Original scientific paper
Individual Characteristics of Students in Relation to Fear of School and Peer Victimization in Croatian Primary Schools
Andreja BRAJŠA-ŽGANEC
orcid.org/0000-0003-0846-6297
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Marina KOTRLA TOPIĆ
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Zora RABOTEG-ŠARIĆ
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of our research was to investigate the prevalence of
fear of school and between peer victimization in Croatian
primary schools and to determine possible gender and age
differences. An additional aim was to try to predict how fear
of school and victimization are related to students’ personal
characteristics such as self-esteem, social and organizational
skills. The sample included 4999 fifth- to eighth-grade
primary school students from 49 Croatian schools. The
results show gender and age differences in the presence of
fear of school that point to girls and older students
experiencing more fear. The significant interaction effect
shows that most experiences of fear of school can be found
in older girls. The obtained gender and age differences in
peer victimization point to boys and younger students
reporting more experiences of victimization, and significant
interaction effect shows that younger boys are the group
most exposed to peer harassment. The hierarchical
regression analyses show that fear of school can be
significantly predicted based on students’ self-esteem, while
peer victimization can be predicted based on student’s self-
-esteem as well as their social skills. Students with more self-
-esteem experience less fear of school, and students who
have better social skills as well as more self-esteem are less
likely to be victimized by peers. Practical implications of the
findings are considered for development of prevention
programs in the school setting.
Keywords
fear of school; victimization; self-esteem; social skills; organizational skills
Hrčak ID:
42594
URI
Publication date:
30.10.2009.
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