The aim of this study is to examine if bullying affects health differently among boys and girls and if bullying has more negative effects on the health of girls than of boys. The study will examine Swedish schoolchildren in elementary school and upper secondary school who has been victims of bullying. In relation to the aim of the study, the hypothesises is that bullying has negative effects on the health of girls and boys and that bullying affects girls health more than boys. The quantitative data material and analysis is based on a survey which was created by the Swedish authority Ungdomsstyrelsen. The findings in this study shows in accordance with previous research that bullying has a negative effect on the health of young girls and boys, that there are differences between the genders when it comes to being a victim of bullying (girls tend to be more bullied than boys) and that being a victim of bullying has a negative impact on the health of an individual. This indicates that being a victim of bullying is having a harmful effect on the health of young girls and boys. The first hypothesis was that bullying has negative effects on the health of girls and boys and it seemed to be correct. The second hypothesis was that bullying affects girls health more than boys but it seemed not be correct. Bullying is a problem which harms the individual, it is relevant and important to examine since it harms the individual and its surroundings. It is also important to examine since bullying can lead to health issues or at worst, successful or unsuccessful suicide attempts.

Being the victim of bullying is a problem for many children and young people, yet challenges in defining the term and methodological issues have made research findings difficult to compare (Pugh & Chitiyo, 2012). Nevertheless, there is agreement that certain factors at different ecological levels can raise or lower the likelihood of being bullied, and that children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) tend to be more vulnerable than their peers without ASD. The social impairments at the core of ASD have led to these children being termed “perfect victims” (Klin, Volkmar, & Sparrow, 2000, p. 6), although their developmental and behavioural profiles may mean that some bullying research conducted with typically developing peers is inappropriate for this group. Nevertheless, if left unaddressed, the problem of bullying may prevent inclusion in school and have serious negative effects on the child.The aim of the current study was to investigate prevalence, victim role, risk and protective factors for being bullied among children and young people with ASD, using a representative sample taken from the evaluation of Achievement for All (Humphrey et al., 2011). An embedded mixed methods design was used to permit a richer understanding of being bullied. For the risk and protection analyses there were 722 responses from teachers and 119 from parents concerning children with ASD. Teachers and parents completed a survey on bullying and wider outcome areas, with additional contextual data collected. Data were analysed using multiple regression, including a cumulative risk analysis. There were five focus pupils in the qualitative strand, and interviews were conducted with teachers, parents and pupils to investigate issues around being bullied. Thematic analysis was used to explore the interview data.Results indicated that children and young people with ASD were bullied more than other pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, although actual prevalence varied greatly according to the method of measurement. Children with ASD were more likely to be victims, although the proportion of bully-victims was higher than in the general population. A multiple regression analysis with bullying mean score as the dependent variable indicated that 43% of variance was attributable to the predictor variables in the teacher model, and 38% in the parent one. Risk factors were having higher levels of behaviour problems, being in Years 5, 7 and 10 (compared with Year 1), use of public/school transport to get to school, and being at School Action Plus; protective factors were increased positive relationships, attending a special school, and higher levels of parental engagement and confidence. Bullying rose according to the number risks to which a child was exposed, and the rise was exponential in the teacher model. Qualitative results allowed an exploration of the experience of bullying and processes contributing to vulnerability, with transition emerging as an additional concern. Implications and directions for future research are discussed in the context of these findings.

