The relationship between levels of perceived respect and bullying in 5th through 12th graders.

There are several avenues of inquiry that seek to understand and ameliorate the problem of bullying in schools, including the strategy of fostering respect. To date, however, there is little empirical literature testing the presumed relationship between respect and bullying. This study examined this relationship with surveys (N = 3,147) and interviews (N = 315) administered to 5th through 12th grade students in 26 public schools. Surveys assessed perceptions of respect from adults, respect from peers, and frequency ratings of observed and experienced bullying. Analyses indicated that perceived levels of respect were moderate overall and varied greatly by school and demographics. Approximately 15% of students reported that they observed physical bullying at least weekly and 12% said they were picked on daily. Demographically, males, minorities, 9th and 10th graders, and non-college bound students perceived significantly lower levels of adult and peer respect and higher amounts of bullying relative to comparative groups. Levels of respect significantly predicted frequency of bullying in a regression. Interviews indicated that, contrary to common belief, bullies were the popular students. This study highlights the importance of respect in understanding and improving the socioemotional and physical experience of students.