ABSTRACT
School bullying has detrimental consequences for its victims, including undermining students' educational outcomes. Furthermore, gender has been shown to play a significant role in determining the type of bullying victimization experienced and educational outcomes. This research examines whether an interaction between gender and bullying victimization exists as well as its impact on educational outcomes (i.e., academic self-efficacy and educational achievement). Multivariate regression analyses, drawing on the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, reveal that the interaction between gender and bullying victimization is linked to disparate educational outcomes. The findings and their implications are discussed regarding understanding the relationship between gender, bullying victimization, and education.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Bullying/psychology , Interpersonal Relations , Students/psychology , Adolescent , Analysis of Variance , Crime Victims/psychology , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Peer Group , Schools , Sex Factors , Students/statistics & numerical data , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Target suitability is a critical theoretical concept for opportunity theory. Previous research has primarily measured this concept using demographic characteristics of the study participant, which is problematic. This study corrects the measurement problem by employing bullying variables as alternative measures of target suitability because they are arguably better at capturing the social and psychological vulnerability of the individual that is attracting motivated offenders. Using three waves (1999, 2001, & 2003) of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) School Crime Supplement (SCS), this research explores the impact of the bullying measures along with demographic characteristics and lifestyle measures on the likelihood that a student will experience victimization in school. The findings suggest that the bullying measures are better predictors of victimization over the demographic characteristics and lifestyle measures for all three waves. The findings highlight the need for better measures of target suitability, which capture the social and psychological vulnerability of victims to explain victimization.
Subject(s)
Bullying/psychology , Interpersonal Relations , Juvenile Delinquency/statistics & numerical data , Models, Psychological , Peer Group , Students/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Crime Victims/psychology , Crime Victims/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Juvenile Delinquency/prevention & control , Juvenile Delinquency/psychology , Life Style , Male , Risk Factors , Schools/organization & administration , Students/psychology , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
This study explores the impact of school-based victimization on the adolescent's social bond. Previous research has provided empirical support for Hirschi's social control theory that the strength of the adolescent's social bond is associated with the probability that he or she will engage in criminal offending. However, research identifying what factors influence the strength of the adolescent's social bond is limited. In addition, research has established that school-based victimization is associated with numerous negative outcomes, including diminished educational outcomes and criminal offending. Therefore, it is plausible that school-based victimization undermines the adolescent's social bonds to school. Using a sample of 10th-grade students from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, HLM models were developed to explore the relationship between school-based victimization and the adolescent's social bond to school. The results suggest that school-based victimization has a negative association with three elements of the adolescent's social bond to school: attachment, commitment, and belief. This study demonstrates the need for further research to identify the determinants of the strength of the adolescent's social bond to school.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Crime Victims/psychology , Crime Victims/statistics & numerical data , Interpersonal Relations , Juvenile Delinquency/prevention & control , Social Conditions , Adolescent , Bullying/psychology , Female , Humans , Juvenile Delinquency/statistics & numerical data , Male , Peer Group , Risk Factors , Schools , Social Environment , Social Support , Students/psychology , Students/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
Routine activities theory has not fully considered the role of gender in shaping victimization and yet, the research literature clearly demonstrates that gender is associated with an individual's risk of victimization. In addition to the pervasive effect of gender on victimization, gender shapes an individual's daily routines and thus may create a gender-specific relationship with victimization. This article explores the importance of gender in understanding the relationship between student's participation in extracurricular routine activities (e.g., student government, clubs, sports, and etc.) and the risk of victimization. From the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, a sample of 10th-grade students was drawn for analyses. Hierarchical Generalized Linear Modeling was employed to explore the role of gender in the relationship between extracurricular routine activities and victimization at school. The results reveal that students' gender indeed interacts with several of the extracurricular routine activities creating gender-specific risks of victimization. This article highlights the importance of gender in explaining victimization and suggests researchers should consider how gender may interact with other routine activities and victimization.
