Lived experience of adolescent boys with the moral disengagement mechanism and bullying: a grounded theory study

Abstract

Background: Bullying, as one of the unsolved problems in schools, leads to undesirable consequences. Effective factors associated with bullying, like moral disengagement, are crucial. However, no qualitative study has been conducted to build a model for moral disengagement and bullying. Aims: Identifying fundamental, procedural, and consequential factors of moral disengagement in bullying. Method: The study was qualitative, based on grounded theory. The statistical population included all male students of middle and high schools of the Abhar city. 17 students and a focus discussion group with the average age of 15.5 were selected through purposive sampling in the 2018-19 academic year. The method was semi-structured interviewing. Data analysis was performed using the Corbin and Straus methodology (2008) and the ATLAS.ti 8 software. Results: From initial 630 open codes, 19 secondary subjects and 7 main subjects were obtained. Results showed that the core category of beliefs and functional attitude to bullying are influenced by fundamental factors including determinant experiences, violent atmosphere, and bullying, and procedural factors including weak emotional perception, dysfunctional social perception, and externalization. Conclusions: Fundamental and procedural factors and related matters result in leveraging the moral disengagement mechanism and perpetrating bullying.

Keywords

• bullying
• moral disengagement
• adolescent boys