Physical bullying and safety : The commonality of perpetration and victimization among upper secondary school students along with the interpretation of resources and safety within the school environment

Abstract: The aim and overall purpose of this study was to investigate how common physical bullying (perpetration and victimization) was, in the perception of 221 upper secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 20 years old in the middle parts of Sweden, and how they interpreted the resources and safety available within the school environment. The study was quantitative with a cross-sectional research design, and the data was obtained via a questionnaire that the authors made specifically for this study. The data was analysed with the chi-square test to find possible statistical significance. The results indicated that almost one out of five of the students participating in this study had perpetrated at least one violent act against another student, and that one out of five students had been victimized of at least one violent act by another student. The routine activity theory, Moffitt's developmental theory and the lifestyle theory was used to get a better understanding of why physical bullying occurred, why some students chose to use physical violence against other students, and why some students were being victimized of physical bullying in the school environment. More research is needed in physical bullying, and bullying in general as well, among school students in Sweden.