Correlates and Consequences of Peer Victimization: Gender Differences in Direct and Indirect Forms of Bullying

Research on school-based violence and bullying suggests that males are more likely to be both perpetrators and victims of bullying. Because of this, until recently, the experiences of females have been somewhat overlooked. Evidence suggests, however, that definition and measurement issues may be at play; girls, for instance, are more likely than boys to experience indirect forms of bullying such as teasing. To what extent have the correlates and consequences of bullying victimization been misspecified due to an emphasis on direct forms of bullying, such as physical violence, which disproportionately affects boys? The authors use data from two waves of a longitudinal panel study of 1,222 youths in 15 schools across the United States to address this question by examining the correlates and consequences for both boys and girls of two forms of bullying. Findings suggest a number of important gender similarities and differences in indirect and direct bullying victimization.