Association Between School Climate and Peer Bullying Victims, Bullies, and Bystanders

Abstract

This study investigated associations between perceived school climate and multiple forms of peer bullying involvement (as victims, perpetrators, and bystanders) among early adolescents in China and identified distinct profiles of bullying involvement using a person-centered latent class approach. Participants were 2753 junior high school students recruited from two secondary schools in Susong County, southwestern Anhui Province. Self-report data were collected using the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ), the Student Bystander Behavior Scale (SBBS), and the Chinese version of the Delaware School Climate Survey. Sociodemographic characteristics were included as covariates in all regression models. Statistical analyses comprised multivariate binary logistic regression and latent class analysis (LCA). More positive perceptions of school climate were significantly associated with lower odds of self-reported bullying victimization and perpetration, as well as higher odds of victim-defending bystander behavior. Among the eight school climate dimensions, classmate relationship showed the strongest negative associations with verbal, physical, and social bullying victimization, whereas bullying on campus was the most consistent correlate of lower odds of bullying perpetration and assisting bystander behavior. LCA identified three distinct profiles of bullying involvement: a high bullying involvement class (3.02%), a moderate victimization–low perpetration class (66.47%), and a low bullying involvement class (30.51%). School climate dimensions were significantly associated with latent class membership; more favorable perceptions of bullying on campus were associated with lower odds of membership in the high bullying involvement profile relative to the low involvement profile, whereas positive classmate relationships and respect for diversity were associated with membership in the moderate victimization–low perpetration profile. These findings align with the ecological systems perspective that school microsystem factors are related to adolescent bullying experiences and suggest the potential utility of multi-dimensional school climate improvement strategies for targeted bullying prevention.