Bullying and moral disengagement in early adolescence: do personality and family functioning matter?

The present study adopted a multi-informant approach to investigate the contribution of personality and family functioning to moral disengagement and bullying-related behaviors in early adolescence. The sample included 102 early adolescents (53 boys and 49 girls; mean age = 12.21 years; effect size = 0.35, power = 0.95, and error probability = 5%). Behaviors during bullying situations were detected by peer nominations. Self-report measures were administered to assess moral disengagement and family functioning, whereas a parent-report was administered to detect personality traits. Results showed that extraversion was positively associated with bullying and moral disengagement, while benevolence was positively associated with defending behavior. Family functioning was negatively associated with moral disengagement. Furthermore, we found that personality and family functioning were intertwined in their association with bullying-related behaviors and moral disengagement. In particular, a low conscientiousness, together with a low family functioning, decreased the likelihood of defending behavior and increased the risk of bullying. High levels of benevolence decreased outsider behavior in students with a high family functioning. Although extraversion was positively associated with bullying and moral disengagement, findings suggested that it increased moral disengagement only among early adolescents with low family functioning. Overall, findings underline the importance of addressing individual and contextual variables when studying bullying and moral disengagement among early adolescents. Keywords: bullying, defending, outsider

Social processes and correlates of social exclusion among children and adolesents

This chapter focuses on social exclusion among children and adolescents. Social exclusion has been observed among animals in their natural environment, as well as among humans in different contexts, such as the workplace and the school (Crick and Grotpeter 1995; Leung, Wu, Chen and Young 2011; McGuire and Raleigh 1986). It can be considered a serious risk factor for developing physiological, emotional, behavioral, and social problems, in particular for those youths who are repeatedly excluded and socially isolated (Sijtsema, Shoulberg and Murray-Close 2011). In this respect, depression, loneliness, and anxiety have been described as consequences of exclusion (Leary 1990). Despite much attention has been paid to the negative consequences of social exclusion, less consideration has been given to the social and moral mechanisms underlining inclusionary and exclusionary processes in the peer group. According to empirical findings, children and adolescents can legitimate social exclusion, since it allows the group to work well. For instance, youths consider legitimate to exclude incompetent peers and include skillful peers in the group, due to individual merits (e.g., ability to play baseball) (Killen and Stangor 2001). They may also interpret fairness and unfairness of social exclusion on the basis of moral judgments (e.g., rights, equal treatment, equal access to the group) or on stereotypical and contextual characteristics (e.g., gender-related group activities) (Bennett 2014; Killen 2007; Killen and Stangor 2001). In this way, social exclusion contributes to delineate social status membership and dominance positions in the peer group (Underwood and Ehnrenreich 2014). In conclusion, the present contribution aims at summarizing recent findings and theories about social exclusion, also underlining the need for intervention programs aimed at contrasting this phenomenon among youths

Emotion awareness and somatic complaints in preadolescence: the mediating role of coping strategies

Somatic complaints are frequent among preadolescents with impaired emotion awareness and maladaptive coping strategies. In addition, coping strategies in response to stressful events have been suggested to affect the association between emotion awareness and somatic complaints. However, empirical support for this assumption is missing. In this study, we examined the extent to which emotion awareness and coping contributed uniquely to somatic complaints and the indirect effect of emotion awareness on somatic complaints through coping strategies, among preadolescent boys and girls. Self-reports were administered to 265 preadolescents (137 boys; Mage = 12.04) to investigate somatic complaints, emotion awareness, and coping strategies to deal with peer victimization. A subsample (N = 97) was assessed after a 12-month time-span. Cross-sectional results indicated that more somatic complaints were associated with less emotion awareness and problem-solving and with more internalizing and externalizing coping. Poor emotion awareness was indirectly associated with somatic complaints through internalizing for boys and through distraction, externalizing, and internalizing for girls. Emotion awareness was longitudinally associated with somatic complaints through distraction for boys. Overall, findings suggested that less emotion awareness was associated with more maladaptive coping strategies, which in turn contributed to more somatic complaints. Implications for research and intervention are discussed. Highlights: The present study investigated the associations between somatic complaints, emotion awareness, and coping strategies among preadolescent boys and girls. Self-report data were collected. Results showed that poor emotion awareness was indirectly associated with somatic complaints through internalizing for boys and through distraction, externalizing, and internalizing for girls. Improving emotion awareness and effective coping strategies may reduce somatic complaints among preadolescents and offer them a better social and psychological adjustment

