Student Aggression and Victimisation in the Filipino Context

Author: January Dechavez

Dechavez, January, 2019 Student Aggression and Victimisation in the Filipino Context, Flinders University, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Terms of Use: This electronic version is (or will be) made publicly available by Flinders University in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. You may use this material for uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material and/or you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact copyright@flinders.edu.au with the details.

Abstract

Student aggression and victimisation have been a prevalent concern in many schools not only in developed countries but also in developing ones (Akiba, LeTendre, Baker, & Goesling, 2002; Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Goldstein & Segall, 2013). Studies conducted on different aspects and areas of aggression in educational settings and towards learners have shown that peer aggression affects literacy and academic achievement, mental health, emotional, social and general wellbeing of an individual (Miles & Stipek, 2006; Sharp, 1995; Skrzypiec, 2008; Skrzypiec, Slee, Askell-Williams, & Lawson, 2012; Slee, 1995; Uhlenberg & Eggebeen, 1986; Stipek & Miles, 2008). Despite the focus of studies in other countries that emphasize the significant impact of aggression and victimisation in child development, in the Philippines the few studies available tend to focus on the prevalence of bullying (Laus, 2017) and there are no explicit studies that relate personal (e.g. demographic) information, relationships, feelings and school treatment among Filipino students with regard to the degree of aggression and victimisation they experience from peers. Thus, the status of student aggression and victimisation in the Philippines was investigated using the Student Aggression and Victimisation Questionnaire (SAVQ) (Skrzypiec, 2015). Convergent Mixed Methods Research was employed to undertake a study of student participants (n=200) aged 12-16 years in the Bicol Region in the Philippines using a correlational research design and statistical tools for quantitative data, and textual analysis (visual and content) for qualitative data. No differences between gender were found out, and the dominant forms of peer aggression reported were verbal and relational. Most of the victims and perpetrators felt neutral about their relationships because they belong to the same peers, friends, or bestfriends circle. Finally, barkadahan (friendship) greatly influences the involvement of Filipino students to peer aggression and victimisation. For this reason, a national study for an in-depth understanding of this topic is recommended.

Keywords: student aggression, victimisation, the Philippines, barkada, bullying

Subject: Education thesis

Thesis type: Masters
Completed: 2019
School: College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Supervisor: DR GRACE SKRZYPIEC