Relations between bullying, personality traits and parenting practices

Abstract

The main aims of this research were examination of a latent structure of the PRONA questionnaire, intended to measure proneness to bullying, as well as the examination of the relations between the latent dimensions of the PRONA questionnaire and the dimensions of Eysenck’s PEN model, parenting practices, age, and gender. The research was conducted on a sample of 123 participants of both genders, aged 11 - 13. Proneness to bullying was measured by the 42- item PRONA questionnaire, while Junior EPQ (JEPQ) was used to assess the personality traits of Eysenck’s model. Parenting practices were measured by the UVS questionnaire, a 49- item measure. Applying a principal component analysis with Promax rotation, three latent dimensions (which accounted for approximately 31 % of variance) were extracted and interpreted as risky behavior, victimisation and psychological harassment. The relations between these dimensions, personality traits, parenting practices, age, and gender were examined by a multivariate analysis of covariance. Factor scores on the Promax dimensions of the PRONA questionnaire were the criteria, while gender was a categorical predictor, and the JEPQ’s and UVS’ first principal components’ factor scores were continuous predictors (covarieties). Psychoticism, Lie scale, and Extraversion significantly partially contributed to the prediction of risky behavior scores. Neuroticism, Lie scale, and the dimension of mother’s restrictive parenting style were significant predictors of the victimization, while Psychoticism and gender (boys scoring higher) were significantly partially related to psychological harassment.