Family Climate, Social Relationships with Peers and Teachers at School, and School Bullying Victimization among Third Grade Students in Elementary Schools in Taiwan

While there is a strong assumption of a direct link between family climate and school bullying victimization, studies on such a direct link have shown inconsistent results. Furthermore, family climate and children's social relationships with teachers and peers at school have been considered potential protective factors against school bullying victimization among adolescents. However, not much is known about how these factors function as protectors against school bullying victimization among children early in middle childhood. Studies examining how these protective factors work together to reduce school bullying victimization are also lacking. This paper attempts to fill the gap by studying how children's social relationships with peers and teachers at school mediate the association of family climate with school bullying victimization among children in the early period of their middle childhood in Taiwan. It also examines how sex influences the mediating effects and interrelationships among family climate, children's school social relationships at school, and school bullying victimization. Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 1230 third graders (about 8 years old) in Taiwan. The results showed that family climate had a nonsignificant direct link with school bullying victimization, but a significant indirect link with school bullying victimization mediated through relationships with peers and teachers. These findings are relevant for both sexes. Findings provide empirical support that family climate has an indirect link with school bullying victimization through relationships with teachers and peers. The study indicated that to reduce school bullying victimization among those who are early in middle childhood, potential intervention programs may consider promoting students' relationships with teachers and peers.