Multiple Informants in the Assessment of Psychological, Behavioral, and Academic Correlates of Bullying and Victimization in Middle School

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2009

Keywords

Bullying, Victimization, Peer aggression, Multiple informants, Student adjustment, Adolescent development

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2008.04.005

Abstract

The present study assessed agreement between student self-report and teacher ratings of bullying and victimization relative to psychological, behavioral, and academic correlates. Middle school students (N = 1442) and teachers completed surveys evaluating peer relationships and psychosocial adjustment. Analyses of variance and logistic regressions were used to examine rater agreement on bullying/victimization and adjustment among groups (bullies, victims, bully/victims, and uninvolved) identified by rater (student self-report only, teacher-report only, concordant reports, and controversial reports). Concordant and controversial groups had among the greatest psychosocial and academic difficulties. Student learning difficulties and moodiness interacted with teacher reports of bullying and victimization, respectively, with agreement between teacher and student self reports of bullying greater at higher levels of learning problems and agreement for victimization lower at higher levels of moodiness. The results indicate biases in rater perspective of student behavior and continue to support the need for multiple raters of student functioning.

Was this content written or created while at USF?

Yes

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Journal of Adolescence, v. 32, issue 2, p. 193-211

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