Relational, or indirect, bullying amongst girls has more recently received greater attention from researchers across the globe, in recognition of its potentially devastating psychological effects. Particularly in South Africa, with its unique history of apartheid, racial and gender inequalities and violent struggles amongst marginalized communities to be given the freedom to have a voice, the tendency of girls to „hide‟ their aggression, and to express it in covert ways needs to be understood and addressed. Additionally, in South African schools, many educators do not adequately appreciate the grim reality of girls‟ aggression as an antecedent to serious psychiatric illness. These girls are already coping with the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which is leaving many of them orphaned and raising younger siblings whilst still children themselves, thereby increasing their vulnerability to psychiatric adjustment difficulties. The present study therefore investigated the prevalence and psychological effects of relational bullying, and explored the developmental trajectory of different types of bullying amongst school-aged South African girls. The sample included 169 learners, from grade One to grade Twelve, in an independent school located in an urban area of KwaZulu-Natal. A self-report questionnaire, including direct questions and projective techniques, was utilized to collect data relating to the nature of girls‟ experiences of bullying, the psychological effects thereof, their friendships and their levels of social, cognitive and moral functioning. The current study showed a 33.5% prevalence rate of bullying victimization amongst the sample. It was hypothesized from a review of the literature that as girls grow older, and their skills in the cognitive, social and moral reasoning domains improve, friendship ties become closer and more important, and they utilize increasingly sophisticated forms of relational aggression. The research findings supported this prediction. In addition, it was found that older girls are increasingly negatively affected by girl-bullying, as reflected in a range of psychologically unhealthy reactions, which may constitute the precursors to psychiatric illness in adulthood. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. S.)--University of Canterbury, 2008. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-61). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Carleton University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 238-261). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (M. S.)--Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Dr. Lawrence R. James; Committee Member: Dr. Jack M. Feldman; Committee Member: Dr. James S. Roberts

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 166-177). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ed.Spec.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Janet Kistner, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 13, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 76 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Ph.D. (Education) / The purpose of the study was to develop the educational strategies for the management of a culture of aggression in a Grade 10 class constructively in a secondary school in the Sedibeng District of the Gauteng Department of Education. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used to explore and describe a culture of aggression in a Grade 10 class in the secondary school in the Sedibeng District of the Gauteng Department of Education. In order to achieve the study objectives and coherence, this study was organised into three phases. Phase one focused on the first objective namely: to explore and describe a culture of aggression in a Grade 10 class in the secondary school in the Sedibeng District in the Gauteng Department of Education. Phase two focused on the development of a conceptual framework. Phase three focused on the second objective namely: to develop the strategies for the management of a culture of aggression in a Grade 10 class in the Sedibeng District of the Gauteng Department of Education. In the first phase an ethnographic approach was followed. Purposive sampling was utilized to select participants who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using group and individual interviews. Tesch’s method of qualitative data analysis was utilized to identify themes. From the findings of the study the researcher and the independent coder identified the following patterns from the individual and group interviews with participants.