I am pleased to announce the publication of my new research article, “Contextualizing ijime: The relationship between school bullying, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement with a focus on school position.”
This study provides a new perspective on the factors contributing to school bullying (ijime) in Japan by focusing on the relative positions of students within their specific school environments.
Research Context and Objectives
International research has often demonstrated a correlation between bullying, low socioeconomic status (SES), and poor academic achievement. It is commonly found that students with lower SES and academic performance are at a higher risk of victimization.
However, research in Japan on this specific intersection is lacking. Few studies have examined the complex interplay between bullying, SES, and academic achievement while simultaneously considering the influence of school-level variables (such as the school’s overall socioeconomic and academic composition).
This study aimed to fill this gap by using PISA 2018 data for Japan. I analyzed the relationships between individual scores, school averages, and the discrepancies between the two to understand how a student’s context influences their risk of being bullied.
Key Findings
The results of the multilevel analysis revealed a significant finding that challenges conventional assumptions:
- Relative Position Matters: Students with higher socioeconomic status and academic achievement than their peers within the same school were found to be particularly prone to being bullied.
- School-Level Averages: Conversely, the school’s overall average SES and academic achievement level did notsignificantly affect an individual student’s likelihood of being bullied.
Conclusion
These findings underscore the critical importance of context. To understand the factors contributing to ijime, we must look beyond a student’s absolute socioeconomic or academic standing in society.
The results strongly suggest that a student’s relative position within their specific school—and the social dynamics this creates—is a crucial factor in analyzing bullying victimization.
Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1080/18692729.2024.2425550