What makes a defender? A multilevel study of individual correlates and classroom norms in explaining defending behaviors

  1. Lucas-Molina, B. 1
  2. Giménez-Dasí, M. 1
  3. Fonseca-Pedrero, E. 2
  4. Pérez-Albéniz, A. 2
  1. 1 Universitat de València
    info

    Universitat de València

    Valencia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/043nxc105

  2. 2 Universidad de La Rioja
    info

    Universidad de La Rioja

    Logroño, España

    ROR https://ror.org/0553yr311

Journal:
School Psychology Review

ISSN: 0279-6015

Year of publication: 2018

Volume: 47

Issue: 1

Pages: 34-44

Type: Article

DOI: 10.17105/SPR-2017-0011.V47-1 SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-85045887486 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

More publications in: School Psychology Review

Sustainable development goals

Abstract

This study examines the interplay between individual characteristics (social status, provictim attitudes, and family messages about conflict resolution) and classroom descriptive and injunctive norms (peer victimization behaviors and bullying-related beliefs, respectively) in explaining defending behavior. For this purpose, we used a representative sample of 2,050 Spanish primary school children (50.80% girls) from grades 3-6 (M = 9.80 years; SD = 1.24), nested within 103 classrooms in 27 schools. Multilevel modeling analyses showed that both individual and class characteristics helped to explain defending behavior. In addition, random slopes revealed that children with a high social status were more likely to support victims in classrooms where bullying was less accepted. These results expand previous findings in this field, demonstrating the need for a multilevel and interactive approach to the study of defending behavior. © Copyright 2018 by the National Association of School Psychologists.