The absence of a framework or policy to address bullying in South Africa compels the country to rely on pieces of legislation that are closely related to anti-bullying laws such as the Child Justice Act 75 of 2008 and Protection from Harassment Act 71 of 2011. Over-reliance on pieces of legislation creates challenges for victims of these bullying crimes because most of the relational aggression exerted towards victims goes unpunished. Some of the adolescents take the law into their own hands, thus, exacerbate and increases the complexity of bullying crimes. Due to advancements in Information and Communications Technology, bully-victim behaviour does not only take place in physical environments such as schools, but it takes place anywhere, anytime (24/7) on Mobile Social Networks. In 2011, a cyberbullying study by the Centre of Justice and Crime Prevention reported that 69.7% of the youth in South Africa falls in the category of bully-victims. This is alarming given that few studies focus on the role of bullyvictims in South Africa. The exact cause for mobile bully-victim behaviour is unclear, and previous studies have highlighted it is between aggressive behaviour and social integration. Therefore, this study examined aggressive behaviour and social integration to determine which of these two factors contribute the most to mobile bully-victim behaviour. Additionally, mobile social network features that enable this behaviour were investigated. The factors that lead to aggressive behaviour and social integration, resulting in mobile bully-victims, were identified through a literature review. Paper-based surveys were issued to Johannesburg high school adolescents. Johannesburg was mainly selected based on finding by previous studies, which highlighted that most of the online bullying and victimisation happens amongst adolescents in Johannesburg. After data was collected, the results were analysed using Statistica version 13.5. The analysis revealed that, indeed, both aggressive behaviour and social integration cause mobile bully-victim behaviour, however, social integration contributed more than aggressive behaviour. The findings also revealed that WhatsApp and Instagram were the most utilized social networks by mobile bullyvictims. There were no differences between males and females when it comes to mobile bullyvictim behaviour. The causes of mobile bully-victim behaviour that have been identified in this study can be used as a starting point to develop legislation/framework aimed at combating mobile bully-victim behaviour. Given that mobile bully-victims are more suicidal and suffer from depression, psychologists and therapists can use the knowledge obtained from this study to develop psychological treatments specifically for mobile bully-victims.

While current psychological theory and research suggest conceptual associations between bullying and behavioral disorders, there is a gap in the literature examining such relationships. Although contemporary theories of aggression describe emotional, social, and cognitive risk factors that are common both, associations between bully-victim patterns and ODD have not been studied to date. This exploratory study addressed this gap by surveying 27 teachers to assess their reports of aggressive behaviors and socioemotional patterns of 58 male middle school students who were identified through school investigations as involved in bullying incidents. Between-group differences for students classified as bullies, victims, or bully-victims were examined for symptoms of behavioral disorders (including ODD) and types of aggression (proactive, reactive). Measures included the Bully Behavior questionnaire, SNAP-IV, and Teacher Rating Scale. Kruskal-Wallis analyses of between-group differences indicated that, in general, bullies and bully-victims scored higher than victims on measures of behavioral symptoms and aggression but did not differ from each other on any behavioral disorders or types of aggression. Findings may reflect difficulties with measurement instruments sensitive enough to identify differences between bully and bully-victim behaviors, and with limitations to teachers' observations of students' interpersonal behaviors. Further, current school investigations do not adequately recognize bully-victim patterns. However, this study's attention to possible unique risks of behavioral disorders in bully-victim behavior patterns can inform schools, families, and communities to consider these risk factors and in their efforts to offer more effective approaches for prevention and intervention.

While researchers have assessed the prevalence and health impact of bullying, there are still relatively few successful interventions and strategies implemented to reduce and prevent bullying. A particular promising area is to know more about students who may be willing to intervene in a bullying situation, which is the focus of this thesis. Using the data from the Georgia Student Health Survey II (GSHS 2006) (n=175,311) an empirical analyses of students who state that they are willing to intervene in a bullying situation, their demographic characteristics and psychosocial attributes will be examined. The survey administered to students across Georgia in grades 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th measured the number of students who reported being a bully-victim, bully or a victim of bullying, and their likelihood to engage in risky behaviors. The results demonstrated students who were white and were girls were most likely to intervene in bullying situations. Grade level was not significant when it involved intervening, but was an important marker for the co-occurrence of bully-victims. One compelling finding is that the bully subgroup was most likely to always intervene. School climate factors such as success in school, clear expectations and liking school were significant indicators of willingness to intervene. These findings assist researchers and schools to better understand the characteristics of students who are willing to intervene and school factors that may promote students likelihood of intervening. These findings may guide how bullying is addressed in Georgia schools, and underscore the importance of providing safe school climates.

