Does portuguese middle school transition influence students´involvement in bullying?

Abstract

In last few decades, bullying has been considered a widespread transcultural problem across schools around the world. This phenomenon has a strong negative effect upon school climate and students’ well-being. In the present study we have employed a longitudinal approach, with assessment throughout two consecutive school years to analyze if middle school transition (which, in Portugal, takes place one or two years earlier than in previous published studies) influences bullying and victimization prevalence and behaviors, as well as fear of being bullied. The study also analyzes if boys and girls are equally affected by the transition. Results indicate that, after middle school transition, 5th grade students report a higher prevalence of victimization, higher levels of victimization and bullying behaviors, as well as higher levels of fear of being bullied than before the transition (i.e., 4th grade). The results also indicate that only boys report more often being bullies after the transition. Thus, it is possible to conclude that middle school transition in Portugal is accompanied by an increase in bullying victimization and perpetration, particularly for boys. Therefore, the earlier timing of middle school transition in Portugal seems to enhance its negative effective upon bullying prevalence.

Keywords

• bullying
• vitimização
• transição escolar
• diferenças de género international