Stability and change of outsider behavior in school bullying: the role of shame and guilt in a longitudinal perspective

We analyzed developmental changes in outsider behavior, testing whether the likelihood that it turns into bullying or defending over time depends on the individual proneness to feel shame or guilt. Participants were 155 preadolescents (72 boys and 83 girls; (Formula presented.)ageat T1 = 10.74 years). Bullying, defending, and outsider behaviors were assessed twice by peer nominations. Shame- and guilt-proneness were assessed at T1 by a self-report questionnaire. All behaviors appeared quite stable; however, regression analyses revealed that shame and guilt were associated with outsider developmental pathway. In particular, students steadily presented outsider behavior after a 9-month period if they showed low guilt or high shame at T1. Results are discussed in terms of future directions for research and interventions

Information processing of social exclusion: Links with bullying, moral disengagement and guilt

The Social Information Processing (SIP) theory and the Social Cognitive Theory of Moral Agency were integrated to investigate the associations between SIP and bullying, guilt, and moral disengagement. Participants were 341 children and early adolescents (Mage = 11.14). Two social exclusion vignettes were administered to assess three SIP steps (step 2: Attribution of hostile intent; step 3: Selection of antisocial goals, and step 4: Generation of aggressive responses). Guilt was assessed through five vignettes. A self-report measure was used to assess moral disengagement and peer nominations were used to assess bullying perpetration. Moderated mediation analyses were performed to test the hypotheses. Findings indicated that attribution of hostile intent was associated with selection of antisocial goals, which in turn, was associated with the generation of aggressive responses among participants with high levels of bullying and low levels of guilt and moral disengagement. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical relevance.publishedVersio

“They think that I should defend”: effects of peer and teacher injunctive norms on defending victimized classmates in early adolescents

Norms have been suggested as important characteristics of the social-ecological context for defending victimized peers, but little is known about the contribution of student perceived injunctive norms (regarding the appropriateness of defending) imposed by peers and teachers. To investigate the role of these norms in defending, a sample of 751 early adolescents (51% female; Mageat Time 1:13 years) was assessed at two time points. Defending, as measured by peer- and self-ratings, decreased slightly over a six-month timespan. Three-level models (with time, students, and classrooms as the levels) indicated that both individual- and classroom-level perceived peer injunctive norms (but not teacher injunctive norms) had positive effects on defending over time regardless of the source of the information on defending (peers or self). These findings support programs that encourage defending through peer norms

Bullying and peer violence among children and adolescents in residential care settings: a review of the literature

The present paper offers a review of the phenomena of bullying and peer violence among children and adolescents living in residential care settings (RCS). The review was conducted on four databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and ERIC). Findings of the 31 full-text papers included in the present work showed that bullying and peer violence involve various forms of direct and indirect attacks. While bullying in RCS involves severe and repeated aggressive actions, peer violence seems to be characterized by distinct levels of severity; i.e., low-level attacks are infrequent and isolated, whereas high level attacks may be severe and frequent. Several individual factors, such as age, gender, and length of stay in RCS were found to be associated with both bullying and peer violence. Contextual risk factors such as activities, structure and facility size, along with a residential peer culture characterized by a high level of hierarchy and a poor emotional bond between children and staff, contributed to bullying and peer violence. Furthermore, findings of the studies included in the present review showed that both perpetrators and victims manifest a number of behavioral and psychological problems. Overall, the present study offers a picture of bullying and peer violence among institutionalized children. However, distinct operationalization of constructs among studies, together with the use of different methods and measures, made comparisons among studies difficult. Future research should overcome these limitations in order to promote validity and compatibility of research in this field of stud

Bullying in residential care for children: qualitative findings from five European countries

The present study addressed institutionalised children and staff members’ perspectives about bullying in Residential Care settings (RCs) in five European countries (Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy and Romania.). Interviews and focus groups were conducted respectively with 123 institutionalised children and adolescents (age range: 6–18) and staff members (N = 95; age range: 23-63). Thematic analysis was adopted to analyse the data. Overall, findings indicated that participants were not fully aware of the specific features of bullying. Children and adolescents considered bullying as a normative behaviour and were reluctant to ask for adults’ help when bullying happened. Staff members attributed bullying to children's traumatic experiences and to a need for adults’ attention. Findings shed light on the lack of standardised protocols and of professional trainings to tackle bullying. Implications for intervention programs aimed at preventing and tackling bullying are discussed