Abstract

Rankin and Reason (2005; Reason & Rankin 2006) have suggested than women and students of color experience more harassment on college campuses than do men and white students. Further, students with a minority sexual orientation experience more harassment than do heterosexual students (Bieschke, Eberz, & Wilson 2000). Therefore, it was expected that diverse college students may be more vulnerable to bullying and cyberbullying. The participants were 439 college students enrolled at a midsize Midwestern university. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire including how often they had experienced each of a number of bullying behaviors since they had been in college, as well as demographic questions. Of those who responded to the demographic questions, 71.5% of the sample was female and 28% male. The sample was predominantly able-bodied (95.2%); and predominantly heterosexual (91.5%). Of the sample, 4.8% were Foreign National students, 81.5% were White US citizens, 7.5% were Black US citizens, 2.7% were Hispanic US citizens, 2.1% were Multi-Ethnic US citizens, 0.7% were Asian US citizens and 5% were Native American US citizens. A series of chi-square analyses were conducted, to examine group differences based on gender, ethnicity, physical ability, and sexual orientation for each of the eight bullying behaviors. Results indicated that there were group differences across the bullying behaviors, however, these differences were not consistent across the types of bullying behaviors.

Introduction

The majority of the literature on bullying has focused on kindergarten through grade 12 students. Only two articles to date have focused on bullying per se among college students Only two articles focus on bullying among college students (Chapell et al., 2004; Chapell, Hasselman, Kitchin, Lomon, Maclver, & Sarullo, 2006). The relevant research on college students has focused more on issues of harassment than on bullying. Rankin and Reason (2005; Reason & Rankin 2006) have suggested than women and students of color experience more harassment on college campuses than do men and white students. Further, students with a minority sexual orientation experience more harassment than do heterosexual students (Bieschke, Eberz, & Wilson 2000). Therefore, it was expected in the current study that diverse college students would be more vulnerable to bullying and cyberbullying.

Method

ParticipantsThe participants were 439 college students enrolled at a midsize Midwestern university. Of those who responded to the demographic questions, 71.5% of the sample was female and 28% male. Age ranged from 16 to 56 years (M = 22.97, SD = 6.62). The sample was predominantly able-bodied (95.2%); and predominantly heterosexual (91.5%). Of the sample, 4.8% were Foreign National students, 81.5% were White US citizens, 7.5% were Black US citizens, 2.7% were Hispanic US citizens, 2.1% were Multi-Ethnic US citizens, 0.7% were Asian US citizens and 5% were Native American US citizens. Ethnic groups represented by more than five students (at least 1.1% of the sample) were examined for ethnic group differences.

MeasureParticipants were asked to complete a questionnaire including how often they had experienced each of a number of bullying behaviors since they had been in college, as well as demographic questions. The questions regarding bullying examined in the present study asked how often a student had “seen a student being bullied in college by another student,” “been bullied by another student,” “seen a student bullied by a professor,” “been bullied by a professor,” “bullied someone,” “known someone who was cyber-bullied,” “been cyber-bullied,” and “cyber-bullied someone.” Each question was answered on a 4 point Likert type scale, ranging from 1= never to 4 = very frequently. Answers to each question were then collapsed into two categories (never and at least once) for the analyses below. Survey data was collected three ways: (a) via large section undergraduate classes, (b) by setting up a booth in the food court of the student union, and (c) by posting a link to the online survey.

Results

A series of chi-square analyses were conducted, to examine group differences based on gender, ethnicity, physical ability, and sexual orientation for each of the eight bullying behaviors.

GenderTable 1 presents the percentages of students experiencing each behavior by gender. The analysis for having bullied another student, 2 (1, n = 437) = 7.79, p = .005, V = .13; was significant, and that for having been bullied by another student was marginally significant, 2 (1, n = 437) = 3.72, p = .054, V = .09. More men reported having bullied another student than did women; and the trend was that more women reported having been bullied by another student than did men.

EthnicityTable 2 presents the percentages of students experiencing each behavior by ethnic group. The analysis for having been bullied by a professor, 2

(4, n = 411) = 11.08, p = .026, V = .16. Multi-Ethnic students reported the highest rate of this behavior, followed by Hispanic students, and White students. The analysis for having cyberbullied someone else was also significant, 2 (4, n = 433) = 12.83, p = .012, V == .17. The groups reporting the highest rates were the Hispanic students and the Multi-Ethnic students. The analysis for having been cyberbullied was marginally significant, 2 (4, n = 433) = 8.79, p = .067, V = .14. The groups reporting the highest rates were the Multi-Ethnic students and the Hispanic students.

