Bullying Perpetration, Victimization, and Demographic Differences in College Students: A Review of the Literature

Prevalence of cyberbullying involvement and its association with clinical correlates among Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Cyberbullying refers to a modern form of bullying that could be practiced electronically or on the Internet. This study conducted a cross-sectional survey to explore different types of cyberbullying involvement (CI) and the associations of CI with demographic characteristics and mental health problems among Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total sample of 18,578 Chinese college students were recruited (68.1 % female, mean age = 20.07 years) from October 17 to 29, 2023. All participants completed self-reported web-based questionnaires on demographic characteristics, CI, sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

RESULTS

More than a quarter of participants (27.5 %) have been involved in cyberbullying: specifically speaking, 10.1 % cybervictims, 4.7 % cyberbullies, and 12.7 % both (cyberbully-victims). Males, younger age, left-behind experiences, individuals with poorer family economic status, adolescents with chronic physical illness, and those with family history of mental disorders are more likely to experience CI. Unlike participants without CI, cybervictims and cyberbully-victims reported a higher risk of sleep disturbance, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Cyberbullies also have a higher rate of sleep disturbance and depression than their peers who are not involved in cyberbullying.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that CI is widespread among Chinese college students, and CI is associated with the high reported rates of a series of psychopathology. This study highlights the significance of implementing anti-cyberbullying interventions specifically targeted at college students. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of monitoring changes in students' mental health status throughout the intervention process.

Longitudinal relations between bullying victimization and aggression: The multiple mediation effects of anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts

Bullying victimization is widely accepted to be associated with aggression. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unknown. To examine the long-term impact of bullying victimization on aggression, the present study tested the potential mediating effects of both anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts. A total of 809 undergraduates from four universities across China (74.80% female; Mage = 19.63 years, SD = 0.82 years) completed the survey on three occasions, with a 6-month delay between Time 1 and Time 2 and a 1-year interval between Time 2 and Time 3. A cross-lagged model of anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts was developed to test whether they predicted one another, and two structural models were constructed to test their mediating roles in bullying victimization and aggression. Findings indicated that anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts are mutually predictable; the correlation between bullying victimization and aggression is mediated independently by anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts, and the chain mediation of bullying victimization predicting aggression first through anger rumination and then through hostile automatic thinking was established. In addition, an alternative mediation model is also significant, with hostile automatic thoughts as the primary mediator and anger rumination as the secondary mediator. These results highlight the significance of anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts in the long-term effects of bullying victimization on aggression. Interventions designed to reduce undergraduate students' anger rumination and hostile automatic thoughts may help reduce their aggression.

Association of child maltreatment and school bullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of peer relationships

BACKGROUND

School bullying, a serious problem for the physical and mental health of adolescents, is presently a significant issue in China. It is essential to recognize and comprehend potential risk factors and establish efficient preventive strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between childhood maltreatment and school bullying in adolescents and to assess the mediating role of peer relationships.

METHODS

Between March and April 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2119 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years in Guangdong Province, China. Self-report questionnaires were employed to collect data on childhood maltreatment, school bullying, and peer relationships. Subgroup analyses and mediating effects modeling were employed to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The results indicated that adolescents who had experienced maltreatment were more at risk of bullying victimization (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.34-3.64, P < 0.001), bullying perpetration (OR: 2.84, 95% CI: 1.99-4.05, P < 0.001), and bully-victimization (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.95-4.41, P < 0.001), compared to adolescents who have not. Sexual abuse showed the most significant connection with all forms of bullying. The mediating effect of peer relationships was found to mediate the association between child maltreatment and bullying behaviour. The results indicated that worse peer relationships may exacerbate the adverse effects of maltreatment experiences and increase the risk of adolescents becoming bullies, either perpetrators or victims of bullying.

CONCLUSIONS

Child maltreatment has been identified as one of the most significant influences on bullying behaviour in adolescents. The quality of peer relationships has been demonstrated to play an important role in preventing and reducing the occurrence of bullying. The results underscore the crucial role of early intervention in cases of child maltreatment and the fostering of positive peer relationships in schools.

Bullying and self-harming behavior in universities - A cross-sectional study of a sample of 327 university students

INTRODUCTION

Bullying is a widespread public health issue, found in different contexts (e.g. schools, universities, workplaces, families), and it has negative consequences on both the perpetrator and the victim. There is a lack of studies addressing bullying among university students in Arab countries and more specifically in Lebanon. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of bullying among a sample of university students in Lebanon, its forms, and associated factors.

METHODS

The study consists of a cross-sectional online survey addressed to university students in Lebanon that evaluates sociodemographic data, presence and type of bullying, history of bullying during childhood, adverse childhood experiences, daily life functioning, and mental health status (reported psychiatric disorders, substance use, self-harming behaviors, and suicidal attempts). Chi-Square and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the results between victims of bullying and the rest of the sample.

RESULTS

Three hundred and twenty-seven university students participated in this study. The prevalence of bullying was 14.1%. The main forms of reported bullying were verbal (58.7%) and social bullying (65.2%). The main associated factors were being a witness of bullying at university (84.8% vs. 56.2% - P<.001) and history of cyberbullying (13% vs. 4.6% - P=.024). Among students who reported current bullying, 28.3% had a psychiatric diagnosis, 19.6% reported substance use, 15.2% had self-harming behaviors, and 8.7% had suicide attempts. Victims of bullying in the university reported a significant negative impact on their daily lives (lack of interest in daily activities, academic decline) (83.7%) and mental health concerns (psychiatric disorders, substance use, suicide attempts) (88.4%).

CONCLUSION

Even though bullying is an event less experienced in university than in school, it is nevertheless still present with potential negative impact on the victims. Bullying in a university setting is a public health issue that could benefit from more studies as well as prevention and intervention programs.

Relationships between school harassment and problematic drinking in a college sample: Is need for approval a moderator?

Objectives: Examines whether a personality characteristic, need for approval, moderates the relationship between harassment exposure and alcohol misuse over time in a college sample, and compare the results between genders. Participants: Six waves of data (fall 2011 to fall 2015) were collected from 1,240 study participants sampled from eight colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States. Methods: Two-level mixed modeling was conducted separately for exposure to sexual and generalized harassment and modeled separately for women and men. Results: In men only, need for approval significantly moderated the relationship between generalized harassment and binge drinking over time, where a higher need for approval put male students at increased risk. Conclusions: Harassment is a risk factor contributing to high levels of drinking among college students. School counseling centers and mental health professionals should take this factor into consideration, as well as individual personality characteristics when addressing student health and wellness.

