Summary
This mixed-methods study examined the perceived emotional and psychological mechanisms through which different forms of bullying—direct, indirect, cyberbullying public, and cyberbullying private—harm victims. Nineteen Swedish pupils participated in focus groups to identify seven key reasons for negative feelings, which were then validated with 499 pupils aged 12–16 years. The findings indicate that the relevance of these emotional mechanisms varies significantly by age, gender, and type of bullying, informing evidence-based coping and support interventions.
UK applicability
The psychological mechanisms identified may have transferable relevance to UK school contexts, though UK prevalence rates, cultural factors, and existing safeguarding frameworks would require local validation. Findings could inform UK school anti-bullying and pastoral support policies, particularly regarding age- and gender-differentiated interventions.
Key measures
Perceived reasons for negative emotional experiences; relevance ratings across bullying type, age, and gender
Outcomes reported
The study identified seven perceived reasons for negative emotional experiences among bullying victims (Publicity, Threat, Lack of effective coping strategies, Lack of social support, Persistence, No escape, and Anonymity) and assessed their relevance across four types of bullying in a sample of 499 Swedish pupils aged 12–16 years.
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