Bullying and victimization among Taiwanese 7th graders: A multi-method assessment

The present study investigated the magnitude of school bullying problems among Taiwanese adolescents and collected detailed information about the locations, perpetrators and offence types of peer victimization. Gender differences were also explored. Unlike many previous surveys, the present study utilized multiple measures and provided a more comprehensive picture of the problem. Two hundred and thirty-eight Taiwanese seventh graders were assessed via self- and peer-report measures. The results showed that a considerable number of the respondents had already experienced peer victimization in their first semester of middle school. Victimization by classmates was more prevalent then victimization by people outside class. Verbal and physical aggression were the most common types of victimization. Peer-rated measures showed that most students had bullied others. Boys were more likely to engage in physical and verbal bullying than girls. Implications for research and policy are discussed.