ATTITUDE AND EXPOSURE TO BULLYING OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

This investigated the students’ bully attitude and exposure to bullying. Specifically, it looked into the relationship between students’ bully attitude and exposure with respect to predetermined profile variables as age, sexual orientation, grade level, parents’ marital status, nuclear family size, types of residence, birth order, household size, parents’ occupation and parents’ educational background. The study was carried out employing a descriptive-correlation research design with 384 Grade 7 to Grade 10 student-respondents from the four (4) junior high schools in Tacloban City. Findings revealed that most of the respondents were 13 to 14 years old, females, Grade 7, middle born, with parents living together; with family size ranging from 4 – 6 members and whose parents have ownership of their house. Most of the respondents’ fathers were tertiary graduates and private-employees. However, most mothers were tertiary graduates but not employed. Junior high school students from Tacloban City Division have generally unfavorable attitude toward bullying. Their level of exposure to bullying as victims was moderate suggesting occasional experience of being bullied. As a bully, the exposure was high. Students’ bully attitudes were significantly associated to nuclear family size and to their parents’ educational attainment. Evidently, school bullying among junior high schools in the study area continues to persist notwithstanding the existing and implemented guidance program. Hence, a revisit on the implementing guidelines of the schools’ child protection and anti-bullying policy is suggested. Article visualizations: