D. Wolke et al., Bullying and victimization of primary school children in England and Germany: Prevalence and school factors, BR J PSYCHO, 92, 2001, pp. 673-696
Differences in definitions and methodologies for assessing bullying in prim
ary school children between countries have precluded direct comparisons of
prevalence rates and school factors related to bullying. A total of 2377 ch
ildren in England (6-year-olds/Year 2: 1072; 8-year-olds/Year 4: 1305) and
1538 in Germany (8-year-olds/Year 2) were questioned individually using an
identical standard interview. In both countries the types of bullying to vi
ctimize others were similar: boys were most often perpetrators, most bullie
s were also victims (bully/victims), most bullying occurred in playgrounds
and the classroom, and SES and ethnicity only showed weak associations with
bullying behaviour. Major differences were found in victimization rates wi
th 24% of English pupils becoming victims every week compared with only 8%
in Germany. In contrast, fewer boys in England engaged every week in bullyi
ng (2.5-4.5%) than German boys (7.5%), while no differences were found betw
een girls. In England, children in smaller classes were more often victimiz
ed. Further study of the group of bully/victims, schooling differences in E
ngland vs. Germany and implications for prevention of bullying are discusse
d.