| Bullying is a specific form of peer aggression that affects millions of children worldwide. International literature on bullying has grown significantly over the past decade; however, limited research has been conducted to date on the frequency and nature of bullying and peer victimization among Latin American countries. The current mixed-methods, descriptive study sought to add to the international literature on peer aggression by examining the prevalence and nature of bullying and peer victimization among a population of Guatemalan youth. Participants included 139 third- through ninth-grade students at a primary and secondary school in Antigua, Guatemala. Bullying and peer victimization were assessed using a quantitative self-report measure, The Bully Survey-Youth Version (Swearer, 2001), and a qualitative measure consisting of drawings, narratives, and open-ended questions (Andreou & Bonoti, 2010; Bosacki, Marini, & Dane, 2006). Results indicated that 46% of students reported being the victims of bullying and 63% reported engaging in bullying against others during the past school year. The most common type of bullying reported was verbal aggression. Bullying and peer victimization most frequently occurred in structured school settings and community or neighborhood settings. In line with previous research, more females identified as victims of bullying, whereas no gender differences emerged for rates of bullying or types of bullying. Younger students were more likely to engage in physical bullying than older students. Findings are compared to types and rates of bullying from other international studies and discussed in light of the larger sociocultural context of Guatemala. |
