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The present study aims to examine the issue of peer aggression and victimisation in early childhood, with a focus on the associated social behaviour strategies (aggressiveness, prosociality, dominance and social insecurity). A sample of 227 children (58.1% girls, n = 132) between the ages of 4 and 7 years (M = 5.61; SD = 1. 03) participated in the study. Teacher reports and peer nominations of physical and verbal aggression and victimisation were analysed. Results showed an association between aggressiveness and insecurity and being nominated as a physical and verbal aggressor by peers. Being nominated as a physical victim was associated with aggressiveness and dominance; and for verbal victim with aggressiveness and prosociality. Differences were found between boys and girls in verbal aggression and victimisation. The current study contributes to a better understanding of the emergence of peer aggression and victimisation in relation to social processes in early childhood and has implications for the prevention of the later appearance of bullying.

Research into risky online behaviour among children and adolescents is on the rise, with more studies being conducted into the factors which can influence this phenomenon, above all in relation to school and family life. In the latter sphere, one relevant factor is the degree of genuine trust children have in their parents when using the Internet. The main objective of this study is to verify the effects of child disclosure about cyberaggression, in addition to the mediating role of problematic Internet use and cybergossip, and the moderating role of gender and age. A total of 866 primary school children (53% girls) between 10 and 13 years old (M=11.21; SD=0.90) were surveyed using self-reporting. The data processing followed a moderated serial mediation model using "Process". The results revealed the effects of child disclosure about cyberaggression and the mediation of problematic Internet use and cybergossip. Unlike gender, age moderated the effects of the mediation model. The results highlight the need to foster a climate of trust and communication in the family environment to reduce involvement in risky online behaviour, in which children feel understood and supported by their parents, which in turn encourages open communication about Internet use.

Studies show that different types of antisocial behaviors share similar risk and protective factors related to particular social, emotional and moral competencies. Nevertheless, little is known about the longitudinal relation of social, emotional and moral competencies with patterns of antisocial behaviors in youth. The present study aimed to discover the longitudinal relations between social and emotional competencies, empathy, moral emotions, moral disengagement, and perceived moral disengagement induced by parents, and the patterns of antisocial behaviors and change in these patterns over time. A sample of 898 Spanish students aged between 9 and 17 was followed up for one year. Self-reported data were analyzed using latent transition analyses and multinomial regressions. Results showed that age, several mechanisms of moral disengagement, perceived parental moral disengagement induction, and several social and emotional competencies predicted offenders outside of school and highly antisocial and victimized patterns, including their stability over time. Moreover, males at early ages and perceived parental moral disengagement induction predicted the high bullying victimization pattern. Being a male, with high victim dehumanizing and blaming, predicted stability of the high bullying victimization pattern. Being a male, early ages, and low responsible decision-making predicted changes from the high bullying victimization pattern to the low antisocial pattern. Results are discussed emphasizing the need to conduct prevention and intervention programs from a comprehensive perspective promoting social, emotional and moral competencies. This study could have useful implications for prevention and intervention focused on decreasing risk and increasing protective factors., Author(s): Elena Nasaescu [sup.1] , Izabela Zych [sup.1] , Rosario Ortega-Ruiz [sup.1] , David P. Farrington [sup.2] , Vicente J. Llorent [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411901.c, 0000 0001 2183 9102, [...]

Previous studies have shown that there is overlap between victimization and the perpetration of bullying, and social and motivational variables are known to mediate this relationship. However, the effects of different moral disengagement strategies have not been studied, despite the fact that they exert a major influence on aggressive behavior. This hypothesis and the moderating role of gender were tested through a longitudinal study (N = 2,066) administered in three waves at 6-month intervals. The results indicated that cognitive restructuring influenced the association between victimization and subsequent bullying. In high victimization scores, boys had higher scores in bullying perpetration compared to girls. The conclusion underlines the importance of the role of morals and ethics in peer relations and in the cycle of violence.

Being a victim of bullying or cyberbullying can be linked to participating less in physical activity. Considering that physical self-concept can play an important role in the relationship between both constructs, this study aims to analyse the mediating effect of physical self-concept between victimization/cybervictimization and physical activity, considering the moderating effect of gender. A total of 870 schoolchildren aged 12 to 19 from southern Spain participated in this explanatory cross-sectional study. We studied the variables of victimization, cyber-victimization, physical self-concept and organized physical activity through self-reports, and analysed the moderated mediation using the Process macro. Negative relationship was found between physical activity and both victimization and cybervictimization, and this association was mediated by physical self-concept. In turn, moderating analyses showed that physical self-concept had a stronger relationship on physical activity in boys. In conclusion, a positive physical self-concept can mediate in victims of bullying or cyberbullying opting not to participate in physical activities, especially in boys.