O bullying é um problema comum entre jovens em idade escolar, nos diferentes países, culturas e níveis socioeconômicos. Trata-se de um comportamento agressivo, ofensivo, repetitivo e frequente, perpetrado por uma pessoa contra outra ou por um grupo contra outros, com a intenção de ferir e humilhar, estabelecendo-se uma relação desigual de poder. O envolvimento com bullying está associado a pior ajustamento psicossocial, problemas de aprendizagem, evasão escolar ou de trocas frequentes de escolas, entre outros. Embora o comportamento de bullying seja multicausal, ainda são escassos estudos que avaliem a relação entre habilidades sociais de adolescentes e bullying. Um dos aspectos que dificultam a realização de pesquisas nessa área está relacionado à falta de instrumentos validados. Os objetivos do presente estudo são verificar a validade de constructo do Questionário de Bullying de Olweus (QBO) versão agressor e versão vítima e verificar a associação entre habilidades sociais e bullying em adolescentes. Trata-se de um estudo com alunos de ambos os sexos, oriundos de escolas da rede pública de Porto Alegre, do 5º ao 9º ano do ensino fundamental, com idade entre 10 e 17 anos. Para verificar o envolvimento com bullying, utilizou-se o QBO, com 23 questões para versão vítima e 23 para versão agressor com quatro opções de resposta (1=nenhuma vez a 4=várias vezes por semana). A validade de constructo foi verificada com a Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI), utilizando-se o modelo de resposta gradual e o crédito parcial generalizado. As habilidades sociais foram avaliadas com o Inventário de Habilidades Sociais para Adolescentes (IHSA), que é validado no Brasil. Para verificar a associação entre bullying e habilidades sociais, o critério de idade foi de 12 a 17 anos, conforme a recomendação do IHSA. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul e da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). Os instrumentos, ambos de autorrelato, foram respondidos pelos adolescentes no horário de aula e após a autorização dos pais. Os resultados estão apresentados em dois artigos. No primeiro, foi incluído um total de 703 adolescentes, sendo 380(54%) meninas, com média de idade de 13(DP=1,58) anos. Após a análise para a construção dos escores finais do QBO pelo modelo da TRI, observou-se que a probabilidade de um adolescente responder à opção 3 (uma vez por semana) é zero para ambas as versões. De acordo com as curvas característica do item (CCI), optou-se pela unificação das alternativas 3 e 4 para mensuração mais fidedigna a realidade do comportamento de bullying. Os itens com maior discriminação para classificar como vítima foram, respectivamente, 20 (Disseram coisas maldosas sobre mim ou sobre a minha família); 15 (Fui perseguido[a] dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Me ameaçaram). Na versão agressor, os itens com maior discriminação foram, respectivamente, 22 (Forcei a agredir outro[a] colega); 15 (Persegui dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Fiz ameaças). No segundo artigo, foram incluídos 467 alunos, sendo 245(52,5%) do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 13,3(DP=1,18) anos. Considerando-se a interação habilidades sociais e sexo, as meninas apresentaram associação significativa com menor frequência do autocontrole (p=0,010) e da civilidade (p=0,031) e maior dificuldade das habilidades de autocontrole (p=0,033) e desenvoltura social (p=0,009). Em relação aos tipos de envolvimento com bullying, 59(12,6%) dos adolescentes classificaram-se como vítima, 60(12,8%) como agressores e 175(37,5%) como agressores vítimas. Observou-se associação significativa entre as meninas vítimas de bullying e maior dificuldade na habilidade de empatia comparada aos meninos (p=0,012) e aos demais tipos de bullying (p=0,022). Também foram as vítimas, independentemente do sexo, que apresentaram maior dificuldade em termos de autocontrole, assertividade, abordagem afetiva e o total das habilidades sociais em comparação aos não envolvidos (p<0,05). Os resultados sugerem que a utilização da TRI permite a construção de uma medida de avaliação mais objetiva e precisa do comportamento de bullying. Por meio da validação de constructo do QBO e da associação com habilidades sociais, o estudo demonstrou que existe um importante déficit de determinadas habilidades sociais nos diferentes tipos de envolvimentos com bullying, principalmente entre as vítimas, quando comparadas aos não envolvidos. Portanto, intervenções que incluam técnicas para melhorar as habilidades sociais podem desempenhar um relevante papel preventivo no envolvimento com bullying no ambiente escolar. / Bullying is a common problem among school-age children and adolescents across different countries, cultures and socioeconomic levels. Bullying consists of the repeated infliction of aggressive and offensive behaviors by one person against another or one group against others, with the intent of hurting or humiliating the victim, resulting in an imbalance of power. Involvement in bullying is associated with issues such as poor social adjustment, learning difficulties, truancy and frequent changes of schools. Although bullying is known to be a multicausal phenomenon, few studies have evaluated the relationship