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Bullying and victimization of primary school children in England and Germany: Prevalence and school factors
Author(s) -
Wolke Dieter,
Woods Sarah,
Stanford Katherine,
Schulz Henrike
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1348/000712601162419
Subject(s) - psychology , ethnic group , german , injury prevention , suicide prevention , human factors and ergonomics , poison control , developmental psychology , demography , medicine , geography , environmental health , archaeology , sociology , anthropology
Differences in definitions and methodologies for assessing bullying in primary school children between countries have precluded direct comparisons of prevalence rates and school factors related to bullying. A total of 2377 children in England (6‐year‐olds/Year 2: 1072; 8‐year‐olds/Year 4: 1305) and 1538 in Germany (8‐year‐olds/Year 2) were questioned individually using an identical standard interview. In both countries the types of bullying to victimize others were similar: boys were most often perpetrators, most bullies were also victims (bully/victims), most bullying occurred in playgrounds and the classroom, and SES and ethnicity only showed weak associations with bullying behaviour. Major differences were found in victimization rates with 24% of English pupils becoming victims every week compared with only 8% in Germany. In contrast, fewer boys in England engaged every week in bullying (2.5–4.5%) than German boys (7.5%), while no differences were found between girls. In England, children in smaller classes were more often victimized. Further study of the group of bully/victims, schooling differences in England vs. Germany and implications for prevention of bullying are discussed.