| Up to 50% of all adolescents may encounter bullying and/or cyberbullying, subtypes of peer aggression that cross gender, racial, and ethnic lines and are reported in countries across the world. Those involved are at risk of developing anxiety and depressive disorders, self-harming and homicidal behaviors, and can also demonstrate decreased academic attendance and functioning. While prevention and intervention efforts exist at several levels, prevalence rates persist and adolescent reporting remains one of the most problematic and inconsistent elements of these types of aggression. Data from the School Crime Supplement to the 2011 National Crime Report were analyzed to determine whether student perception of school safety policies, reporting procedures, and rules influenced reporting of bullying and cyberbullying.;Regression analysis showed one significant relationship between the reporting of cyberbullying and whether students know what kind of punishment follows an infraction of a rule: OR=1.89, 95% CI= [1.10-3.24], p<.05. However, the model showed no significant overall predictors of student reporting of bullying: OR=1.02, 95% CI= [0.97-1.07], p=0.43 or cyberbullying: OR=1.01, 95% CI= [0.92-1.12], p=0.79 in relation to school safety policies, reporting procedures, and rules. This study supports future research into adolescent reporting as intervention efforts cannot be effectively targeted if perpetrators and victims are not identified. Further, reporting allows for the analysis of behaviors in order to clarify their classification as bullying or cyberbullying and to identify criminal acts such as hate crimes and sexual harassment. |
