Children's Reports of Bullying and Safety at School

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the frequency of bullying in elementary school children and to examine gender and age differences. A total of 472 students in grades 1-6 in Calgary, Alberta completed a bullying survey. The frequency of bullying was somewhat higher than previously reported by others. In grades 4 to 6,27% experienced both physical and verbal bullying, 21% experienced verbal bullying, and 5% reported physical bullying. Reports of bullying experienced by students in grades I to 3 were similar. Using self-report data from students in grades 4 to 6, a stepwise regression analysis indicated that higher perceived school safety and more teacher support were associated with less verbal bullying. The implications of these findings are discussed below.