Physical, verbal, and relational forms of bullying among German students: age trends, gender differences, and correlates

A revised version of the Bully/Victim Questionnaire Olweus, 1991 was given to 2,086 fifth–tenth grader students from schools in two German federal states. The results were analysed in terms of frequencies of self-reports of different forms of bullying (physical, verbal, relational/indirect; for bullies and for victims), gender and grade differences. Overall, 12.1% of the students reported bullying others and 11.1% reported being bullied (victimisation). We classified 2.3% of the students as bully/victims due to their self-report. Significantly more boys reported bullying others, regardless of bullying form, and significantly more boys than girls were classified as bully/victims. Although there was no gender difference for victimisation at all, boys reported significantly more often than girls being bullied physically. Besides, self-reports of pure and overlapping forms of bullying behaviour (relational, verbal, physical) were analysed. With regard to age trends, students from middle grades reported the highest rates of bullying. Self-reported rates of victimisation were higher for younger students, regardless of form of victimisation. Furthermore, class size was not linked to reports of bullying and victimisation. Results from logistic regression analyses emphasised that the variables “gender” and “grade” add significantly to the prediction of self-reported bullying; “grade” and variables measuring impaired psychosocial “well-being” of students at school (e.g., feeling of not being popular, negative attitude towards breaks) add significantly to the prediction of self-reported victimisation. The results are discussed against the background of other study findings, accentuating the significance of gender- and age-specific forms of bullying/victimisation. Aggr. Behav. 32:1–15, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.