between social skills and bullying in adolescents. A major challenge to research in the area is the lack of validated instruments which can be used to assess either of these variables. The goals of the present study were therefore to evaluate the construct validity of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) and investigate the association between social skills and bullying in adolescents. This study involved participants of both genders aged between 10 and 17 years recruited from grades five through nine of public schools in the city of Porto Alegre. Involvement in bullying was evaluated using the OBVQ, which consists of 23 victim questions and 23 bully questions, scored on a scale of 1 (never) to 4 (several times a week). Construct validity was investigated using item response theory (ITR), by means of graduated response and generalized partial credit models. Social skills were evaluated using the Adolescent Social Skills Inventory (ASSI), which has been validated for use in Brazilian adolescents. The association between bullying and social skills was investigated in a sample of 12- to 17-year olds, which corresponds to the age group for which the ASSI was validated. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Municipal Health Service of Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). The OBVQ and ASSI, both of which are self-report instruments, were administered to adolescents during school hours following parental consent. The results of this procedure are presented in two articles. The first involved a sample of 703 adolescents, of whom 380 (45%) were girls, with a mean age of 12 (SD=1.58) years. The analysis of the IRT model for OBVQ scores revealed that the probability of an adolescent responding to any of the items with option 3 (once a week) was zero in both versions of the questionnaire. Therefore, based on item characteristic curves (ICC), alternatives 3 and 4 were combined to ensure a more reliable measure of bullying behaviors. The most discriminating items in the victim questionnaire were items 20 (One or more classmates said bad things about me or my family); 15 (I was persecuted inside or outside the school) and 3 (I was threatened). The most discriminating items in the bully version were items 22 (Forced someone to hit a classmate); 15 (Persecuted a classmate inside or outside the school) and 3 (Made threats). The second article involved 467 students, of whom 245(52.5%) were female. The mean age of the sample was 13.3 (SD=1.18) years. An interaction between social skills and gender was identified, whereby girls were found to engage less frequently in the behaviors described in the selfcontrol (p=0.010) and civility scales (p=0.031), and found it more difficult to perform the behaviors listed in the self-control (p=0.033) and social ease scales (p=0.009). An analysis of student involvement in bullying revealed that 59 (12.6%) participants were considered victims, 60(12.8%) were classified as bullies and 175(37.5%) were categorized as bullyvictims. Female victims of bullying had more difficulty expressing empathy than boys (p=0.012) and participants with different types of involvement in bullying (p=0.022). Bullying victims of both genders also had more difficulty engaging in the behaviors listed in the self-control, assertiveness, and affective approach subscales, and obtained higher total scores on the difficulty engaging in ASSI behaviors than adolescents not involved in bullying (p<0.05). The results suggested that IRT can be used to develop a more objective and precise measure of bullying. By construct validating the OBVQ and verifying its association with social skills, the present study showed that the latter are significantly impaired in adolescents involved in bullying, especially the victims, as compared to those not involved. Therefore, interventions involving the improvement of social skills may play an important role in preventing bullying in schools.

Magister Educationis - Med / According to Morrison (2007), bullying is considered a critical issue in the Western Cape Schools as well as in South African schools in general. This phenomenon of bullying can affect learners in schools and may lead to several problems such as low esteem, poor academic performance, depression, absenteeism and eventually dropping out of school. In addition, numerous studies in psychology have revealed that physical activity has positive effects on learners, (Ajay, 2011; Shaffer, 2002). This is because it increases self-esteem in learners, boosts confidence and builds the physical, social, emotional, moral and intellectual composition in an individual. This study will aim (1) to determine the relationship between bullying and physical activity among South African learners in one high school in the Western Cape, (2) to measure the frequency of bullying at that high school, (3) to measure the frequency of bully-victimization in the school among South African learners in that high school in the Western Cape, and (4) to establish the level of physical activity by the learners in the high school. This study used a quantitative method and a descriptive survey as research design. The participants were mostly black South African adolescent learners, aged between 14 and 20 years.

