Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Bullying in Schools

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to explore the differences between teacher and administrator perceptions of bullying. Data was collected from 139 practicing educators and administrators who completed a survey regarding their perceptions of bullying in schools. Mann Whitney U tests were conducted in order to determine if perceptions of bullying varied with occupation and gender. Bonferroni adjustments were made for the multiple pairwise comparisons. There were statistically significant differences between teacher and administrator perceptions regarding their role in bullying prevention. Teachers felt more strongly that educators played an important role in bullying prevention; however, administrators felt more comfortable dealing with the parents of bullying victims. Interestingly, teachers were significantly more likely than administrators to perceive a need for bullying prevention training. Significant gender differences concerning the inclusion of bullying prevention in school curriculum were also found.