Department of Child Welfare, Chungbuk National University
Corresponding Author:
Youn-Hwa Kim ,Tel: +82-10-2680-3511, Fax: +82-43-260-2793, Email: kyh3511@hanmail.net
Received: September 29, 2009; Revised: October 8, 2009 Accepted: December 25, 2009.
ABSTRACT
We examined gender-specific behaviors in children and classified types of bullying behavior among 1,181 fifth and sixth grade elementary schools students. Differences were identified in individual variables, family environment variables, and school environment variables. Furthermore the behavioral tendencies of those variables towards bullying were also investigated. Collected data were subjected to descriptive and comparative statistical analysis using the SPSS program(Ver 15.0). Results showed that tendency towards bullying was gender specific. Bullying behavior, reinforcing behavior, assistant behavior, and onlooking behavior in boys were influenced by individual factors only. However, defending behavior in boys was influenced by individual and school factors, while victimizing behavior was influenced by individual and family factors. In girls, onlooking behavior was only influenced by individual factors, while reinforcing behavior was influenced by individual and family factors. Bullying behavior, defending behavior, assistant behavior, and victimizing behavior in girls were influenced by individual, family, and school factors.