O bullying é um problema comum entre jovens em idade escolar, nos diferentes países, culturas e níveis socioeconômicos. Trata-se de um comportamento agressivo, ofensivo, repetitivo e frequente, perpetrado por uma pessoa contra outra ou por um grupo contra outros, com a intenção de ferir e humilhar, estabelecendo-se uma relação desigual de poder. O envolvimento com bullying está associado a pior ajustamento psicossocial, problemas de aprendizagem, evasão escolar ou de trocas frequentes de escolas, entre outros. Embora o comportamento de bullying seja multicausal, ainda são escassos estudos que avaliem a relação entre habilidades sociais de adolescentes e bullying. Um dos aspectos que dificultam a realização de pesquisas nessa área está relacionado à falta de instrumentos validados. Os objetivos do presente estudo são verificar a validade de constructo do Questionário de Bullying de Olweus (QBO) versão agressor e versão vítima e verificar a associação entre habilidades sociais e bullying em adolescentes. Trata-se de um estudo com alunos de ambos os sexos, oriundos de escolas da rede pública de Porto Alegre, do 5º ao 9º ano do ensino fundamental, com idade entre 10 e 17 anos. Para verificar o envolvimento com bullying, utilizou-se o QBO, com 23 questões para versão vítima e 23 para versão agressor com quatro opções de resposta (1=nenhuma vez a 4=várias vezes por semana). A validade de constructo foi verificada com a Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI), utilizando-se o modelo de resposta gradual e o crédito parcial generalizado. As habilidades sociais foram avaliadas com o Inventário de Habilidades Sociais para Adolescentes (IHSA), que é validado no Brasil. Para verificar a associação entre bullying e habilidades sociais, o critério de idade foi de 12 a 17 anos, conforme a recomendação do IHSA. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul e da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). Os instrumentos, ambos de autorrelato, foram respondidos pelos adolescentes no horário de aula e após a autorização dos pais. Os resultados estão apresentados em dois artigos. No primeiro, foi incluído um total de 703 adolescentes, sendo 380(54%) meninas, com média de idade de 13(DP=1,58) anos. Após a análise para a construção dos escores finais do QBO pelo modelo da TRI, observou-se que a probabilidade de um adolescente responder à opção 3 (uma vez por semana) é zero para ambas as versões. De acordo com as curvas característica do item (CCI), optou-se pela unificação das alternativas 3 e 4 para mensuração mais fidedigna a realidade do comportamento de bullying. Os itens com maior discriminação para classificar como vítima foram, respectivamente, 20 (Disseram coisas maldosas sobre mim ou sobre a minha família); 15 (Fui perseguido[a] dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Me ameaçaram). Na versão agressor, os itens com maior discriminação foram, respectivamente, 22 (Forcei a agredir outro[a] colega); 15 (Persegui dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Fiz ameaças). No segundo artigo, foram incluídos 467 alunos, sendo 245(52,5%) do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 13,3(DP=1,18) anos. Considerando-se a interação habilidades sociais e sexo, as meninas apresentaram associação significativa com menor frequência do autocontrole (p=0,010) e da civilidade (p=0,031) e maior dificuldade das habilidades de autocontrole (p=0,033) e desenvoltura social (p=0,009). Em relação aos tipos de envolvimento com bullying, 59(12,6%) dos adolescentes classificaram-se como vítima, 60(12,8%) como agressores e 175(37,5%) como agressores vítimas. Observou-se associação significativa entre as meninas vítimas de bullying e maior dificuldade na habilidade de empatia comparada aos meninos (p=0,012) e aos demais tipos de bullying (p=0,022). Também foram as vítimas, independentemente do sexo, que apresentaram maior dificuldade em termos de autocontrole, assertividade, abordagem afetiva e o total das habilidades sociais em comparação aos não envolvidos (p<0,05). Os resultados sugerem que a utilização da TRI permite a construção de uma medida de avaliação mais objetiva e precisa do comportamento de bullying. Por meio da validação de constructo do QBO e da associação com habilidades sociais, o estudo demonstrou que existe um importante déficit de determinadas habilidades sociais nos diferentes tipos de envolvimentos com bullying, principalmente entre as vítimas, quando comparadas aos não envolvidos. Portanto, intervenções que incluam técnicas para melhorar as habilidades sociais podem desempenhar um relevante papel preventivo no