Bullying at school – R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Bullying at school can affect any schoolchild in any country (Nansel et al., 2004[1][1]). This violent behaviour can have severe physical and emotional long-term consequences for students, which is why teachers, parents, policy makers and the media are increasingly drawing attention to bullying and trying to find ways to tackle it (Phillips, 2007[2][2]).

On average across OECD countries, students who reported being bullied at least a few times a month scored 21 points lower in reading than students who did not report so, after accounting for socio-economic status.
Some 88 % of students across OECD countries agreed that it is a good thing to help students who cannot defend themselves and it is wrong to join in bullying. Girls and students who were not frequently bullied were more likely to report stronger anti-bullying attitudes than boys and frequently bullied students.

Students who reported being frequently exposed to bullying also reported feeling sad, scared and less satisfied with their lives than students who did not report so. Students in schools with a high prevalence of bullying were also more likely to report a weaker sense of belonging at school and a worse disciplinary climate than their counterparts in schools with a low prevalence of bullying.

According survey of PISA 2018 Results (OECD LIBRARY (https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/cd52fb72-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/cd52fb72-en):

On average across OECD countries, 23 % of students reported being bullied at least a few times a month.
Boys and low-achieving students in reading were more likely to report being bullied at least a few times a month than girls and high-achieving students.
On average across OECD countries, students who reported being bullied at least a few times a month scored 21 points lower in reading than students who did not report so, after accounting for socio-economic status.
Some 88 % of students across OECD countries agreed that it is a good thing to help students who cannot defend themselves and it is wrong to join in bullying. Girls and students who were not frequently bullied were more likely to report stronger anti-bullying attitudes than boys and frequently bullied students.
Students who reported being frequently exposed to bullying also reported feeling sad, scared and less satisfied with their lives than students who did not report so. Students in schools with a high prevalence of bullying were also more likely to report a weaker sense of belonging at school and a worse disciplinary climate than their counterparts in schools with a low prevalence of bullying.

Source: OECD, PISA 2018 Database.