ABSTRACT
The school setting is the primary context in which most childhood bullying and victimization by peers occurs (Olweus, 1978). Moreover, intervention efforts undertaken by investigators to reduce or prevent bullying typically are implemented in the schools (U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, 1999). Whether considered individually or on a system-wide level, schools also are the preferred unit of analysis chosen by researchers when reporting rates of bullying and victimization (e.g., Boulton & Underwood, 1992; Olweus, 1993; Whitney & Smith, 1993). In a recent survey of more than 15,000 students in grades 6 through 10 in the United States, 29.9% reported either bullying others or being victimized by others, or both, at least some of the time during the current school term (Nansel et al., 2001). Middle and high school students have reported rates as high as 75% for being victimized at least once during the course of their school years (Hoover, Oliver, & Hazler, 1992). Björkqvist and Österman (1999) note that “bullying has probably occurred as long as there have been schools” (p. 57). There is clear evidence that schools do influence children’s intellectual,
emotional, and behavioral development; yet, to date, information about school context influences on bullying is limited. This chapter will focus on qualities of the social and emotional climate of the school and how they may be implicated in the facilitation or deterrence of school bullying.
