Being bullied at school: the case of high-achieving boys

The Machiavellian bully revisited: A closer look at differences and processes of Machiavellian bullying and cyberbullying perpetration

Numerous studies on personality traits conducive to traditional bullying and cyberbullying mentioned Machiavellianism as an influential predictor of these behaviors. Machiavellianism comprises manipulative, egotistic orientations that help acquire desired outcomes. However, it is questionable whether bullying and cyberbullying reflect unidimensional constructs since they are frequently categorized into verbal, relational, and physical aspects (with the latter being applicable only in traditional bullying). Similarly, evidence suggests that Machiavellianism is not a uniform trait. In this research, using a sample of 634 students (339 girls; 54%) from 40 classes from eighth to tenth grades, a five-dimensional measure of bullying and cyberbullying was devised and suggested that aspects of (cyber)bullying are related but still separable. Subsequently, differential relations between the five forms of (cyber)bullying and two facets of Machiavellianism were modeled. Those facets were Machiavellian approach (i.e., manipulative aspects of Machiavellianism) and Machiavellian avoidance (i.e., distrustful aspects of Machiavellianism). Multilevel models revealed that Machiavellian approach predicted relational bullying (but not relational cyberbullying) and Machiavellian avoidance predicted verbal (cyber)bullying and physical bullying. All links were mediated by overt dehumanization, that is, the tendency to cognitively deprive a person of typically human characteristics.

Influence of motivation on the perception of mathematics by secondary school students

Motivation, the teacher-student relationship, the use of resources, and the time spent studying, in addition to the family economic and social context, are some of the factors that affect academic performance and directly influence student failure. This paper evaluates the motivation in mathematics students' performances by analyzing indicators of the mathematics learning dimensions. A total of 2,018 secondary students were evaluated in this cross-sectional study. Motivation, teaching, resources, and study time were analyzed with a validated 20-item questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed that student motivation appears to be significantly related to perceptions of teaching practices and the use of resources for study. Students with high motivation have positive perceptions of teaching practices. Gender differences were not observed. In addition, the motivation indicator allowed for grouping students into various motivational profiles.

"I Gave Up Football and I Had No Intention of Ever Going Back": Retrospective Experiences of Victims of Bullying in Youth Sport

Bullying is a global issue that, beyond school, is present in different social contexts, such as sport environments. The main objective of this study was to get to know the experiences of victims of bullying in sport throughout their youth sport training. Semi-structured interviews to four Spanish women and seven Spanish men were carried out, within an age range of 17–27 (M_age = 21 years, SD = 3.69). The following main themes were established by means of a hierarchical content analysis: (a) “bullying characterization,” (b) “dealing with bullying,” and (c) “consequences of bullying.” The results show the presence of physical, verbal and social bullying in the sport context, with the changing room being the space where this type of behavior is most frequently developed. Most victims show an internal attribution (self-blame) for the bullying event, related to their motor skills and their personal physical and psychological characteristics. Double victimization can be observed, at the sport club and at the educational center. Passive strategies are used to deal with the situation, while little support is shown by sport agents (teammates and coaches). The victims, as a consequence of the bullying experience, suffer from short and long-term negative effects on a psychosocial level. The study highlights the necessity to design and implement programs focused on the prevention, detection and intervention of bullying for sport organizations, bearing in mind all the agents that make them up (coaches, management teams, families, and players). Furthermore, the importance of promoting the creation of safe sport environments, free from any kind of violence, is emphasized.

Wer ist leistungsstark? Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke in der empirischen Bildungsforschung seit dem Jahr 2000

