Bullying in schools: prevalence, bystanders' reaction and associations with sex and relationships.

BACKGROUND: Bullying and peer victimization are the most pressing social problems affecting the wellbeing of children and adolescents. This study attempts to estimate the prevalence and examine the association of bystander's sex, her/his relationship with the victim and with the bully, and bystander's reaction to school bullying in East Gojjam Administrative Zone, Ethiopia. METHODS: This study followed an explanatory mixed-method study design. For the quantitative phase, 612 participants were selected using multistage cluster sampling techniques and for qualitative phase, 18 participants were selected using purposive sampling technique. We used self-reported questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to collect data from students attending grades 7, 8, 9, and 10. RESULTS: This study revealed that 55% of bystanders remained passive while 38% of them defended the victim upon witnessing bullying incidents. Pearson Chi-Square test for independence indicated a significant association between bystanders' relationship with the victim and/or bully, and bystanders' reaction. In contrast, sex has no significant association with bystanders' reaction. The semi-structured interview data also suggested that large number of bystanders most often stood by passively while some of them defended the victim. CONCLUSION: The practice of defending among students attending their education in governmental primary and secondary schools in East Gojjam Administrative Zone was low. Close social relationships (being close friends, relatives, and classmates) with the victim and bully were significantly associated with the practice of defending.

Mobile phone use intention while driving among public service vehicle drivers: Magnitude and its social and cognitive determinants.

Despite its risks for accident and illegality, little is known about the magnitude and associated social and cognitive factors that motivate drivers to use mobile phone while driving. The present study, guided by theory of planned behavior, aimed at describing the magnitude of mobile use while driving and examining the role of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and risk perceptions in predicting drivers' intentions to use mobile phone while driving. A total of 155 public service vehicle drivers, who were selected from Debre Markos Town and its vehicle terminal took part in the study. To select study participants, systematic random sampling technique was employed. The instrument used to collect data was self-report questionnaire. The results indicated that more than two-third (69%) of the participants used their mobile phone while driving over the past week. Hierarchical regression analysis displayed that perceived behavioral control, risk perception, and attitude were found to be the most significant social and cognitive predictors of public service vehicle drivers' intention to use mobile phone while driving, but not age and subjective norm variables. So as to reduce drivers' intention to use mobile phone while driving, intervention strategies should focus on enhancing their confidence to avoid this behavior; alerting drivers to the traffic control regulation and the dangers of using mobile phones while driving.