Citation

Moffat AK, Redmond G, Raghavendra P. J. School Violence 2019; 18(4): 613-629.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15388220.2019.1644180

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Addressing bullying victimization of students with disability is a significant challenge for schools. While social support can protect against bullying victimization in the general population, its role in mediating the relationship between disability and bullying is under-researched. This paper examined covert bullying prevalence (encompassing relational, social and indirect aggression) and its relationship to social support (peer, family, and teacher) among a national sample of 4,753 Australian 8-14 year olds, 490 of whom self-identified as living with disability. Positive teacher and peer support predicted the reduced probability of bullying victimization among students overall, but low support levels among students with disability negated this effect. Interventions to address covert bullying of students with disability need to focus on whole-school approaches that reduce opportunities for victimization of students with disability.

Language: en

Keywords

covert bullying; gender; middle years; national survey; routine opportunities theory; self-identified disability; social support