Intervention against cyberbullying and other risks associated with the misuse of ITC and social networks is an important social demand. The 'Asegúrate' Program tries to support teachers in this intervention. This research shows the impact of the program among those that have shown to be less sensitive in other studies: cyber-aggressors. Concretely, the impact of the program on the prevalence of aggression in cyberbullying and bullying, sexting and abusive use of the Internet and social networks are analyzed. The evaluation of the program was carried out with a sample of 479 students (54.9% girls) of Compulsory Secondary Education (age M=13.83. SD=1.40) through a quasi-experimental methodology, with two measures over time. The instruments used were the "European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire", the "European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire", the "Internet Related Experiences Questionnaire" and two items about sexting involvement. The results show that the involvement in cyber aggression, sexting, and intrapersonal dimension of abusive use of Internet and social network increases without intervention, whereas it diminishes when the intervention is carried out. Moreover, a significant decrease in the aggression and cyber aggression among cyber aggressors is evidenced. Thus, 'Asegúrate' Program is effective for decreasing the prevalence of aggressions and cyber aggressions as well as the involvement in other phenomena considered cyberbullying risk factors.

The study of violence and bullying in schools is a line of scientific research that has contributed significantly to knowledge on human aggressiveness, especially in children and adolescents. This article shows that there are two patterns of aggressive behavior: proactive and reactive. Both are present in bullying, as are other psychological aspects pertaining to the individuals involved, such as basic personality traits, self-esteem and values. This study links both proactive and reactive behavioral patterns to involvement and non-involvement in school bullying. The results reveal that basic personality traits, such as neuroticism, have a direct impact on proactive and reactive bullying, as do the social and individual dimensions of self-esteem and social and moral values. These findings confirm that variables relating to personal and social values are, in turn, related to proactive and reactive aggressive behavior in bullying for those involved and not involved in bullying. However, they also highlight that while aggressors engage in more proactive aggressive behavior, reactive aggression is more frequent among victims.

Research is sparse on who targets whom in peer aggression. In this study, we investigated the harm associated with the type of relationship between aggressed and aggressor with an international sample of over 5,000 students aged 11-16, living in 12 nations. Best friends and individuals with whom the respondent had no relationship were the least likely to engage in aggression, while one-third of peer aggression could be attributed to friends (not best friends), and classmates/peers. Greater harm was experienced between best friends only when it involved relational aggression, such as spreading rumors and being left out. Harm from aggression varied by world location and number of different experiences of aggression, while gender and age differences were inconsistent. Intervention programs could take advantage of the vital role that friends play as socializing agents during adolescence that focus on the harmfulness of aggression undertaken in the guise of a joke.

