The Analysis of the Correlations Between Bullying Perpetration, Victimization, and Assertive Behavior Among Primary School Students in Romania

Background/Objectives: The phenomenon of bullying represents a major issue in school settings worldwide, despite extensive research on the topic. This study aimed to investigate the associations between bullying perpetration, victimization, and assertive behavior among primary school students. Methods: The sample consisted of 352 fourth-grade students (174 boys and 178 girls; aged 10–11 years) from 7 schools in Iași, Romania. Bullying perpetration and victimization were assessed using the Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument–Bully/Target (APRI-BT), while assertive behavior was assessed using the Children’s Assertive Behavior Scale (CABS). Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20. Results: Positive correlations ranging from weak to strong were identified between bullying perpetration and victimization in both boys and girls. Bullying perpetration and victimization were also associated with assertive behavior and nonassertive behaviors, although most correlations were weak in magnitude. Conclusions: The findings highlight the complexity of bullying-related interpersonal dynamics during late childhood and may have implications for school-based social and emotional learning and bullying prevention interventions during this developmental stage.