In this study, 422 middle school students completed a survey that incorporated peer report measures of bullying and victimization, self-report measures of the same, and measures of psychosocial variables associated with bullying. The overall prevalence of frequent bullying among the sample was 14.5 percent. Using cluster analysis the researchers identified five groups of bully-victim subtypes. These included non-status students, bullies, victims, aggressive bullies and bully-victims. Although bullying could contribute to popularity among sixth grade males, bullies were found to have the same number of friends as non-status students on average. Seventy-five percent of bullies associated with other bullies, suggesting that bullies befriended other bullies. The researchers found that male students reported higher rates of bullying and fighting than female students across all grade levels. Male students also reported greater victimization than female students. More male students were rated as bullies by their peers than were female students. The findings of this study demonstrate that bullying behavior is influenced by peer affiliation similar to other undesirable behaviors such as smoking and drug use. The results of the psychosocial measures showed the greatest amount of depression and anxiety among students in the victim group. Students in the bully group did not feel the sense of belonging in school that students in the non-status group felt. Furthermore, students in the bully group reported more negative peer influences, less positive adult role models, and generally favorable views towards violence. References