School bullying in China is under-investigated, though it has become a national concern recently. The incidences of reported bullying, bullying others and witnessing bullying are 26.10%, 9.03% and 28.90%, respectively (Cook, Williams, Guerra, Kim, & Sadek, 2010).
With the popularization of the Internet and Development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), online communication has become a common mode of communication. With this change, social phenomena existing off-line have begun to appear online. Cyberbullying is an example of this trend, which has received increasing attention because of its potentially serious consequences and increasing prevalence. However, relatively little is known about cyberbullying (O’Keeffe, Clarke-Pearson, & Council on Communication and Media, 2011). Hodgins notes that “there is ample evidence that the experience of having been bullied is associated with poor outcomes in both physical and mental health for both schools going children and adults” (Chalamandaris & Piette, 2015). If we do research in school bullying to know why and how exactly it happened, then we may find a way for successfully tackling and preventing school bullying.
The purpose of the study is to raise awareness on the subject among parents, teachers and people who work for school health and administrators on the prevalence and factors associated with bullying among adolescents in China. It should lead to efforts to develop priorities, establish programs and policies for school health and young health. It should also help to establish trends in the prevalence of these behaviours.
This study has been approved by the University of Windsor Research Ethics Board.
This study is now completed.