School Built Environments and Bullying Behaviour: A Conceptual Model Based on Qualitative Interviews

Abstract

Interest in how the school built environment impacts bullying behaviour has gained momentum in recent years. While numerous studies have identified locations within schools where bullying frequently occurs, few studies have investigated the potential conceptual pathways linking school locations to bullying behaviour. This study aimed to (i) identify school built environment factors that may prevent or facilitate bullying behaviour in primary and secondary schools; and (ii) develop a conceptual model of potential pathways between the school built environment and bullying behaviour for future anti-bullying intervention research. Seventy individual semi-structured interviews were conducted between May and December 2020, with policymakers (n = 22), school staff (n = 12), parents (n = 18), and students (n = 18). School staff, parents and students, were recruited from six metropolitan primary and secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia. Interviews were conducted online and face-to-face using semi-structured interview guides. A thematic analysis was undertaken. Participants identified school bullying locations (e.g., locker areas, bathrooms, corridors) and built environment factors linked to bullying behaviour via (i) visibility and supervision; (ii) physical and psychological comfort and safety; and (iii) social-emotional competencies. The findings have policy and practice implications regarding the design of school built environments to prevent bullying behaviour.

The Impact of School Environment on Student Health Behaviors: Insights from Qualitative Interviews

“…Positive peer pressure, where groups of friends engaged in healthy activities like sports, positively impacted individual behaviors. Conversely, negative peer influence was cited as a reason for unhealthy practices such as smoking and junk food consumption (Francis et al, 2022).…”

Intercultural Differences between Spain and Italy Regarding School Bullying, Gender, and Age

“…A study reports that around 20-25% of young people are directly involved in bullying as victims, aggressors, or both [16]. The average prevalence is estimated to be 35% for traditional bullying and 15% for cyberbullying [4,17]. Although prevalence may vary significantly depending on the sample, age, methodology, etc., the existence of this significant problem and its profound consequences on the current and future mental health of students are undeniable [15].…”

“…Various studies have shown a high prevalence of bullying throughout the school years, with rates that tend to increase during early childhood and then gradually decrease towards the end of adolescence [17]. Moreover, changes in educational environments, such as the transition from primary to secondary school, can impact the frequency and manifestation of school bullying [18,20].…”

Book Reviews: Bullying: The Social Destruction of Self

“…Other articles that might be useful to pair with Martocci's work are those by Francis andcolleagues (2022) andvon Humboldt, Ribeiro-Gonçalves, andLeal (2022). Both articles are qualitative studies regarding the topic of bullying and include analysis of interview data that may help support Martocci's arguments (although neither article is based in the United States).…”