Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors
In this conceptual article, the authors provide a narrative review of literature on bullying and sexual harassment in K-12 schools framed through a comparative analysis of risk and protective factors for both forms of violence across the social-ecological spectrum. We find that a greater number of s...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/61 |
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| author | Zehra Sahin-Ilkorkor Sarah Jane Brubaker |
| author_facet | Zehra Sahin-Ilkorkor Sarah Jane Brubaker |
| author_sort | Zehra Sahin-Ilkorkor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this conceptual article, the authors provide a narrative review of literature on bullying and sexual harassment in K-12 schools framed through a comparative analysis of risk and protective factors for both forms of violence across the social-ecological spectrum. We find that a greater number of studies of both forms of violence focus on student and microsystem-level factors rather than on higher levels of the ecosystem including school boards, neighborhoods, and broader cultural norms. In addition, the research overwhelmingly identifies more risk factors than protective factors. Finally, we find more similarities than differences in risk and protective factors between the two forms of school-based violence. We identify implications of the findings for theory, research, and policy and suggest that preventing any form of harassment at school will benefit not only students but the entire school community. We argue that the causes of school-based harassment are complex and require comprehensive prevention, intervention, and response approaches that address shared risk and protective factors, particularly those at the community and mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Ultimately, we argue that all community stakeholders must be committed to and engaged in these endeavors for them to be successful. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6f9073a3aac3459ca1ebf27f6702a411 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-6f9073a3aac3459ca1ebf27f6702a4112025-01-24T13:22:46ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-01-011516110.3390/bs15010061Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective FactorsZehra Sahin-Ilkorkor0Sarah Jane Brubaker1L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USAL. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USAIn this conceptual article, the authors provide a narrative review of literature on bullying and sexual harassment in K-12 schools framed through a comparative analysis of risk and protective factors for both forms of violence across the social-ecological spectrum. We find that a greater number of studies of both forms of violence focus on student and microsystem-level factors rather than on higher levels of the ecosystem including school boards, neighborhoods, and broader cultural norms. In addition, the research overwhelmingly identifies more risk factors than protective factors. Finally, we find more similarities than differences in risk and protective factors between the two forms of school-based violence. We identify implications of the findings for theory, research, and policy and suggest that preventing any form of harassment at school will benefit not only students but the entire school community. We argue that the causes of school-based harassment are complex and require comprehensive prevention, intervention, and response approaches that address shared risk and protective factors, particularly those at the community and mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Ultimately, we argue that all community stakeholders must be committed to and engaged in these endeavors for them to be successful.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/61bullyingsexual harassmentsocial-ecological modelschoolyouth violencepeer victimization |
| spellingShingle | Zehra Sahin-Ilkorkor Sarah Jane Brubaker Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors Behavioral Sciences bullying sexual harassment social-ecological model school youth violence peer victimization |
| title | Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors |
| title_full | Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors |
| title_fullStr | Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors |
| title_short | Similarities and Differences Between Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Schools: A Social-Ecological Review of Risk and Protective Factors |
| title_sort | similarities and differences between bullying and sexual harassment in schools a social ecological review of risk and protective factors |
| topic | bullying sexual harassment social-ecological model school youth violence peer victimization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/1/61 |
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