Childhood bullying: Current empirical findings and future directions for research

This review provides an examination of the current empirical literature on the topic of childhood bullying. In order to illustrate the theoretical background from which the construct of bullying has developed, a brief discussion of the general construct of aggression is first provided and subtypes of aggression described. Bullying is characterized as a subset of proactive aggressive behavior. Various definitions of terms as well as approaches to the measurement of bullying are described. Prevalence estimates, characteristics of bully subtypes (e.g., passive, provocative), and related psychological findings (e.g., internalizing and externalizing disorders) are offered. Limitations of current research methodology are identified, and future recommendations for research and intervention are provided. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.