Development and validation of a new measure of school-age bullying experiences for adults: the Bullying and Exclusion Experiences Scale (BEES)

Abstract

Few options are available for measuring the adult impact of childhood bullying. The Bullying Experiences and Exclusion Scale (BEES) is an 18-item retrospective self-report measure of school-age bullying experiences in three different roles (victim, witness, perpetrator). Its validity was examined in an online survey with 346 participants. Construct validity was examined using a polytomous Rasch model with accompanying principal components analysis and found to be supported. Convergent and discriminant validity were supported based on comparison measures focussing on past school experiences (social support, emotional problems, conduct problems, peer problems, prosocial behaviour), as well as current adult experience of stress, anxiety and depression. Concurrent validity was also supported based on associations with a global self-rating of experience in each bullying role. It was concluded that the BEES meets the need for an easily administered retrospective measure of school age bullying experiences which has relevance to ongoing psychological disturbance and past interpersonal factors.