Dating violence can manifest itself in different ways, with important consequences for both members of the couple. Due to the normalization of certain behaviour and the perceived quality of the relationship, it may be difficult to identify this violent dynamic in its early stages, allowing it to escalate and lead to severe levels of violent behaviour. This study aims to analyse violent profiles using latent class analysis (LCA) and explore the role of relationship quality variables as risk factors for those profiles. A two-stage longitudinal design was used with a sample of 2849 Spanish adolescents between 12 and 18 years old. The LCA produced five different groups: those not involved in violence; those involved in mild forms of violence (with two sub-groups: those involved in psychological–sexual violence and in psychological–physical violence); and those involved in the most severe forms of violence, with a co-occurrence of psychological–physical–sexual violence (with two sub-groups, according to the higher of lower frequency of involvement). Despite the differences between boys and girls, negative-quality variables played a more important role in dating violence. Discussion of the results focuses on both the complex nature of the violence and the multi-probabilistic view of its development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social exclusion victimization among adolescents causes significant damage and harm to development and social balance. Many of the aggressions that lead to this are based on social stigmas, particularly related to physical appearance in school settings involving physical and sports activities. This study investigates the relationship between victimization through social exclusion (both manifest and subtle forms) and physical self-concept, specifically examining ability, attractiveness, physical condition, and strength. Methods: A total of 876 adolescents (mean age = 14.91; standard deviation = 1.71 years), evenly divided between boys and girls, from secondary schools in Andalusia, Spain participated. They completed a self-report questionnaire assessing physical abilities, attractiveness, physical condition, and self-perceived strength, alongside an instrument measuring experiences of social exclusion and manifest exclusion. Results: Our findings indicate that physical ability, attractiveness, and condition are negative statistical predictors of both manifest and subtle exclusion victimization, while self-perceived strength is a statistical predictor of subtle exclusion. Manifest exclusion impacts both genders similarly, but girls are more vulnerable to subtle forms of exclusion. Regardless of gender, physical ability and attractiveness significantly predict both types of exclusion. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of physical self-concept for wellbeing and maintaining self-concept balance. The inclusion of interventions addressing social exclusion in physical education is crucial, particularly those that work to mitigate social stigmas against adolescents who struggle in physical or sporting activities. A gender-sensitive approach should also be incorporated. The growing field of research on adolescent social exclusion, both manifest and subtle, underscores the need for further exploration of its links to physical condition, physical activity, self-perception, and societal stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Social isolation measures by the COVID‐19 pandemic have impacted teaching work. In an "Emergency Remote Teaching" (ERT) context, it is relevant to investigate the factors that affect teachers' self‐efficacy. METHODS: A total of 289 teachers from schools in southern Spain have participated in this study. They have been asked about their levels of burnout, engagement, and resilience. Comparisons were made by groups in accordance with sex, type of center they belonged to, school social context, and educational level in which the teacher taught. Using a Structural Equations Model, the multivariate relationships between the variables related to burnout, engagement, and resilience were described. RESULTS: During the ERT, teachers' self‐efficacy was influenced by the 3 factors: burnout—exhaustion and cynicism—engagement, and resilience. During the ERT, the teachers in semi‐private and private centers showed greater self‐efficacy. In turn, the teachers in childhood and primary education showed a significantly higher level of work engagement than the teachers in compulsory and post‐compulsory secondary education. CONCLUSIONS: The results in relation to ERT are discussed in the context of the exceptionality and universal globality of the pandemic phenomenon and the complex self‐perception of the social value of the teaching function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of the short-term school-based intervention program Try Volunteering in the development of the Five Cs (Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, and Caring) of positive youth development. The longitudinal quasi-experimental study design was used for the pilot evaluation of the intervention program. The study sample consisted of 615 adolescents assigned to intervention and control groups. The Latent Class Growth Analysis revealed that most program participants showed an increase in Competence, Connection, and Caring as well as maintained stable levels of Confidence and Character; whereas most non-participants showed a decrease in Competence, Confidence, and Character and maintained stable levels of Connection and Caring. The effect size estimation revealed large between-group program effects on Competence and Confidence and moderate effects on Character as well as moderate within-group time effects on all Five Cs. Thus, the intervention program Try Volunteering is an effective tool for fostering positive youth development., Author(s): Inga TruskauskaitÄ-KunevicienÄ [sup.1], Eva Romera [sup.2], Rosario Ortega-Ruiz [sup.2], Rita ZukauskienÄ [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.5259.b, 0000 0001 1009 8986, Mykolas Romeris University, , Ateities str. 20, 08303, Vilnius, [...]

Introduction: Research on bullying, and on its protective or risk factors in the school environment, continues to be an important area both for investigation and for educational practice. Certain personal and contextual characteristics have been considered key to preventing school violence. Method: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between victimization and aggression roles and how certain variables in the students' direct context impact these two psychological processes. For this purpose, we surveyed 1278 students (47.7% girls) from southern Spain (Andalusia), ages 10 to 14 years (M = 11.11; SD = 0.754). Results: Linear regression analyses showed the explanatory power of protective factors such as social adjustment or adjustment to norms, on perception of victimization and unjustified aggression. Individual factors such as gender, and personal factors like self-esteem, give rise to differences in one's perceived involvement in either role. Discussion and conclusions: This article focuses on the role of factors in the immediate context.

Objective: There is a broad consensus on the detrimental consequences of dating violence, yet its association with well-being remains underexplored. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the relationship between dating violence victimization and subjective, psychological, and social well-being among adolescents and emerging adults. Method: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, a structured search in Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo databases was conducted. Inclusion criteria encompassed participants between 10 and 29 years, peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2021, explicit measures of well-being, a focus on experiences of dating violence victimization, and an examination of the relationship between these two phenomena. Results: A total of 11 studies gathering 11,435 participants were included. An association was found between victimization and low levels of well-being, in both adolescence and emerging adulthood, with variables such as frequency, severity, type of victimization, and gender emerging as significant. Heterogeneity was estimated using the Q statistic and the I2 index, and publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and Egger's test. The meta-analysis showed a significant medium effect (r = −0.23, p <.01), linking experiencing victimization with lower levels of well-being both in adolescence and emerging adulthood. Conclusions: Dating violence can have a profound impact on the well-being of young people. To prevent such dynamics and promote positive outcomes, it is crucial to recognize gender similarities and differences while addressing the normalization of violence from an early age. This requires a developmental perspective and the consideration of the protective role of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]