Sibling bullying reported by emerging adults: Profiling the prevalence, roles, and forms in a cross-country investigation

Prevalence estimates of sibling bullying indicate it occurs more frequently and with more negative consequences than peer bullying, yet many countries do not track or investigate the phenomenon. University students from Argentina, Estonia, and the United States were surveyed to investigate their retrospective experiences involving sibling bullying, how often it occurred, the roles held, and the forms communicated. In the aggregated data, roughly 50 % of the sampled emerging adults (N = 3477) reported experience with sibling bullying, with the dual role of bully-victim being the most frequently reported role held by males and females, with the second role being bully for males and victim for females. Verbal forms of bullying were most frequently reported by males and females, with physical, relational, and technological forms occurring less frequently, indicating the importance of studying the messages conveyed during bullying incidents. Variations between biological sex, bullying role and form were detected that indicate siblings experience bullying in ways that are unique from peer bullying. Country comparisons revealed bullying frequencies varied among males and females, suggesting sibling bullying experiences are likely to be culturally influenced. More research is warranted to examine the negative impact bullying has on sibling psycho-social development and the potential transfer to non-familial relationships and contexts. Discussion of these findings and the implications for academics and practitioners alike is provided.

Negative Affect, Harassment and Problematic Alcohol Use in Young Adults

Background: While research suggests that both negative affect and alcohol use are impacted by exposure to harassment (i.e., sexual harassment, generalized harassment or bullying), less is known about the effect of harassment on negative affect subsequently leading to alcohol consumption, particularly in young adults. We examined the mediating role of negative affect on the relationships between sexual and generalized harassment at school and alcohol misuse. Methods: Participants were 2899 incoming freshmen in fall of 2011 who completed a Web-based survey assessing demographics (T0), sexual and generalized harassment at school (T0-T2), negative affect (T3), and problems associated with drinking, binge drinking, and drinking to intoxication (T0, T4, T5). Separate hybrid path models were fitted in Mplus v.8.8 for generalized harassment and sexual harassment and each outcome. Results: Mediation analyses showed a small but significant indirect effect for the sexual harassment model (beta = 0.05, S.E. = 0.01, p < 0.001) and generalized harassment (beta = 0.03, S.E. = 0.01, p < 0.01), indicating that negative affect partially mediated the associations between harassment early in students' college experience and later problems associated with drinking. No significant indirect effects were found for the binge drinking or intoxication models. Conclusions: High levels of negative affect associated with harassment may contribute to longer term impact on problematic use of alcohol in young adults, providing evidence that the effects of harassment on drinking may partly stem from harassment's lingering effects on negative affective pathways.

Prevalence of bullying and its impact on self-esteem, anxiety and depression among medical and health sciences university students in RAS Al Khaimah, UAE

Bullying and peer victimization among medical and health sciences students is a public health issue. This is owing to its detrimental impact and greater risk of psychiatric diseases and psychopathology in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. As a result, a descriptive cross-sectional research study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of bullying and its influence on self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among medical and health sciences university students in RAS Al- Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Approximately 369 students from MBBS, BDS, B Pharm, and BSN colleges were selected. The instruments included sociodemographic questions, bullying queries, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Primary Care Anxiety and Depression Scale. Participants averaged 21.49 ± 2.95. 34.1 % of medical students were bullied. 44.4 % of individuals were called insulting names, making verbal bullying the most common method. The linear regression analysis of bullying data shows that girls (53.2 %) are bullied more than boys (46.8 %). Bullied individuals had a mean score of 43.30 ± 19.74, indicating a higher rate of depression and anxiety. Bullied students had a mean score of 44.62 ± 9.94, indicating lower self-esteem. Significant differences were observed in relation to bullying when considering the variables of the university year, mother's education, and previous experience of bullying (P = 0.002, 0.038, 0.001). It is imperative that universities establish comprehensive protocols to identify instances of such behaviour and provide necessary assistance to victims and their families.

The Victim-Offender Overlap in Technology-Facilitated Abuse: Nationally Representative Findings Among U.S. Young Adults

There has been limited examination of the phenomenon of the victim-offender overlap in the field of technology-facilitated abuse (TFA). To design effective strategies to prevent TFA, it is important to understand which individuals are most at risk of victimization, perpetration, and to what extent a subset of people both experience victimization and engage in perpetration. This study drew on Cyber-Abuse Research Initiative (CARI) data, a nationally representative U.S. sample of adults ages 18-35. TFA measurement consisted of parallel scales for victimization and perpetration, each with 27 items assessing forms of technology-facilitated surveillance, monitoring/tracking, interference/communications, reputational harm, controlling/limiting access, and fraud. A bivariate probit of TFA perpetration and TFA victimization, as separate outcomes, was fit to allow for joint estimation of regression coefficients and robust standard errors. Analyses confirmed that TFA, similar to other forms of interpersonal aggression, is characterized by a substantial victim-offender overlap, with 30 percent of the sample reporting involvement both as a victim and as a perpetrator. Internet/social media use and social isolation did not distinguish victimization and perpetration. However, positive and negative affect as well as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Asexual, or other sexual orientation (LGBQA+) were positively correlated with victimization, whereas female gender and having postsecondary education were positively associated with perpetration. These results may be used to design interventions and anticipate service needs. TFA, as a new topic of research, should capitalize on the theoretical and empirical article related to other forms of the victim-offender overlap.

