Bullying: the consequences of interparental discord and child's self-concept

The objective of this research is to explore how the relationship between interparental discord and child's self-concept shapes participation in bullying behavior by elementary and middle-school children. The main finding is that child's self-concept mediates the effects of interparental discord on bullying behavior. Further, the results of the study support a symbolic interactionist view of child self-development, in which children internalize the environment provided by parents. This internalization gives way to self-concept, which guides behavior. This study adds to the growing body of literature that seeks to understand whether and how characteristics of children mediate the effects of parental attributes on behavioral outcomes. The proposed implications for the prevention of bullying include building children's self-concept, intervening in parental conflict, and involving the entire family system in the intervention process.