PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING IN FAMILIES OF AUSTRALIAN ADOLESCENT SCHOOLCHILDREN INVOLVED IN BULLY VICTIM PROBLEMS

The paper examines the relationship between family functioning and the involvement of adolescent schoolchildren in bully/victim problems at school. Australian high school students between the ages of 13 and 16 years completed a Family Functioning in Adolescence Questionnaire (FFA Q) as a measure of the psychosocial well-being of their families. Stud ents were also categorized on the basis of self-reports as bullies (9% ), victims (11%), bully/victims (2%) and others (78%). The families of adolescent bullies were found to be functioning less well than others on the FFAQ, as also were the families of female but not male victims . Results for sub-groups of schoolchildren are examined with respect t o specific dimensions of family functioning, and the implications of d ifferences for family therapy are discussed.