Echoes of Aggression. the (Gendered) Impact of School Bullying on the Well-Being of Non-Targeted Students

Bullying severely undermines subjective well-being (SWB). Unlike typical peer conflicts, bullying is persistent and involves power imbalance, leading to long-term physical and psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Observing bullying can have similar effects. While the direct impact of bullying on victims' well-being is well-documented, the significant effects on bystanders are recognized in psychology but lack sociological analysis, especially from a gender-sensitive perspective.

Adolescents' SWB varies greatly by gender, with girls often reporting lower levels than boys. Furthermore, bullying experiences differ due to gender roles: boys report less victimization and face more physical violence, while girls are more often targeted indirectly or online. They are more affected by sexual cyberbullying. Thus, research on adolescent bullying must consider gender differences.

This study fills a sociological research gap by investigating the question, "Does witnessing bullying in the classroom affect adolescents' subjective well-being?", examining differing experiences and potential effects on SWB. It addresses limitations of prior research, which often used small samples, by analysing data from 121 classrooms with over 1600 students. Multilevel regression analyses are employed using a classroom-based, standardized survey among students aged 12-16.

Classrooms with at least one bullying report identify students as victims or witnesses without explicit questioning about being a witness, analysing four types: physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying. Unlike previous bullying-studies that use single-item analyses susceptible to random errors, the study employs a multi-dimensional index to measure SWB across six dimensions.

Significant differences in SWB are found among targeted students, non-targeted witnesses, and non-targeted/non-witnessing students, and between genders. Students in classrooms with at least one bullying report show significant SWB gaps compared to others, affecting all types of bullying. Girls are more strongly affected, experiencing significant SWB loss regardless of bullying type, whereas boys show differences only with physical violence or cyberbullying reports.