ABSTRACT
A huge body of evidence shows that substantial numbers of children and youth around the globe are regularly involved in abusive peer relationships in kindergartens and schools. In Western countries, abusive peer relationships that are characterized by an imbalance of power and a certain degree of repetition are usually defined as bullying, while in Japan these behaviors are labeled ijime. With the increase of modern forms of communication tools like computers and mobile phones, a new form of bullying emerged that is carried out in cyberspace and called cyberbullying in Western countries (Li, 2006; Slonje & Smith, 2008; Smith et al., 2008) and net ijime in Japan. Although bullying and ijime share important characteristics, culture comparative research has also demonstrated that cultural values like individualism or collectivism affect their nature (Kanetsuna & Smith, 2002; Nesdale & Naito, 2005). Therefore, it is necessary to apply a culturally sensitive approach when constructing a cross-culturally valid scale.
