Differential correlates of bully/victim status and bystander roles of school violence with school adjustment in Korea

This study aimed to explore the differential associations of school violence experiences with school adjustment by specifying bully/victim status and bystanders’ roles. A total of 1516 primary (67.4%) and middle (32.6%) school students in Korea were administered a series of psychological instruments. Mean differences showed that students without bullying experiences were better adjusted at school than those of bully, victim or bully-victim status. Victim helpers were better adjusted at school than bully helpers or passive observers. Regression analyses showed that students were better adjusted in schools if they had higher levels of empathy, lower levels of hostile attribution, no experiences of school bullying, or being victim-helpers. Policy implications are discussed for prevention and intervention of school bullying in Korea.