Sex Differences in Traditional School Bullying Perpetration and Victimization among Adolescents: A Chain-Mediating Effect

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 3;19(15):9525. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19159525.

Abstract

The study explored sex differences in traditional school bullying perpetration and victimization among Chinese adolescents and the effects of Machiavellianism and school climate. Data were collected from 727 adolescents (M = 16.8 years, SD = 0.9) who completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, Kiddie Machiavellian Scale, and School Climate Perception Questionnaire. Results showed: (1) boys were more likely to bully others and be bullied; (2) both Machiavellianism and school climate partially mediated sex differences in school bullying perpetration and victimization; (3) the chain-mediating effect of Machiavellianism and school climate on sex differences in bullying perpetration and victimization was significant. These results provide insight into the sex differences in Chinese traditional school bullying perpetration and victimization. The implications are interpreted and discussed.

Keywords: Machiavellianism; adolescents; bullying perpetration; bullying victimization; school climate; sex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bullying*
  • Crime Victims*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Schools
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This work was supported by 2020 Western Region/Local Cooperation Project of the China Scholarship Council (CSC) [Granted Number: 202008410388], Henan postdoctoral research start-up project [grant number: 58], Henan Philosophy and Social Science Foundation [grant number: 2019CJY038], Cultivation plan of excellent young scientific research team in Humanities and social sciences of Zhengzhou University [grant number: 6], and 2020 Zhengzhou University College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program Project [grant number: 2020cxcy725]. But the funding sources had no involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, and in the decision to submit the article for publication.