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Bullying-Behavior Scale
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About Bullying-Behavior Scale
Scale Name
Bullying-Behavior Scale
Author Details
Susan Austin and Stephen Joseph (1996) © The British Psychological Society
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Bullying-Behaviour Scale, developed by Austin and Joseph (1996), is a six-item self-report measure designed to assess bullying behavior among school children aged 8–11 years. Published in the British Journal of Educational Psychology, it is used to identify the prevalence of bullying behaviors in school settings. The scale is embedded within the Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC; Harter, 1985) to reduce the saliency of bullying-related items, minimizing response bias by presenting them alongside general self-perception questions. The scale focuses on intentional aggressive behaviors, such as physical, verbal, or relational acts, that reflect the power imbalance and repetition characteristic of bullying (e.g., teasing, hitting, or excluding others).
Participants respond to items on a structured scale, indicating the frequency or extent of their engagement in bullying behaviors. The scale was tested with a sample of 425 children (204 boys, 221 girls; mean age = 9.2 years) in primary schools. Results showed that 9% of children were classified as bullies only, 15% as bully/victims, and 22% as victims only, indicating significant involvement in bullying dynamics (46% total). The scale correlates with the Peer-Victimisation Scale (also by Austin & Joseph, 1996) and the Birleson Depression Inventory, linking bullying behavior to lower self-esteem and higher depressive symptoms. It is widely used in educational psychology to study bullying prevalence, psychosocial correlates, and intervention effectiveness.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the scale from the British Journal of Educational Psychology (Austin & Joseph, 1996) or authorized sources, ensuring ethical permissions.
- Explain to participants (aged 8–11) that the questionnaire assesses school experiences, emphasizing anonymity and honest responses.
- Administer the six-item scale within the SPPC framework, using a paper or digital format, in a classroom or controlled setting.
- Instruct participants to rate their engagement in bullying behaviors (e.g., frequency of teasing or excluding peers) using the provided response scale.
- Estimated completion time is 5–10 minutes for the bullying items, depending on integration with the SPPC.
- Ensure a distraction-free environment; adapt for accessibility (e.g., oral administration) if needed.
Reliability and Validity
The Bullying-Behaviour Scale demonstrates satisfactory internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82, indicating reliable measurement of bullying behaviors (Austin & Joseph, 1996). Test-retest reliability data are not explicitly reported for this scale, but related studies on similar measures suggest moderate stability (r ≈ 0.70–0.85 over 2–4 weeks; Jonsson & Allwood, 2003). Convergent validity is supported by correlations with the Peer-Victimisation Scale (r ≈ 0.40–0.60; Austin & Joseph, 1996) and negative correlations with self-esteem on the SPPC (r ≈ -0.26; Andreou, 2000). Associations with the Birleson Depression Inventory (r ≈ 0.30–0.50) indicate links to depressive symptoms.
The scale also shows predictive validity, as bullying behavior correlates with psychosocial issues like low social acceptance and higher Machiavellianism (Andreou, 2000). No specific divergent validity data are reported, but the scale’s focus on bullying minimizes overlap with unrelated constructs like academic achievement (r < 0.20). The scale is sensitive to gender differences, with boys reporting higher physical bullying and girls more relational bullying.
Available Versions
06-Items
Reference
Austin, S., & Joseph, S. (1996). Assessment of bully/victim problems in 8 to 11 year‐olds. British journal of educational psychology, 66(4), 447-456.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bullying-Behaviour Scale measure?
It measures the frequency of bullying behaviors (e.g., teasing, hitting, excluding) among school children.
Who is the target population?
Children aged 8–11 years in school settings.
How long does it take to administer?
Approximately 5–10 minutes, integrated within the SPPC.
Can it be used for intervention planning?
Yes, it identifies bullies and bully/victims to inform targeted interventions.
Is it reliable for cross-cultural use?
Reliable in English; adaptable with culturally relevant items, though translations require validation.
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