Profiles of bullying, cyberbullying, and disinterest in reading among primary school learners in Spain

Abstract

The most prominent roles played by schoolchildren in bullying and cyberbullying situations are those of aggressors, victims, and bystanders. These roles are characterised by differences in the school environment and their achievements. This study aimed to analyse the differences between the roles of those directly involved in bullying and cyberbullying (aggressors, victims, and bystanders) by examining their attitudes and interest in reading. Participants were 326 primary schoolchildren in Murcia, Spain (M = 8.98, SD = 0.84), of whom 53.1% were girls. A multimodal questionnaire on school interaction was used with an instrument on attitudes and reading interests. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted and showed three profiles: a) low levels of aggressiveness and victimisation, b) high indices of aggressiveness, and c) high indices of victimisation. The results revealed differences in attitudes toward and interest in reading among the various profiles. The findings of the study can help customise educational programs by providing bullying and cyberbullying intervention and prevention methods based on the roles of victims, aggressors, and bystanders and their attitudes toward and interests in reading.

Keywords

• bullying
• cyberbullying
• reading attitudes
• reading interest
• primary school students