Abstract
It is widely held that bullying is a group process involving bullies, victims, students who reinforce the bully, students who defend the victim, and students who are not involved in the bullying scenario. While there is a wealth of research investigating the psychological impact of bullying on victims, research findings related to bullies are inconsistent. Research with witnesses found students who witness bullying are more depressed than those who do not witness bullying raising questions about the potential impact of bullying on students who intervene. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible relationships between depression and bullying, victimisation, comforting victims and intervening. One thousand two hundred and eighty five (692 female) predominantly White Australian students in grades 7-10 completed a questionnaire measuring frequency of bully, victim and defender behaviour, depression, empathic efficacy, rumination and collective efficacy to stop bullying. Victimisation and comforting the victim of phsyical bullying were associated with depression. The relationship between victimisation and depression was mediated by collective efficacy to stop bullying and rumination, whereas the relationship between comforting the victim of physical bullying and depression was mediated by empathic efficacy and depression rumination.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 236-236 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Australian Journal of Psychology |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |
| Event | Australian Psychological Society Conference (42nd : 2007) - Brisbane Duration: 25 Sep 2007 → 29 Sep 2007 |