Bullying in adolescents in secondary school: Role of peer attachment on the aggressor and victim behavior

Abstract

A secure peer attachment appears in the literature as a protective factor against bullying behavior. The present study seeks to test the predictor effect of peer attachment on different types of bullying and to examine the mediating role of gender on the same association. The sample consists of 351 individuals of both genders, between the ages of 12 and 17. The results show the existence of a peer attachment predictive effect on victimization but does not reveal a gender moderator effect in this association. As for the aggressive behaviors, no predictive value of peer attachment was found. The results will be discussed and analyzed as the attachment theory, in order to understand the importance of peer attachment as a protective factor for maladaptive behavior in adolescence. © 2019 Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra. All rights reserved.