title: The interpersonal worlds of bullies: parents, peers, and partners.
abstract: Research has yet to examine the social influences of parents, peers, and partners on bullying. This study explored the impact of social relationships on bullies, victims, bully/victims, and uninvolved participants. A sample of 370 college-age participants was asked about bullying, family environment, friends' illegal behavior, and conflict resolution tactics in romantic relationships. Results indicated controls came from more secure and engaged families. Bully/victims reported friends engaging in more illegal behaviors than victims and uninvolved participants. Bullies and bully/victims reported more psychological coercion from their romantic partner. A logistic regression revealed peer illegal behaviors, psychological aggression, physical assault, and sexual coercion in romantic relationships best predicted bullies from non-bullies (67.3%). Based on these results, the interpersonal world of those involved with bullying significantly impacts behaviors.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Keelan
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schenk
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: McNally
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Fremouw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D058445:Bullying; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: bullying; cyberbullying; interpersonal relationships; peers