Effects of Bullying on Anxiety, Depression, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Sexual Minority Youths: Network Analysis

BACKGROUND

Bullying victimization is highly prevalent among sexual minority youths, particularly in educational settings, negatively affecting their mental health. However, previous studies have scarcely explored the symptomatic relationships among anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among sexual minority youths who experienced bullying on college campuses.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of our study were to (1) characterize the anxiety-depression-PTSD network structures of gay or lesbian, bisexuals, and other sexual minority youths previously bullied on college campuses; and (2) compare symptomatic associations in the anxiety-depression-PTSD networks among bullied sexual minority youths and heterosexual youths' groups.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study recruited college participants from Jilin Province, China. Data were analyzed using a subset of the data extracted after screening for sexual orientation and history of bullying victimization. Sexual minority youths were then divided into 3 subgroups: gay or lesbian (homosexual), bisexual, and other. Mental health symptom severity was assessed using scales: the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale measuring anxiety, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire measuring depression, and the 10-item Trauma Screening Questionnaire measuring PTSD symptoms. Combining the undirected and Bayesian network analyses, the anxiety-depression-PTSD networks were compared among sexual minority youths subgroups, and the difference between heterosexual youths and sexual minority youths was investigated. Chi-square tests were used to compare the difference in categorical variables, while independent-sample t tests were run on continuous variables.

RESULTS

In this large-scale sample of 89,342 participants, 12,249 identified as sexual minority youths, of which 1603 (13.1%, 95% CI 12.5%-13.7%) reported being bullied on college campuses in the past year. According to the expected influence (EI) and bridge expected influence (bEI) index, in the global network structure of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, sad mood (EI=1.078, bEI=0.635) and irritability (EI=1.077, bEI=0.954) were identified as central and bridge symptoms; emotional cue reactivity (EI=1.015) was a central symptom of PTSD in this global network. In the anxiety-depression-PTSD Bayesian network, anhedonia had the highest prediction priority for activating other symptoms; and feeling afraid linked symptoms from anxiety to the PTSD community. Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, sexual minority youths exhibited a stronger association between difficulty concentrating and appetite. The "sad mood-appetite" edge was strongest in the gay or lesbian network; the "irritability-exaggerated startle response" edge was strongest in the bisexual network.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time, this study identified the most central and bridge symptoms (sad mood and irritability) within the depression-anxiety-PTSD network of sexual minority youths with past bullying-victim experiences on college campuses. Emotional cue reactivity, anhedonia, and feeling afraid were other vital symptoms in the comorbid network. Symptomatic relationships existed showing heterogeneity in bullied heterosexual youths and sexual minority youth networks, which also was present within the sexual minority youth subgroups. Consequently, refined targeted interventions are required to relieve anxiety, depression, and PTSD symptoms.

Violence Against LGBTIQ+ People at Universities: The Need to Uncover a Silent Reality

Violence against LGBT community can manifest in different forms and exists in all spheres of society, including education. The main purpose of this article is to deepen the understanding of the state of the art about violence grounded in sexual orientation or gender identity in higher education in order to identify gaps for further research. The topic of this state-of-the-art literature review is the presence and magnitude of these forms of violence in the Spanish higher education system. For this reason, the inclusion criteria were empirical studies about the prevalence of violence against LGBTIQ+ individuals in the Spanish educational system. After analyzing the 25 articles that met the inclusion criteria, the main findings point that despite the existence of numerous international studies of the presence of violence against LGBTIQ+ people at colleges, little is known about this reality in Spain. The Spanish university system continues to remain hermetic, and violence against LGBTIQ+ people is silenced and hidden. Practice, policy and research implications of the findings are discussed in this article, highlighting the need of further research in this field. In this context, the research project Uni4Freedom, addresses this social and educational problem to contribute to the creation of safer universities for the LGBTIQ+ community and people who support them.

Moderating role of mental health literacy on the relationship between bullying victimization during the life course and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Exposure to persistent bullying victimization across multiple periods results in a high risk of worse consequences. Although amples studies support the association between bullying victimization and symptoms of anxiety and depression, whether mental health literacy can serve as a moderator on this relationship remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the patterns of bullying victimization across the life course, and disentangle the moderating effect of mental health literacy between bullying victimization patterns and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 4036 college students were enrolled by cluster sampling from November 2020 to January 2021. Bullying victimization, mental health literacy, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured by self-report validated questionnaires. A latent class analysis was applied to identify bullying patterns. The PROCESS program was conducted to analyze whether mental health literacy moderates the link between bullying victimization patterns and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Three latent patterns of bullying victimization were identified as follows: persistent bullying pattern (6.2%), moderate bullying pattern (10.5%), and low bullying pattern (83.3%). Logisitic regression analysis of anxiety and depressive symptoms indicated that compared with low bullying pattern, persistent bullying pattern had the highest risk. Specifically, mental health literacy moderated the association between bullying victimization pattern and anxiety symptoms (B = -0.039, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It is important for practitioners to examine bullying victimization across the life course concurrently rather than a single period in isolation. Interventions and research should enhance mental health literacy to improve the mental health in college students with a history of bullying victimization.

Perceived Moral Norms in an Extended Theory of Planned Behavior in Predicting University Students' Bystander Intentions toward Relational Bullying

Relational forms of bullying, such as social exclusion, are prevalent among students in higher education (HE) and pose challenges to the creation of a safe and inclusive learning environment for young adults. Based on research showing how bystanders in bullying incidents can counteract bullying effectively, the present study investigated the extent to which bystanders' prosocial behavioral intentions may be predicted using an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB). Students' behavioral intentions toward the physical-social exclusion of peers in a hypothetical group work setting were investigated in a sample of 419 university students in the United Kingdom. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that moral norms significantly predicted intention over and above cognitive attitude, descriptive norms, and perceived behavioral control. In contrast, emotional attitudes and injunctive norms were not significant predictors of intention. Moreover, significant weak mediation effects could be shown for moral norms as a mediator of the relationships between standard TPB predictors and intention. The present study contributes knowledge to the growing research body on applications of the TPB and on bystander intentions in bullying in HE. Implications for a development in preventive measures to foster university students' prosocial intentions toward bullying are discussed.

Substance use and victimization experiences among college students in Spain

OBJECTIVE

We examined relationships between different types and patterns of substance use and victimization experiences.

PARTICIPANTS

College students from two universities in Spain completed an online, cross-sectional survey.

METHOD

A series of tetrachoric correlations were estimated to examine the bivariate associations between different types of substances and victimization experiences. Regression analyses then examined relationships between patterns of substance use (non-users, mono-users, and poly-users), and victimization.

RESULTS

Slightly over half (57.7%) of students reported any form of victimization during the previous year, and most students (87.0%) reported using substances during the last three months. Polysubstance users were more likely than non-users to experience any victimization, as well as multiple forms of victimization.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the importance of differentiating types and patterns of substance use when developing prevention and intervention programs. Implementing intervention strategies that target polysubstance users and decrease substance use could reduce rates of victimization among college students.

