Low Self-control and School Bullying: Testing the GTC in Nigerian Sample of Middle School Students.

Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime's (GTC) claim to explain crime, at all times, and in all places, has received considerable empirical support using Western, Scandinavian, and Asian samples. However, the theory is yet to be tested using a Nigerian sample. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 1,192 junior secondary school (middle school) students in Nigeria, this study examines the explanatory power of Gottfredson and Hirschi's GTC in predicting bullying perpetration and victimization in that context and culture. Binomial logistic regression was used to test the hypothesis that the bullying perpetration and victimization experiences of these students would be negatively related to self-control. Study provides support for the cross-cultural potency of the GTC as low self-control predicted the bullying and victimization experiences of these students regardless of gender. Students' perception of a negative school environment was also a significant predictor of bullying. This is the first test of the GTC with a Nigerian sample and hopefully, will be a springboard for effective bullying prevention policy/programs in Nigerian schools. The public policy implications of the findings are discussed.

Prevalence and Correlates of Bullying Behavior Among Nigerian Middle School Students.

School bullying has received considerable criminological, psychological, educational, and governmental attention. However, much of the attention is focused on bullying in western, Asian, and Scandinavian countries. There appears to be scant, if any, attention paid to this problem on the African continent. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 1,192 junior secondary school (middle school) students in Nigeria, this study examines the prevalence and correlates of bullying in this sample of secondary school students in Nigeria. Bullying prevalence rate in this sample was 59.9%. The study finds that males were more likely to bully than females, and the most prevalent form of bullying behavior for both genders was making fun of someone. Correlates for bullying perpetration were association with delinquent friends, negative school climate, attending a private school, and ethnicity.