors to explore the influencing pathways. Additionally, the impact of experiences of bullying and being bullied on bullying behavior was examined.
Final Results
The study revealed three key findings. First, the regression analysis indicated that the explanatory power of the general students’ bullying behavior with respect to background was not high. However, when mediating variables such as school, physical and psychological factors, and experiences of bullying and being bullied were introduced, the explanatory power of the overall model for bullying behavior was considerably higher. Second, the study identified pathways through which independent variables influenced the dependent variable through mediating variables. For instance, male students exhibited a higher level of bullying than female students did, and the positive impact of gender on bullying among male students was both direct and indirect. The indirect effect was mediated by a higher number of experiences of bullying from classmates and stronger self-identity, with both of these factors contributing positively to bullying behaviors. In addition, the Han Chinese students exhibited lower levels of bullying than the Indigenous students did. The direct negative impact of being Han Chinese on bullying was also indirectly mediated by intermediate variables influencing bullying behavior; the Han Chinese students perceived lower levels of school responsiveness to bullying incidents, leading to higher levels of bullying. However, the Han Chinese students had lower self-identity, which led them to exhibit less bullying behavior than the Indigenous students did. Third, the study confirmed that experiences of bullying or being bullied among regular students increased the likelihood of engaging in bullying behavior.
Discussion and Recommendations
This study revealed that bullying by peers has a positive effect on subsequent bullying behavior, and a school’s response to bullying has a negative effect on bullying. According to RAT, experiencing more bullying from classmates leads individuals to develop an inclination to engage in bullying in their daily lives. This aligns with the general characteristics of aggressors of possessing both the ability and motivation to bully. In addition, the results revealed that students perceiving their school to effectively respond to bullying indicates inefficient monitoring by the school to curb bullying, that is, indicates a lack of supervision to prevent such incidents. The interplay of these two factors creates an environment that enables aggressors to exploit others. Characteristics such as vulnerability, unattractiveness, unpopularity, past experiences of rejection by peers, and a lack of friends make an individual susceptible to bullying. On the basis of these findings and drawing from the RAT framework, we offer two key recommendations for preventing bullying. First, schools can reduce bullying by implementing long-term, continual, antibullying advocacy activities in the school; strengthening campus safety monitoring systems; and developing comprehensive bullying prevention training programs. Second, opportunities for bullies to engage in such behavior can be reduced through interventions and counseling by experts and teachers, which can reduce the likelihood of bullying incidents. Additionally, victims can participate in social skills training programs organized by teachers.
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