Individual and contextual factors of peer violence

Velki, Tena and Kuterovac Jagodić, Gordana. (2014). Individual and contextual factors of peer violence. Ljetopis socijalnog rada, 21(1). pp. 33-64. ISSN 1846-5412

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Abstract

Peer violence has been increasing among children and has become a significant problem in many societies. Numerous studies of peer violence and bullying seek the explanations of this phenomenon in classical theories of aggression treating bullying as a form of aggressive behaviour. However, recent research frequently finds their theoretical starting point in a newer and more comprehensive integrative model of peer violence. Those models rely on classical theories but, combining them and taking into account a number of different factors contribute significantly to the explanation of the emergence of children's violent behaviour towards their peers. One of the commonly-used integrative theories is Bronfenbrenner's ecological model that has induced a number of studies of behavioural, psychological and biological characteristics of individuals but also, the interactions between the individual and environment and the interactions between the different levels of context. In this paper, based on an extensive literature review, and in light of the ecological model, we are trying to systematise insofar established facts about factors that are associated with the appearance of peer violence and, to provide a critical review of the research, with special emphasis on those that were guided by an ecological approach. A significant shift in the application of the theoretical framework and the use of improved methodology and advanced statistical analysis has been observed, very few studies take into account all of these aspects. Most researchers focus on one or two levels of ecological models and simple methodology neglecting complexity of the peer violence problems. Future studies should take into account advances in theoretical and methodological knowledge in research of peer violence.

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