Cyberbullying among college students in a Chinese population: Prevalence and associated clinical correlates

Objectives

Cyberbullying is quite common in adolescents and college students, and it influences mental health in many aspects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of cyberbullying in Chinese college students and to look for related factors.

Methods

Eight thousand and ninety-eight college students aged 17-26 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. We collected information of their sociodemographic data, depression (evaluated by Self-Rating Depression Scale), anxiety (evaluated by Self-Rating Anxiety Scale), lifetime suicidal behaviors (including suicidal ideation, suicidal plans, and suicide attempts), and experiences of cyberbullying for the past 12 months by online questionnaires.

Results

The prevalence of cyberbullying for the past 12 months was 7.82% (633/8,098) among college students. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that sex (odds ratio, OR = 0.522, 95%CI = 0.433-0.629, p < 0.001), suicide attempts (OR = 2.164, 95%CI = 1.589-2.948, p < 0.001), depression (OR = 2.372, 95%CI = 1.602-3.512, p < 0.001), and anxiety (OR = 1.911, 95%CI = 1.305-2.800, p = 0.001) were independently associated with cyberbullying.

Conclusion

Cyberbullying is very common among college students in Hunan Province, China. Besides, being male, suicide attempts, depression and anxiety were independently associated with cyberbullying, which highlights the importance of paying attention to cyberbullying and addressing anxiety, depression, and suicidal behaviors among college students to better improve their mental health and prevent suicide.

The Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and Cyber Aggression Among College Students: The Mediating Effects of Relative Deprivation and Depression

Introduction

Based on the general aggression model, the present study aims to examine the relationship between bullying victimization and cyber aggression as well as the mediating effects of perceived relative deprivation and depression on this relationship.

Methods

The present study employed a 3-wave longitudinal method featuring 6-month intervals to investigate 795 Chinese college students (476 female; M _age = 19.67). Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the relationships among bullying victimization, perceived relative deprivation, depression and cyber aggression.

Results

The results suggested that bullying victimization positively and significantly predicts cyber aggression in college students and that both perceived relative deprivation and depression play positive mediating roles in this relationship. Moreover, bullying victimization affects cyber aggression via the chain mediating roles of perceived relative deprivation and depression.

Discussion

This study offers valuable insight into ways of considering perceived relative deprivation and depression in the context of prevention and intervention strategies to help attenuate cyber aggression among victims of bullying.

Association of Cyberbullying and Internet Use Disorder

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to critically assess the published studies on the relationship between cyberbullying and internet use disorder (IUD), and propose directions for further study.

Recent Findings

There were only four prospective studies out of thirty-two reviewed studies conducted since 2004, with only one prospective study conducted during the past 5 years. The field of study has been stagnant during the past 5 years with the vast majority of studies conducted on primary or secondary education and failing to address cyberbullying and IUD in social media and online gaming.

Summary

Cyberbullying and IUD have been described since the nineties, yet there are still significant issues with their definition and research. Lately, both these problematic behaviors are sharing the same environments in social media and online gaming. This critical appraisal of published research examined thirty-two published peer-reviewed studies carried out since 2004. Findings indicate a number of significant issues including an overreliance on cross-sectional study design, near-exclusive focus on primary and secondary education students, widespread employment of unstandardized measures for cyberbullying and IUD, and lack of assessment for objective measures of psychological distress. Directions for future research are offered.

Ragging, a Form of University Violence in Sri Lanka-Prevalence, Self-Perceived Health Consequences, Help-Seeking Behavior and Associated Factors

Ragging is an initiation ritual practiced in Sri Lankan universities for generations, although research is scarce. This practice has several adverse consequences such as physical, psychological, and behavioral effects and increased university dropouts. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of different types of ragging: emotional/verbal, physical and sexual ragging, self-perceived health consequences, help-seeking behavior, and factors associated with the experience of ragging. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 623, second- and third-year students from the medical, and technology faculties in Jaffna University. Bivariate associations were assessed using chi-squared tests. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with any type of ragging. Ragging was experienced by 59% of the students, emotional/verbal ragging being the most common. A total of 54% of students suffered one or more health consequences and mainly sought help from friends and family, with few seeking formal help. Factors associated with any type of ragging were faculty and year of study. This study emphasizes the urgent need to address this public health problem. It is important that there are adequate student support services, planning and implementation of effective interventions, as well as ensuring that existing policies are strengthened, to reduce or eliminate ragging in Sri Lanka.

Prevalence of Bullying Behaviors Among Students From a National University in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

This study aims to investigate bullying behaviors among college students at one of the national universities in UAE, and also to examine the psychological characteristics of those who were exposed to, or have experienced bullying.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 839 undergraduate students at one of the national universities in the UAE. Students from all colleges participated in this study and were selected by using stratified random sampling. Participants completed a bullying survey designed for the study, in addition to three psychological measures [i.e., Aggression Questionnaire, Buss and Perry, 1992; The Primary Care Anxiety and Depression, El-Rufaie et al., 1997; and the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5), Weathers et al., 2013].

Results

The prevalence rate of students being exposed to or engaged in bullying was 26.3% (221 out of 839). Of those, 72 students (8.7%) reported being bullied, 29 (3.6%) reported bullying others, and 185 (22.8%) reported witnessing friends being bullied. The most common types of bullying reported were traditional bullying (e.g., face-to-face bullying, verbal, and physical). Cyberbullying was not very common. More females reported being bullied in comparison to males and most of the aggressors were peer students. Overall, moderate level of aggressive personality traits and low levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were reported for the total sample. T-tests revealed significant differences in the three psychological measures between those who did not experience bullying and those who did. The mean scores on the Aggression Questionnaire for those who bullied others were significantly higher than those who did not experience bullying.

Conclusion

Experiences of bullying seem to impact college students’ mental health in the UAE. Therefore, efforts need to focus on developing preventive programs to increase students’ awareness of bullying and its negative impact on campus environment. Offering psychological help for those who were exposed to bullying would help them to deal effectively with this trauma.