envolvimento com bullying no ambiente escolar. / Bullying is a common problem among school-age children and adolescents across different countries, cultures and socioeconomic levels. Bullying consists of the repeated infliction of aggressive and offensive behaviors by one person against another or one group against others, with the intent of hurting or humiliating the victim, resulting in an imbalance of power. Involvement in bullying is associated with issues such as poor social adjustment, learning difficulties, truancy and frequent changes of schools. Although bullying is known to be a multicausal phenomenon, few studies have evaluated the relationship between social skills and bullying in adolescents. A major challenge to research in the area is the lack of validated instruments which can be used to assess either of these variables. The goals of the present study were therefore to evaluate the construct validity of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) and investigate the association between social skills and bullying in adolescents. This study involved participants of both genders aged between 10 and 17 years recruited from grades five through nine of public schools in the city of Porto Alegre. Involvement in bullying was evaluated using the OBVQ, which consists of 23 victim questions and 23 bully questions, scored on a scale of 1 (never) to 4 (several times a week). Construct validity was investigated using item response theory (ITR), by means of graduated response and generalized partial credit models. Social skills were evaluated using the Adolescent Social Skills Inventory (ASSI), which has been validated for use in Brazilian adolescents. The association between bullying and social skills was investigated in a sample of 12- to 17-year olds, which corresponds to the age group for which the ASSI was validated. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Municipal Health Service of Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). The OBVQ and ASSI, both of which are self-report instruments, were administered to adolescents during school hours following parental consent. The results of this procedure are presented in two articles. The first involved a sample of 703 adolescents, of whom 380 (45%) were girls, with a mean age of 12 (SD=1.58) years. The analysis of the IRT model for OBVQ scores revealed that the probability of an adolescent responding to any of the items with option 3 (once a week) was zero in both versions of the questionnaire. Therefore, based on item characteristic curves (ICC), alternatives 3 and 4 were combined to ensure a more reliable measure of bullying behaviors. The most discriminating items in the victim questionnaire were items 20 (One or more classmates said bad things about me or my family); 15 (I was persecuted inside or outside the school) and 3 (I was threatened). The most discriminating items in the bully version were items 22 (Forced someone to hit a classmate); 15 (Persecuted a classmate inside or outside the school) and 3 (Made threats). The second article involved 467 students, of whom 245(52.5%) were female. The mean age of the sample was 13.3 (SD=1.18) years. An interaction between social skills and gender was identified, whereby girls were found to engage less frequently in the behaviors described in the selfcontrol (p=0.010) and civility scales (p=0.031), and found it more difficult to perform the behaviors listed in the self-control (p=0.033) and social ease scales (p=0.009). An analysis of student involvement in bullying revealed that 59 (12.6%) participants were considered victims, 60(12.8%) were classified as bullies and 175(37.5%) were categorized as bullyvictims. Female victims of bullying had more difficulty expressing empathy than boys (p=0.012) and participants with different types of involvement in bullying (p=0.022). Bullying victims of both genders also had more difficulty engaging in the behaviors listed in the self-control, assertiveness, and affective approach subscales, and obtained higher total scores on the difficulty engaging in ASSI behaviors than adolescents not involved in bullying (p<0.05). The results suggested that IRT can be used to develop a more objective and precise measure of bullying. By construct validating the OBVQ and verifying its association with social skills, the present study showed that the latter are significantly impaired in adolescents involved in bullying, especially the victims, as compared to those not involved. Therefore, interventions involving the improvement of social skills may play an important role in preventing bullying in schools.

