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Ferenc Margitics, Erika Figula, Zsuzsa Pauwlik and Ágnes Szatmári: The Effect of Parental Treatment on Behaviours that Occur in School Bullying

This study examines the relationship between certain kinds of parental treatment (such as parental solicitude, overprotection and restriction) and behaviours that occur in school bullying (victim, bully, intervener-participant, helper-participant and bystander). 647 (301 female and 346 male) elementary and secondary school pupils participated in the survey. We used the School Bullying Questionnaire to identify behaviours that arise in school bullying and the Parental Treatment Questionnaire to examine the social background factors of the family. Our results showed a close correlation between certain behaviours tied to school bullying and one dimension of parental treatment, maternal and paternal solicitude. Less parental solicitude predisposed children to becoming bullies, independently of gender differences. The background factors of a child being a bully differed for boys and girls. Behaviours that occur in school bullying also demonstrated a close correlation with parental overprotection. Paternal overprotection induced different behaviour in school bullying than did maternal overprotection. Children who experienced maternal overprotection were inclined to be bullies – independently of gender differences. Maternal overprotection in boys exerted a stronger influence than it did in girls. Indeed, boys who were overprotected by their mothers gladly joined in the bullying. In contrast, children who experienced paternal overprotection – independently of gender differences – tended to become victims, or, in the case of boys, they were more likely to use physical aggression. Behaviours found in school bullying were less associated with parental restriction. For girls, neither maternal nor paternal restriction related to the behaviours that arise in school aggression. For boys, both maternal and paternal restrictions were conducive to a feeling of exclusion from the class.

MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 110. Number 3. 211-238. (2010)

Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Margitics Ferenc, Figula Erika, Pauwlik Zsuzsa és Szatmári Ágnes, Nyíregyházi Főiskola, Pszichológia Tanszék, H–4400 Nyíregyháza, Sóstói u. 31/b.

 
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Magyar Tudományos Akadémia