Examining the Post-High School Effects of a Primary Prevention Program on Exposure to Bullying and Sexual Violence among Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood (EA) is a time of self-exploration as new opportunities for independence and autonomy arise. Yet, for some youth, this may also contribute to instability, uncertainty, and anxiety. Consequently, evidence suggests that rates of exposure to various forms of violence increase in EA. This study examined changes in experiences of bullying and sexual violence (SV) victimization among a sample of post-high school emerging adults who were exposed to a primary prevention program, Sources of Strength (Sources). We also examined whether Sources skills (e.g., healthy coping and help-seeking) buffer against these experiences. Participants were 102 emerging adults (73.5% identifying as female, 36.3% as Latinx, and 22.6% as LGBQ), who completed surveys at three time points: 1 month prior to graduation and at 6- and 12-months post-graduation. Results suggest that as youth transition into emerging adulthood, experiences of bullying victimization were relatively low and slightly decreased whereas experiences of SV were also relatively low, but stable over time. Notably, bullying victimization was lower when female-identifying participants, relative to males, had higher levels of healthy coping. In addition, SV victimization for participants identifying as non-white was higher at lower levels of coping than those identifying as white; however, at higher levels of coping, non-white participants reported lower rates of SV victimization, while rates were relatively stable for white participants at high and low levels of coping. These findings provide some support for the Sources program model where engaging in healthy coping may protect young women from bullying exposure and buffer against SV victimization for racial and ethnic minoritized young adults. Implications for violence prevention are discussed.

Life Course Prevalence of Bullying among University Students in Mainland China: A Multi-university Study

Little is known about the life course prevalence of bullying among university students. The current study examined the prevalence of bullying in different life periods among multi-university students. Our study included 4,034 university students from four types of universities. Participants self-reported four types of bullying (i.e., physical, verbal, relational, and cyber) with bullies and victims, and four periods (i.e., primary school or earlier, middle school, high school, and postsecondary education). Overall, the percentage of university students experiencing at least one type of bullying victimization (BV) and bullying perpetration (BP) during their lifetime was 59.7% and 31.6%, respectively; the percentage of the university students experiencing more than two types of BV and BP was 16.3% and 7.4%, respectively. The prevalence rates of each type of BV and BP were the highest in elementary school or earlier, and these rates decreased from elementary school or earlier to postsecondary education period. Four latent classes were identified for BV: low BV (73.8%), moderate BV (18.6%), secondary school BV (4.4%), and persistent BV (3.2%). Similarly, four classes for BP were identified: low BP (86.6%), primary school BP (8.1%), high school BP (1.5%), and persistent BP (3.8%). These findings may inform school health practice of bullying prevention by taking prevention programs, especially during elementary school or earlier period.

Prevalence and associated factors of school bullying among Chinese college students in Changsha, China

BACKGROUND

School bullying has attracted worldwide attention for its adverse outcomes; however, there is still a lack of research among college students. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of school bullying victimization and the associated factors among Chinese college students.

METHODS

8098 Chinese college students from two universities in Hunan province were recruited in this cross-sectional study, and data on participants' demographic information, bullying history, suicidal behaviors, anxiety (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale) and depression (Self-reporting Depression Scale) were collected. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the independent correlates of school bullying.

RESULTS

The prevalence of school bullying was 8.03% in our study. Gender (OR,0.792;95%CI[0.660,0.950]; p = 0.012); depression (OR,1.979; 95%CI[1.359,2.883]; p < 0.001); anxiety (OR,1.996; 95%CI[1.388, 2.869]; p < 0.001); suicidal ideation (OR,1.353;95%CI[1.087,1.684]; p = 0.007); suicide attempts (OR,1.772;95%CI[1.306,2.403]; p < 0.001); family income between 30,000 and 70,000/year (yuan) (OR,0.763;95% CI[0.627,0.929]; p = 0.007) and family income more than 70,000/year (yuan) (OR,0.578;95%CI[0.461,0.725]; p < 0.001) were independent correlates of school bullying. The bullying score was positively correlated with physical or mental disorder history, family history of mental disorder, suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide attempts, anxiety, depression, smoking and drinking alcohol (all p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with right-handedness, good relationship with parents and family income (all p < 0.05).

LIMITATIONS

No causal relationship could be drawn due to the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSION

School bullying is quite common among college students. In order to improve students' mental health and prevent suicide, we should pay attention to the negative effects of bullying victimization such as depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviors and so on, apart from putting in place anti-bullying interventions.

Bullying and truancy amongst school-going adolescents in Timor-Leste: results from the 2015 global school-based health survey

INTRODUCTION

Studies in Southeast Asia found that bullying commonly occurred among students, and it has a detrimental impact on their school attendance. However, there is a paucity of literature in Timor-Leste on the association between bullying and truancy. Therefore, this study examined the association between bullying and truancy among Timor-Leste school-going adolescents.

METHODS

We used the 2015 Timor-Leste Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) dataset to examine our hypothesis in logistic regression models for both full adolescents (N = 3609) and gender stratified samples. The models further controlled for other sociodemographic variables. Statistical significance was pegged at p ≤ 0.05, and the analyses were performed in Stata version 14.

RESULTS

About 28% [95% CI:25.7, 30.8] and 36% [95% CI:33.5, 39.5] of school-going adolescents had experienced bullying and truancy, respectively. In-school adolescents who were bullied were more likely to be truant in school even after controlling for the effects of sex, age, grade in school, food insecurity, current substance use, number of friends, colleague support, and parental involvement. This relationship remained significant in the full and gender stratified models. Additionally, school-going adolescents who were currently using substances were truant. Males who were in a physical fight while females who were physically attacked were more likely to be truant.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that bullying was related to truancy among school-going adolescents in Timor-Leste. Implementation of interventions such as Project START (Stop Truancy and Recommend Treatment) to curtail the incidence of bullying, regulation of current substance use, creating an enabling environment to reduce physical fights, and attacks will significantly reduce the rate of truancy among school-going adolescents in Timor-Leste.