O bullying é um problema comum entre jovens em idade escolar, nos diferentes países, culturas e níveis socioeconômicos. Trata-se de um comportamento agressivo, ofensivo, repetitivo e frequente, perpetrado por uma pessoa contra outra ou por um grupo contra outros, com a intenção de ferir e humilhar, estabelecendo-se uma relação desigual de poder. O envolvimento com bullying está associado a pior ajustamento psicossocial, problemas de aprendizagem, evasão escolar ou de trocas frequentes de escolas, entre outros. Embora o comportamento de bullying seja multicausal, ainda são escassos estudos que avaliem a relação entre habilidades sociais de adolescentes e bullying. Um dos aspectos que dificultam a realização de pesquisas nessa área está relacionado à falta de instrumentos validados. Os objetivos do presente estudo são verificar a validade de constructo do Questionário de Bullying de Olweus (QBO) versão agressor e versão vítima e verificar a associação entre habilidades sociais e bullying em adolescentes. Trata-se de um estudo com alunos de ambos os sexos, oriundos de escolas da rede pública de Porto Alegre, do 5º ao 9º ano do ensino fundamental, com idade entre 10 e 17 anos. Para verificar o envolvimento com bullying, utilizou-se o QBO, com 23 questões para versão vítima e 23 para versão agressor com quatro opções de resposta (1=nenhuma vez a 4=várias vezes por semana). A validade de constructo foi verificada com a Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI), utilizando-se o modelo de resposta gradual e o crédito parcial generalizado. As habilidades sociais foram avaliadas com o Inventário de Habilidades Sociais para Adolescentes (IHSA), que é validado no Brasil. Para verificar a associação entre bullying e habilidades sociais, o critério de idade foi de 12 a 17 anos, conforme a recomendação do IHSA. O estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul e da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). Os instrumentos, ambos de autorrelato, foram respondidos pelos adolescentes no horário de aula e após a autorização dos pais. Os resultados estão apresentados em dois artigos. No primeiro, foi incluído um total de 703 adolescentes, sendo 380(54%) meninas, com média de idade de 13(DP=1,58) anos. Após a análise para a construção dos escores finais do QBO pelo modelo da TRI, observou-se que a probabilidade de um adolescente responder à opção 3 (uma vez por semana) é zero para ambas as versões. De acordo com as curvas característica do item (CCI), optou-se pela unificação das alternativas 3 e 4 para mensuração mais fidedigna a realidade do comportamento de bullying. Os itens com maior discriminação para classificar como vítima foram, respectivamente, 20 (Disseram coisas maldosas sobre mim ou sobre a minha família); 15 (Fui perseguido[a] dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Me ameaçaram). Na versão agressor, os itens com maior discriminação foram, respectivamente, 22 (Forcei a agredir outro[a] colega); 15 (Persegui dentro ou fora da escola) e 3 (Fiz ameaças). No segundo artigo, foram incluídos 467 alunos, sendo 245(52,5%) do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 13,3(DP=1,18) anos. Considerando-se a interação habilidades sociais e sexo, as meninas apresentaram associação significativa com menor frequência do autocontrole (p=0,010) e da civilidade (p=0,031) e maior dificuldade das habilidades de autocontrole (p=0,033) e desenvoltura social (p=0,009). Em relação aos tipos de envolvimento com bullying, 59(12,6%) dos adolescentes classificaram-se como vítima, 60(12,8%) como agressores e 175(37,5%) como agressores vítimas. Observou-se associação significativa entre as meninas vítimas de bullying e maior dificuldade na habilidade de empatia comparada aos meninos (p=0,012) e aos demais tipos de bullying (p=0,022). Também foram as vítimas, independentemente do sexo, que apresentaram maior dificuldade em termos de autocontrole, assertividade, abordagem afetiva e o total das habilidades sociais em comparação aos não envolvidos (p<0,05). Os resultados sugerem que a utilização da TRI permite a construção de uma medida de avaliação mais objetiva e precisa do comportamento de bullying. Por meio da validação de constructo do QBO e da associação com habilidades sociais, o estudo demonstrou que existe um importante déficit de determinadas habilidades sociais nos diferentes tipos de envolvimentos com bullying, principalmente entre as vítimas, quando comparadas aos não envolvidos. Portanto, intervenções que incluam técnicas para melhorar as habilidades sociais podem desempenhar um relevante papel preventivo no envolvimento com bullying no ambiente escolar. / Bullying is a common problem among school-age children and adolescents across different countries, cultures and socioeconomic levels. Bullying consists of the repeated infliction of aggressive and offensive behaviors by one person against another or one group against others, with the intent of hurting or humiliating the victim, resulting in an imbalance of power. Involvement in bullying is associated with issues such as poor social adjustment, learning difficulties, truancy and frequent changes of schools. Although bullying is known to be a multicausal phenomenon, few studies have evaluated the relationship between social skills and bullying in adolescents. A major