Dimensions of parenting styles, social climate, and bullying victims in primary and secondary education.

BACKGROUND: Bullying as a construct is found to be related to a variety of individual, parental and academic factors. Familial factors include family environment, parenting style and parental involvement. The main aim of this study is to find out how Primary and Secondary Education students perceive parenting styles and social climate and if there are differences between pupils from these two educational stages. The study also considers the relationship between these perceptions of bullying victims and certain peer socio-affective factors.

METHOD: Participants were 847 children and adolescents. School social climate and Family social climate were both evaluated using the Spanish version of Moos’ Family Social Climate Scale, and Parenting styles were evaluated according to the Parental Socialization Scale in Adolescence (ESPA29). Roles associated with bullying, and correlates of social reputation were measured using the Bull-S questionnaire.

RESULTS: There are differences in how primary and secondary education students perceive parenting styles and family climate.

CONCLUSIONS: Parental factors are related to bullying victimization and socio-affective group variables (social preference, acceptance or rejection levels, and the number of friends). The study highlighs risk and protective factors for victimization.