Extending the scope of the interpersonal psychotherapy model of eating disorders: Integrating the role of 'feeling fat'

The interpersonal psychotherapy model of eating disorders (IPT-ED) argues that interpersonal problems result in negative affect, and that an inability to cope with this negative affect triggers ED symptoms. Relatedly, it is theorized that 'feeling fat' (i.e., the somatic experience of being overweight not entirely explained by one's body mass) results from shifting negative affect onto one's body, which can then be controlled via ED symptoms. Research has yet to identify why negative affect caused by interpersonal problems may trigger ED symptoms as opposed to other maladaptive behaviours. Integrating 'feeling fat' into the IPT-ED may help to explain this relationship. This study examined whether interpersonal problems positively related to ED symptoms via negative affect and 'feeling fat' in 190 undergraduate women (mean age [SD] = 19.05 [1.23]; mean BMI [SD] = 21.76 [3.17]; 72.8% Caucasian). Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal path analyses, we tested the indirect effects of ostracism and peer victimization on binge eating and restricting via negative affect and 'feeling fat' using serial indirect effects analyses. Cross-sectional path analysis revealed significant indirect effects of ostracism on both binge eating and restricting sequentially via negative affect and 'feeling fat', such that ostracism related to negative affect, which related to 'feeling fat', which was ultimately associated with disordered eating behaviours. Longitudinal path analysis replicated the significant indirect effects of ostracism on binge eating sequentially via negative affect and 'feeling fat'. Results suggest that individuals may displace negative feelings that result from ostracism onto their body, triggering 'feelings of fatness' and prompting ED symptoms. Future research should examine 'feeling fat' within the IPT-ED in a sample of individuals with EDs to determine its clinical utility beyond an undergraduate sample.

Parental stress and adolescent bullying perpetration and victimization: The mediating role of adolescent anxiety and family resilience

Although past research suggests that parental stress can heighten adolescents' risk for bullying perpetration and victimization, the mechanisms underlying such a potential link and that may involve child psychological wellbeing remain unclear. Parental stress may heighten adolescents' risk for bullying involvement by elevating adolescents' anxiety and interfering with family functioning. Therefore, the current study investigated the role of adolescent anxiety and family resilience as mediators linking parental stress with adolescent bullying involvement. Sex differences in these associations were also explored. Analyses relied on data collected from 11,244 parents who participated in the 2019 National Survey of Children's Health. Parents completed surveys assessing parental stress, adolescent anxiety, family resilience, and adolescents' involvement in bullying perpetration as well as victimization. Results from structural equation models indicated that a higher level of parental stress was related to greater bullying perpetration and victimization among both male and female adolescents. Moreover, parental stress was indirectly related to bullying victimization via elevated adolescent anxiety for both girls and boys, whereas parental stress was indirectly related to bullying perpetration via reduced family resilience for boys but not girls. The findings highlight connections between adolescents' family and peer contexts and implicate adolescent anxiety and family resilience as putative mechanisms linking parental stress and bullying involvement.

Motives Behind Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Test of Uses and Gratifications Theory

Drawing from Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), this study explored the interplay between personality traits (online disinhibition, moral disengagement, narcissism, and aggression) and cyberbullying perpetration motives (entertainment, revenge, harm, and dominance) through structural equation modeling. The participants were a convenience sample of 598 cyber bully-victims who were Turkish university students (229 females, 362 males, and seven unknown). The findings empirically supported UGT for conceptualization of cyberbullying perpetration. Almost half of the participants (49.7%) cyberbullied someone twice or more during the preceding 6 months, and males cyberbullied others significantly more than females. In terms of the structural interrelationships, (a) online disinhibition was the only personality trait related to cyberbullying others for entertainment; (b) moral disengagement and aggression were the two variables associated with the revenge motive of cyberbullying perpetration; (c) although online disinhibition was negatively related to cyberbullying others for harm, moral disengagement and aggression were positively linked to harm; and (d) moral disengagement and narcissism were the two personality trait variables associated with the dominance motive of cyberbullying perpetration. Results imply that UGT offers a new understanding about cyberbullying perpetration to researchers, theorists, and practitioners. Personality traits play an important role in cyberbullying perpetration motives and behaviors. Thus, personality traits should be considered in prevention and intervention efforts against cyberbullying. The earlier the personality characteristics of the young individuals are identified, the earlier they can be prevented from engaging in cyberbullying perpetration. Also, sports activities, social events, competitive contests, or leisure and recreational activities offered by university managements can help the university youth to keep away from cyberbullying perpetration and to satisfy motives in more appropriate ways.

Raising Spanish Children With an Antisocial Tendency: Do We Know What the Optimal Parenting Style Is?

Families can play an essential role in preventing violent and antisocial behaviors, which are considered a significant public health issue. However, some studies argue that most children are antisocial only during adolescence, and even teenagers can mimic antisocial behavior in ways that are normative and well-adjusted. This study analyzed patterns of competence and adjustment in young adults with and without an antisocial tendency during adolescence from authoritative (characterized by warmth and strictness), authoritarian (strictness but not warmth), indulgent (warmth but not strictness), and neglectful (neither warmth nor strictness) families. Emergent research has indicated that in a European context, the indulgent parenting style is optimal. Offspring's competence and adjustment were captured through self-esteem (academic and family), psychosocial development (self-competence and empathy), and low emotional maladjustment (nervousness and hostility). Participants consisted of a community sample of 489 Spanish young adults, 191 men (39.1%) and 298 women (60.9%), aged 18 to 34 years old. The design was a 4 × 2 × 2 × 2 MANOVA (parenting style × antisocial tendency × sex × age). Analysis of main effects showed that youths with an antisocial tendency have less self-esteem and psychosocial development, but more emotional maladjustment. Regardless of the parenting style, an antisocial tendency during adolescence is consistently associated with worse adjustment in young adults. Both the authoritative and indulgent parenting styles are consistently associated with better outcomes (higher self-esteem and psychosocial development, and lower emotional maladjustment) than the authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles. However, there are interactions between the parenting style and the antisocial tendency. For young adults without an antisocial tendency, only indulgent parenting is associated with less emotional maladjustment. These results support the idea that in Europe the indulgent parenting style performs better than the authoritative style, but only when raising adolescents without an antisocial tendency. For young adults with an antisocial tendency, indulgent and authoritative parenting are equally optimal for all the studied outcomes.

