ABSTRACT BULLYING AND VICTIMIZATION: SCHOOL CLIMATE MATTERS By

Jennifer L. Elfstrom
Bullying at school is prevalent in the United States and worldwide, but little is known about the
relationship between students’ experiences with bullying and their perceptions of school climate.
This study investigated the link between bullying and three elements of school climate—social
support from teachers, social support from peers, and school connectedness. The study used
MANOVA analyses to confirm differences between students categorized as bullies, victims,
bully-victims, and bystanders. Findings indicate that students who are not directly involved in
bullying perceive more social support and school connectedness than all other students. Students
who are bullied perceive less social support from peers than other students, while students who
bully perceive less social support from teachers and connection to school than other students.
Findings from this study support strategies to increase social support and school connectedness,
as well as the meaningful involvement of both teachers and students in bullying prevention
efforts.