Predictors and forms of intervention in peer bullying: pre-service teachers vs. teachers

Research shows that teachers’ perceptions of peer bullying (PB) are an important predictor of their intervention. Therefore, the aims of the study were to find out i) how serious pre-service teachers and teachers find different types of PB, ii) how empathic to the victims and willing to intervene they are, iii) what predicts interventions in both groups and iv) what forms of intervention pre-service teachers and teachers would use regarding victims and perpetrators. Results suggest that teachers perceive all types of PB as more severe than pre-service teachers and are more willing to intervene earlier, but pre-service teachers show more empathy for the victims. The strongest predictor of intervention in both groups is beliefs about the severity of bullying, but their forms of intervention differ significantly. Implications of the study findings are also discussed.