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Teasing Questionnaire 23

The current study was a cross-sectional research and aimed to investigate the factor structure, internal consistency, and validities of the Persian version of the Teasing Questionnaire-Revised (TQ-R). Forward and backward translations of the TQ-R were performed; face and content validities were determined based on comments by a sample of psychology students and specialists. Using the cluster sampling method, 290 participants were recruited, and 201 valid data (M_age = 23.53, SD = 3.53, 64.2% men) were analyzed. The factor structure was assessed by confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The result of the confirmatory factor analysis(es) did not confirm the proposed three, four, and five-factor models. EFA revealed four factors with 23 items, explaining 52.03% of the total variance. The internal consistency of the Persian version of Teasing Questionnaire 23 was in the excellent range (α = 0.92), and its expected associations with external correlates (e.g., depression and anxiety) supported the measure’s convergent validity. The findings indicated that the Persian version of the TQ-R has sound psychometric properties and can be used as a valid and reliable tool in research and clinical outcomes.

Childhood Trauma History and Negative Social Experiences in College

While there is literature documenting the association between childhood trauma and later sexual assault or interpersonal violence victimization, less is known about risk of less severe, but still negative, victimization experiences such as sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying in college. The goal of this study was to explore the association between self-reported childhood trauma (both personally experienced and witnessed) and negative social experiences in college-age adults (e.g., sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying), and the role that internalizing difficulties (i.e., depression and stress) plays in this association. A sample of 620 college-aged adults (ages 18-25) was recruited. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to investigate two models concerning direct and indirect childhood trauma experience. The models demonstrated significant positive relations between experiences of childhood trauma (both direct and indirect) and negative social experiences. Internalizing difficulties (i.e., depression and stress) mediated the relation between indirect childhood trauma and negative social experiences, but it did not significantly mediate the relation between direct childhood trauma and negative social experiences. These findings help to inform prevention efforts and have important implications for both school and community based mental health providers.

Retrospective and Current Peer Victimization in College Students with Disabilities: Examining the Intersectionality of Sexual Orientation and Gender

The present, exploratory study examined retrospective and current peer victimization in a multi-university sample of 58 college students with disabilities, 18 (31%) of whom identified as sexual minorities. Fifty-seven participants reported peer victimization during childhood, and approximately half reported experiencing peer victimization in the past 2 months. Students who identified as sexual minorities reported more retrospective victimization but current victimization did not differ between the two groups. Current and retrospective peer victimization were significantly correlated with present psychological distress. Professionals who work with students with disabilities should be aware of the high prevalence of peer victimization and its psychological correlates in this population.

Past 6-Year Trends in Current Alcohol Use among Cyberbullied Adolescents

Most of the research on alcohol use and being cyberbullied has focused on the correlation between the two. Less is known about the recent epidemiology of adolescent current alcohol use. Objective: To describe the trends in current alcohol use among adolescence that self-report being cyberbullied across sex and racial/ethnic groups. Methods: The data from the present study came from the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) from 2011 to 2017. We estimated the prevalence of current alcohol use across years by biological sex and race/ethnicity. Further we tested for linear and quadratic trends. Results: We observed statistically significant decreases in alcohol use cyberbullied (b= -0.12, p < 0.00), and non-cyberbullied individuals (b=-0.15, p < 0.00). Further, we found significant decreases for cyberbullied males (b= -0.10, p < 0.01), females (b= -0.17, p < 0.01) blacks (b= -0.39, p < 0.00), and Hispanics (b= -0.17, p < 0.01). Whites and other races were did not have a significant change. We also found significant decreases for cyberbullied white males and females, black males (b=-0.46, p < 0.03) and females (b= -0.37, p < 0.02), Hispanic males (b=-0.33, p < 0.00). White males and females and other males and females did not have significant changes in alcohol use prevalence. Conclusions: Consistent with national trends, alcohol use among adolescents is decreasing. The decrease is occurring within those that are being cyberbullied. Further research with different data are necessary to further validate these results.

Dark Triad Personality Traits in Cyber Aggression Among College Students

Despite evidence supporting the importance of cyber aggression among early adolescents (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015), we know less about its correlates among college students. The present study examined the relationships of Dark Triad personality traits to cyber aggression in a college student sample (N = 297). Machiavellian, narcissistic (both grandiose and vulnerable forms), and psychopathic traits positively related to cyber aggression perpetration. A hierarchical multiple regression including gender, age, and Dark Triad traits found that only the erratic lifestyle component of psychopathic traits explained unique variance in cyber aggression perpetration. Gender did not moderate the relationships between Dark Triad traits and cyber aggression. These findings add to the literature on cyber aggression among college students, suggesting that psychopathic traits are a useful predictor.

Sensitive periods for the effect of bullying victimization on suicidal behaviors among university students in China: The roles of timing and chronicity

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether timing and chronicity of bullying victimization (BV) play a significant role in linking exposure to BV to suicidal behaviors in university students.

METHODS

A multistage stratification sampling method was used to select a sample of 4034 university students (18-23 years, mean age 20.38±1.35 years, 41.9% female). We used latent class analysis and developmental-stage-based characterizations of BV timing and chronicity to explore the sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts among our study participants were 9.9%, 3.0% and 1.3%, respectively. BV during primary school (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.55-2.90) and secondary school (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.80-3.90) was associated with suicidal ideation among university students. We identified four classes of life-course BV experiences (low BV, 73.8%; moderate BV, 18.6%; secondary school BV, 4.4% and persistent BV, 3.2%). Persistent BV was associated with 2.50 times (95% CI: 1.56-3.98), 2.98 times (95% CI: 1.48-6.02), and 6.13 times (95% CI: 2.48-15.14) higher risk of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts, respectively. Both moderate BV (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.35-2.26) and secondary school BV (OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.29-3.12) were positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Furthermore, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of periods of BV and suicidal behaviors.

LIMITATIONS

This study was a cross-sectional study based on self-reported measures, especially BV experiences in each school stage.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors among university students in China.

Subjective well-being among victimized university students: comparison between cyber dating abuse and bullying victimization

Purpose

Previous research has documented a negative association between subjective well-being and different forms of victimization. The present study aims to examine differences in well-being among university student victims of cyber dating abuse and bullying after controlling for acceptance of dating violence.

Design/methodology

This a cross-sectional study involving 1,657 Spanish university students (62.1% females, 37.1% males) using a quantitative approach.

