Troy University, Troy, AL, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2022 Jul;37(13-14):NP11386-NP11412. doi: 10.1177/0886260521991286. Epub 2021 Feb 10.
Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime's (GTC) claim to explain crime, at all times, and in all places, has received considerable empirical support using Western, Scandinavian, and Asian samples. However, the theory is yet to be tested using a Nigerian sample. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 1,192 junior secondary school (middle school) students in Nigeria, this study examines the explanatory power of Gottfredson and Hirschi's GTC in predicting bullying perpetration and victimization in that context and culture. Binomial logistic regression was used to test the hypothesis that the bullying perpetration and victimization experiences of these students would be negatively related to self-control. Study provides support for the cross-cultural potency of the GTC as low self-control predicted the bullying and victimization experiences of these students regardless of gender. Students' perception of a negative school environment was also a significant predictor of bullying. This is the first test of the GTC with a Nigerian sample and hopefully, will be a springboard for effective bullying prevention policy/programs in Nigerian schools. The public policy implications of the findings are discussed.
戈特弗雷森和赫希的一般犯罪理论（GTC）声称可以解释任何时间、任何地点的犯罪行为，这一理论已经得到了大量西方、斯堪的纳维亚和亚洲样本的实证支持。然而，该理论尚未通过尼日利亚样本进行测试。本研究使用来自尼日利亚 1192 名初中（中学）学生样本的横截面数据，检验了戈特弗雷森和赫希的 GTC 在预测该背景和文化中的欺凌行为和受害经历方面的解释能力。二项逻辑回归用于检验假设，即这些学生的欺凌行为和受害经历与自我控制呈负相关。研究结果支持 GTC 的跨文化效力，因为无论性别如何，低自我控制都预示着这些学生的欺凌和受害经历。学生对负面学校环境的看法也是欺凌行为的一个重要预测因素。这是对尼日利亚样本进行的 GTC 首次测试，希望这将成为尼日利亚学校制定有效欺凌预防政策/计划的起点。讨论了研究结果的公共政策含义。
