Exploring dimensions of bias-based bullying victimization, school fairness, and school belonging through mediation analysis

Abstract

Bias-based bullying (BBB) is a serious problem for school-aged adolescents. However, limited attention has been paid to the mechanism of how BBB may affect youths' sense of belonging to the school. The purpose of the current study was to understand the associations between BBB victimization, school belonging, and school fairness among school-aged adolescents. The present study also examined whether school fairness mediated the link between BBB victimization and school belonging. Data were drawn from the “No Place For Hate” project, which examined bias-based incidents, school equity, and school belonging of a school district. The analytic study sample consisted of 2600 middle and high school students. Results from a structural equation model revealed that BBB victimization was negatively related to school fairness and school fairness was positively linked to school belonging. BBB victimization was also inversely associated with school belonging. Furthermore, a significant mediation effect was found in that school fairness mediated the link between BBB victimization and school belonging. The findings highlight the importance of addressing perceived fairness given its mediating role between BBB victimization and school belonging.