Findings

The multiple regression analysis results showed that the university students who reported low bullying victimization and low acceptance of dating violence also reported higher emotional, social and psychological well-being, although the association between bullying and well-being was weak. No relationship was found between cyber dating abuse victimization and the well-being dimensions examined (emotional, social and psychological). Indeed, the participants not involved in any form of abuse and the cyber dating abuse victims presented the highest level of emotional, social and psychological well-being compared to the bullying victims and the combined victims.

Practical implications

Prevention and intervention programs need to specifically address bullying and cyber dating abusive in university, with a special focus on normative beliefs about both types of victimization and offering different sources of support to overcome negative consequences on mental health.

Originality/value

This paper analyzes the subjective well-being correlates simultaneously in victims of cyber dating abuse and bullying among university students without assuming that every form of victimization has the same mental health outcomes.

Promising Results from the Use of a Korean Drama to Address Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on School Bullying and Mental Health among Asian American College-Aged Students

The limited research on bullying, mental health (MH), and help-seeking for Asian American (ASA) college students is concerning due to the public health importance. Korean drama (K-Drama) television shows may be an innovative approach to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) on bullying. This study examined whether the KAB about school bullying improved after watching a K-Drama and asked participants about their perspectives of using a K-Drama as an intervention. A convenience sample of college students (n = 118) watched a K-Drama portraying school bullying and MH issues. Pre-/post-tests on KAB on bullying were conducted. Interviews (n = 16) were used to understand their experiences with K-Dramas. The mean age was 22.1 years (1.6 SD), 83.9% were female, and 77.1% were ASAs. Many reported experiences with anxiety (67.8%), depression (38.1%), and school bullying victim experience (40.8%). Post-test scores revealed significant differences in knowledge by most school bullying variables (e.g., victim; witness) and MH issues. There were varying significant findings in post-test scores in attitudes and behaviors by these variables. Participants reported that they "love" the drama, felt an emotional connection, and thought that K-Dramas can be an educational tool for ASAs. K-Dramas may be an effective population-level tool to improve health outcomes among ASAs.

Relations among Poly-Bullying Victimization, Subjective Well-Being and Resilience in a Sample of Late Adolescents

The present study examined the relations among poly-bullying victimization (experiencing multiple forms of peer bullying), resilience and subjective well-being. This study specifically examined late adolescents’ resilience as a moderator of the relation between poly-bullying victimization and subjective well-being. In a region of central Spain, 1430 undergraduate students (64% females, 36% males), aged between 18 and 22 years, completed three self-reported measures, including bullying victimization experiences, self-reported subjective well-being and resilience. A substantial proportion of the participants (16.9%) reported being victims of poly-bullying. The results showed that the poly-bullying victimization group reported the poorest subjective well-being and the lowest resilience levels. The regression analyses revealed that resilience was significantly and positively associated with subjective well-being, and resilience moderated the association between poly-bullying victimization and subjective well-being. However, the relation was very weak and accounted for only an additional 1% of variance in the participants’ subjective well-being. Future research should assess resilience trajectories of youth exposed to multiple forms of bullying victimization in order to better understand the potential protective effect of resilience over negative mental health outcomes.

Bullying in university between peers and by personnel: cultural variation in prevalence, forms, and gender differences in four countries

This study reports results from cross-cultural comparisons of (a) the frequency of university students’ experiences of bullying victimization and perpetration between students, (b) students’ experiences of bullying victimization by university personnel, and (c) the breakdown of victimization by the forms of bullying students have experienced. Gender breakdowns are offered. Survey data were collected from undergraduates in a total of 47 universities, using large sample sizes, similar measures and assessment methods in four countries: Argentina (N = 969), Estonia (N = 1053), Finland (N = 4403), and the United States (N = 2072). The results confirmed previous findings which suggest that a notable number of students experience bullying during university studies by fellow students and/or staff members, and a smaller number of students admit to bully their fellow students. The results add to previous knowledge by demonstrating remarkable cultural differences in the prevalence and forms of bullying and suggesting that bullying at the university level starts to transform similar to bullying in the workplace. The overall rates of bullying victimization and perpetration between students were the highest in Argentina, followed by the USA, Finland, and finally Estonia. However, victimization by university personnel was reported the most in Estonia, followed by Argentina, the USA, and Finland. Gender breakdowns in bullying experiences varied between countries. Verbal forms of bullying were common experiences. The most often reported form in all countries was unjustified criticism, belittling or humiliation related to academic performance. Students in the USA reported the highest frequencies in most forms of victimization. The results are discussed by reflecting on higher education features and comparing cultural characteristics of the countries. Practical implications are provided.

There Is Virtually No Excuse: The Frequency and Predictors of College Students' Bystander Intervention Behaviors Directed at Online Victimization

Research shows that a large percentage of college students have experienced online victimization. However, bystander intervention behaviors directed at online contexts are absent from both the online victimization and bystander intervention research. With a sample of undergraduate college students, the current study explores the frequency and predictors of bystander intervention behaviors in response to online situations. Results show that a majority of students intervened during the past academic year when faced with the opportunity. Individuals with high self-control, who previously experienced online victimization, and/or witnessed positive peers' norms offline are more likely to intervene.

Ethnic-Cultural Bullying Versus Personal Bullying: Specificity and Measurement of Discriminatory Aggression and Victimization Among Adolescents

The present study contrasts personal bullying with ethnic-cultural bullying. A representative pluricultural sample from a Spanish adolescent population of Secondary Education took part in the study (N = 27369). The sample filled in the EBIPQ to measure personal bullying. Additionally, they filled in an adaptation of this questionnaire to measure the ethnic-cultural bullying: the EBIPQ-ECD. The EBIPQ-ECD validation showed optimal psychometric properties and a bidimensional structure: ethnic-cultural victimization and ethnic-cultural aggression. The same roles of participation in personal bullying —aggressor, victim, bully/victim, non-involved— were observed in ethnic-cultural bullying, but they did not coincide with each other in a considerable part. Therefore, we concluded that ethnic-cultural bullying is a different phenomenon from personal bullying, with the possibility of certain dynamism existing between both. To prevent and mitigate ethnic-cultural bullying, educational inferences are proposed. We also recommend the use of the EBIPQ-ECD as a tool to evaluate and detect ethnic-cultural aggressions and victimization.