Results (continued)



Christine D. MacDonald & Bridget J. Roberts-Pittman

Indiana State University

Poster for Presentation at 2010 Diversity Research and Teaching Symposium

Table 1Percentages of College Students Experiencing Bullying Behavior by Gender

Female(n = 122)

Male(n = 314)

Seen a student being bullied by another student

40.8 45.9

+Been bullied by another student 21.0 13.0

Seen a student bullied by a professor 14.5 14.8

Been bullied by a professor 4.7 3.4

**Bullied someone else 08.0 17.1

Known someone who was cyber-bullied

38.9 37.4

Been cyber-bullied 22.3 22.0

Cyber-bullied someone else 8.0 11.4

Table 2Percentages of College Students Experiencing Bullying Behavior by Ethnic Group

Foreign National(n = 21)

White (n = 358)

Black(n = 33)

Hispanic(n = 12)

Multi-Ethnic(n = 9)

Seen a student being bullied by another student

28.6 44.0 30.3 41.7 44.4

Been bullied by another student

14.3 17.9 24.2 16.7 44.4

Seen a student bullied by a professor

19.0 13.8 9.1 16.7 33.3

*Been bullied by a professor

0.0 04.3 0.0 10.0 25.0

Bullied someone else 9.5 10.1 12.1 16.7 22.2Known someone who was

cyber-bullied33.3 39.1 30.3 41.7 44.4

+Been cyber-bullied 23.8 21.5 12.1 33.3 55.6**Cyber-bullied someone else

0.0 08.4 9.1 33.3 22.2

+ p < .10. * p < .05. ** p < .01.

+ p < .10. * p < .05. ** p < .01.

Sexual OrientationTable 3 presents the percentages of students experiencing each behavior by sexual

orientation. For these analyses, students who reported that their sexual orientation was gay/lesbian, bisexual, or other were collapsed into a single group “minority sexual orientation”, due to low cell sizes. The analyses for having seen someone bullied by another student, 2 (1, n = 438) = 4.45, p = .035, V = 10; and for having bullied another student, 2 (1, n = 439) = 4.63, p = .031, V =.10; were both significant. Those for having known someone who was cyberbullied, 2 (1, n = 439) = 2.73, p = .099 V = 10; and having cyberbullied someone else, 2(1, n = 439) = 3.48, p = .062 V = 09; were marginally significant. In each of these, the student with the minority sexual orientation tended to report higher levels of the behavior. None of the other analyses were significant, including all the ones examining physical ability/disability.

Results (continued)

Table 3Percentages of College Students Experiencing Bullying Behavior by Sexual Orientation

Heterosexual(n = 127)

Minority Sexual Orientation

(n = 57)

*Seen a student being bullied by another student

39.1 50.4

Been bullied by another student 17.2 22.8

Seen a student bullied by a professor 14.9 13.3

Been bullied by a professor 3.9 5.5

*Bullied someone else 08.6 15.8

+Known someone who was cyber-bullied 36.0 44.7

Been cyber-bullied 22.5 21.1

+Cyber-bullied someone else 7.4 13.2

+ p < .10. * p < .05. ** p < .01.

Discussion

The hypothesis that students who were in some way minority (gender, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation), would be more likely to experience higher rates of bullying and cyberbullying was mostly upheld. However, these differences were not consistent across types of bullying behaviors. Students with a minority sexual orientation were more likely than heterosexual students to report having seen someone else being bullied by another student, as well as to report knowing someone who had been cyberbullied. Female students were more likely than men to report being bullied by another student. Males, multi-ethnic students, and students with a minority sexual orientation were more likely to report they had bullied another student. Multi-ethnic students reported somewhat higher rates of having been cyberbullied. Hispanic students and students with a minority sexual orientation were more likely to report having cyberbullied someone else. Interestingly, contrary to our predictions, there were no differences in bullying behaviors based on physical ability/disability. However, this may in part be due to the low numbers of students with physical disabilities included in this sample (n = 17).

Certain trends did appear across all the behaviors. For each of the bullying behaviors, the Multi-Ethnic group reported either the highest or second highest rate of occurrence. It may be that for these students, their membership in multiple ethnic groups may cause them to be particularly sensitive to aggressive behaviors. Certainly more research needs to be conducted, especially including larger groups of broadly defined diverse students. This will enable the field to better understand the factors associated with bullying among college students, as well as how it may vary across demographic groups. A clearer picture of this phenomenon, and the multiple forms it takes is necessary to begin to create effective plans for prevention and intervention.