challenge to research in the area is the lack of validated instruments which can be used to assess either of these variables. The goals of the present study were therefore to evaluate the construct validity of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) and investigate the association between social skills and bullying in adolescents. This study involved participants of both genders aged between 10 and 17 years recruited from grades five through nine of public schools in the city of Porto Alegre. Involvement in bullying was evaluated using the OBVQ, which consists of 23 victim questions and 23 bully questions, scored on a scale of 1 (never) to 4 (several times a week). Construct validity was investigated using item response theory (ITR), by means of graduated response and generalized partial credit models. Social skills were evaluated using the Adolescent Social Skills Inventory (ASSI), which has been validated for use in Brazilian adolescents. The association between bullying and social skills was investigated in a sample of 12- to 17-year olds, which corresponds to the age group for which the ASSI was validated. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Municipal Health Service of Porto Alegre (CAAE 19651113.5.0000.5338). The OBVQ and ASSI, both of which are self-report instruments, were administered to adolescents during school hours following parental consent. The results of this procedure are presented in two articles. The first involved a sample of 703 adolescents, of whom 380 (45%) were girls, with a mean age of 12 (SD=1.58) years. The analysis of the IRT model for OBVQ scores revealed that the probability of an adolescent responding to any of the items with option 3 (once a week) was zero in both versions of the questionnaire. Therefore, based on item characteristic curves (ICC), alternatives 3 and 4 were combined to ensure a more reliable measure of bullying behaviors. The most discriminating items in the victim questionnaire were items 20 (One or more classmates said bad things about me or my family); 15 (I was persecuted inside or outside the school) and 3 (I was threatened). The most discriminating items in the bully version were items 22 (Forced someone to hit a classmate); 15 (Persecuted a classmate inside or outside the school) and 3 (Made threats). The second article involved 467 students, of whom 245(52.5%) were female. The mean age of the sample was 13.3 (SD=1.18) years. An interaction between social skills and gender was identified, whereby girls were found to engage less frequently in the behaviors described in the selfcontrol (p=0.010) and civility scales (p=0.031), and found it more difficult to perform the behaviors listed in the self-control (p=0.033) and social ease scales (p=0.009). An analysis of student involvement in bullying revealed that 59 (12.6%) participants were considered victims, 60(12.8%) were classified as bullies and 175(37.5%) were categorized as bullyvictims. Female victims of bullying had more difficulty expressing empathy than boys (p=0.012) and participants with different types of involvement in bullying (p=0.022). Bullying victims of both genders also had more difficulty engaging in the behaviors listed in the self-control, assertiveness, and affective approach subscales, and obtained higher total scores on the difficulty engaging in ASSI behaviors than adolescents not involved in bullying (p<0.05). The results suggested that IRT can be used to develop a more objective and precise measure of bullying. By construct validating the OBVQ and verifying its association with social skills, the present study showed that the latter are significantly impaired in adolescents involved in bullying, especially the victims, as compared to those not involved. Therefore, interventions involving the improvement of social skills may play an important role in preventing bullying in schools.

This research study deals with the widespread concern that exists amongst parents, educators and healthcare professionals working with children about issues regarding bullying in childhood and adolescence. By using the Transactional Analysis (TA) theory, this research project aimed to describe possible social transactions that occur between bully perpetrators and bully victims, and to examine these social transactions from the perspective of potentially predisposed personality profiles. The link between the personality profile and social transactions lie within the notion that our personality profiles could possibly influence the way we interact with or behave towards other individuals. The motivation behind this research study was therefore to analyse and examine the social transactions that occur between bully perpetrators and bully victims, which exemplifies the unique relationship that defines a bully perpetrator and bully victim in order to better explain (by way of TA) the ‘games’ they play. This was done by identifying the psychological profile tendencies that prompt bully perpetrators and bully victims to engage in repetitive transactions in order to uncover the games they tend to play, as well as to foster an understanding of why bully victims struggle to ‘unhook’ from these dysfunctional transactions. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / lk2014 / Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted