A study of bullying among year 5 pupils in Maltese state schools

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate the incidence and the nature of bullying among Year 5 pupils attending state schools. Throughout this study, the incidence, frequency, nature, places where bullying takes place, the age group of both the victims and the bullies, the sex of victims and bullies, with whom do bullies act, the emotional reactions of victims and bullies, and the behavioural reactions of victims, are investigated. The latter objectives are further investigated with regards to the pupils' sex, age, ability, fathers' occupation and height. The sample consisted of 1183 Year 5 pupils, of which 574 were boys and 609 were girls (33.6% of the whole Year 5 pupil population in Malta). It was drawn from 29 primary schools during the scholastic year 1994/95. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire. This was constructed and administered by the present writer. From the results obtained, it can be deduced that the level of bullying behaviour in Year 5 is disturbingly high. It was found that more than half of the pupils are being bullied, whilst nearly half of the pupils act as bullies. Furthermore, it seems that boys experience bullying and especially act as bullies more than girls; low ability pupils are more involved in bullying than high ability pupils. Fathers' occupation and pupils' age have no influence on bullying, while the pupils' height seems to influence slightly the incidence of bullying. Some considerations of how bullying can be tackled are discussed.