Rural elementary students', parents', and teachers' perceptions of bullying.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the prevalence and correlates of bullying in 7 rural elementary schools from students', parents', and teachers' perspectives.


METHODS
Surveys were completed by 739 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students, 367 parents, and 37 teachers.


RESULTS
Students tended to report higher prevalence of bullying than did parents or teachers, and their reports were associated with aggression, attitudes toward violence, and perceptions of school safety.


CONCLUSIONS
Bullying behavior is prevalent in rural elementary schools and is indicative of aggression and proviolence attitudes. Parents and teachers need to pay closer attention to bullying behavior among schoolchildren and to impart their knowledge to children in a comprehensive, coordinated manner.
Stockdale
Margaret S
MS
Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, 62901, USA. pstock@siu.edu
Hangaduambo
Saidou
S
Duys
David
D
Larson
Karl
K
Sarvela
Paul D
PD
D000378:Agonistic Behavior; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005178:Faculty; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois / Q000453:epidemiology; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012449:Safety; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*