Zusammenfassung. Leistungsstarke Kinder und Jugendliche sind in den letzten Jahren zunehmend in den Fokus der Bildungspolitik und der Bildungsforschung gerückt. Allerdings gibt es in der Forschung bislang kein geteiltes Verständnis darüber, was genau unter akademischer Leistungsstärke zu verstehen ist. Die vorliegende Arbeit gibt einen systematischen Überblick darüber, wie Forschende, die seit dem Jahr 2000 die Gruppe der leistungsstarken Schülerinnen und Schüler erforschten, Leistungsstärke in ihren Studien operationalisiert haben. Dabei wurde insbesondere untersucht, welche Leistungsindikatoren genutzt wurden, ob ein spezifischer Fachbezug hergestellt wurde und welche Cut-off-Werte und Vergleichsmaßstäbe angelegt wurden. Die systematische Datenbanksuche lieferte insgesamt N = 309 Artikel, von denen n = 55 die Einschlusskriterien erfüllten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass eine große Vielfalt in der Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke vorliegt. Die meistgenutzten Leistungsindikatoren waren Noten und Testwerte, wobei fächerübergreifende und fachspezifische Definitionen beide häufig waren. Die Cut-off-Werte der Studien waren zum Teil schwierig vergleichbar, aber dort, wo ein Populationsbezug hergestellt werden konnte, lag der Median des Populationsanteils Leistungsstarker bei 10 Prozent. Die Studie diskutiert methodische und inhaltliche Rahmenbedingungen, welche sich auf die Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke und ihre Vergleichbarkeit über Studien hinweg auswirken. Die vorliegende Arbeit schließt mit Empfehlungen zur Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke.

Wer ist leistungsstark? Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke in der empirischen Bildungsforschung seit dem Jahr 2000

Zusammenfassung. Leistungsstarke Kinder und Jugendliche sind in den letzten Jahren zunehmend in den Fokus der Bildungspolitik und der Bildungsforschung gerückt. Allerdings gibt es in der Forschung bislang kein geteiltes Verständnis darüber, was genau unter akademischer Leistungsstärke zu verstehen ist. Die vorliegende Arbeit gibt einen systematischen Überblick darüber, wie Forschende, die seit dem Jahr 2000 die Gruppe der leistungsstarken Schülerinnen und Schüler erforschten, Leistungsstärke in ihren Studien operationalisiert haben. Dabei wurde insbesondere untersucht, welche Leistungsindikatoren genutzt wurden, ob ein spezifischer Fachbezug hergestellt wurde und welche Cut-off-Werte und Vergleichsmaßstäbe angelegt wurden. Die systematische Datenbanksuche lieferte insgesamt N = 309 Artikel, von denen n = 55 die Einschlusskriterien erfüllten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass eine große Vielfalt in der Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke vorliegt. Die meistgenutzten Leistungsindikatoren waren Noten und Testwerte, wobei fächerübergreifende und fachspezifische Definitionen beide häufig waren. Die Cut-off-Werte der Studien waren zum Teil schwierig vergleichbar, aber dort, wo ein Populationsbezug hergestellt werden konnte, lag der Median des Populationsanteils Leistungsstarker bei 10 Prozent. Die Studie diskutiert methodische und inhaltliche Rahmenbedingungen, welche sich auf die Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke und ihre Vergleichbarkeit über Studien hinweg auswirken. Die vorliegende Arbeit schließt mit Empfehlungen zur Operationalisierung von Leistungsstärke.

"Developing Capabilities". Inclusive Extracurricular Enrichment Programs to Improve the Well-Being of Gifted Adolescents

The educational inclusion of gifted students requires not only equity but also emotional accessibility and social participation. However, different studies indicate that gifted students constitute a vulnerable group (for example, the incidence of bullying is higher). Psychosocial variables are determinants for the development and expression of giftedness, particularly during adolescence. This study analyzes the impact of an inclusive extracurricular enrichment program for gifted secondary school students on the well-being of adolescents. The program was based on the enrichment model of Renzulli and Reis (2016). The objective was to develop a cluster to facilitate high-achieving learning in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors from their schools as well as university professors and students that would address their emotions and socialization across the board and benefit or involve their peers in their regular classrooms. The intervention took place over two years: eight sessions, one afternoon per week, for five months during each school year. The sample consisted of 47 students from the first and second years of compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria - ESO) (age, mean (M) = 12.57, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) during the first year and 27 students from the first, second, and third years of ESO (age, M = 13.48, SD = 0.94) during the second year; 61.4% were girls. Participants completed a questionnaire before (T1) and (T3) and after (T2) and (T4) each intervention. The results show better outcomes for psychological and subjective well-being, more positive moods, and a significant reduction in school fears. The results from this study indicate the importance of educational screening and support for gifted students to promote their well-being through collaborative enrichment activities.