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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how types of bullying engaged in by high school students (relational, physical, or verbal aggression) vary with gender and how they may be related to a student’s social status. Children in the ninth grade, from four different Kentucky high schools, were administered various measures as part of a larger study on social development in their own classroom. Measures used in our analysis included a bully and victim self-reported narrative, Bullying Questions and Belonging Questionnaire, and a Peer Nomination Scale. Results indicated that females used more relational aggression than males, and males used more physical aggression than females. Analysis did not reveal a significant relation between gender, form of aggression used, and social status. However, use of gender inconsistent forms of aggression (i.e., females using physical aggression and males using relational aggression) was found to be significantly related to levels of depression and sense of inadequacy. Additionally, females reported feeling more guilt than males during the bullying incident. These findings support past research, and suggest that females use a different form of aggression than males. Finally the results raise an intriguing question about the relation between use of a gender inconsistent form of aggression and internalizing difficulties.

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