Social support and self-perception in bullying roles

Abstract: The aim of this study is to analyse how social support and other relational dimensions, such as affiliation and social self-perception, are associated with involvement in different roles in school bullying. In addition, it seeks to determine whether these dimensions are able to discriminate between the different groups involved. The findings are expected to be useful for bullying intervention and prevention programmes. As regards the debate about whether social support and reputation are risk or protective factors, our findings suggest that participation in bullying affects perceived levels of social support in the domains of school, family and peers. The results are discussed and we finally highlight the need for further research to enhance knowledge of the functioning and direction of the relations between social support and bullying in schools.