A Theoretical Understanding of Defending Behaviours

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Authors

Gustafsson, Anna

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thesis

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eng

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Bullying , Defending , Reporting , Comforting , Solution-Focused Defending , Aggressive Defending , Resource Control Theory , Resource Control Strategies , Attachment Security , Attachment Theory , Attachment , Developmental Psychology , Youth

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Youth’s defending behaviours are associated with less bullying in the classroom (Salmivalli, Voeten, & Poskiparta, 2011) and, consequently, are critical components of bullying prevention programs (e.g., KiVa; Salmivalli, Kärnä, & Poskiparta, 2010). There is limited research regarding defending behaviours that is grounded in theory. This thesis is guided by Resource Control Theory (Hawley, 1999) and Attachment Theory (Ainsworth et al., 1978). The objectives of our studies were to investigate factors that correlate with defending behaviours. In our first study, measures of resource control strategies, social power, social connections, and defending behaviours were used. Descriptive analyses revealed differences in resource control strategies and defending behaviours by gender and grade. Cross-sectionally, being categorized as a frequent user of prosocial resource control strategies (e.g., cooperating to achieve goals; Hawley, 1999) was positively associated with comforting, solution-focused defending, and reporting, whereas being categorized as a frequent user of coercive resource control strategies (e.g., threatening others to achieve goals; Hawley, 1999) was positively associated with aggressive defending. Most of these relationships were no longer significant longitudinally. Our results suggested that resource control strategies were associated with defending strategies that were expected to serve related functions (cooperative or competitive). The second study examined the relationships among parent attachment, resource control strategies, and defending behaviour. Cross-sectionally, both trust-communication (i.e., mutual respect, discussion of problems; Muris et al., 2001) and alienation (i.e., anger and isolation; Muris et al., 2001) were positively associated with all four defending behaviours. There was no evidence of mediation by resource control strategies. Findings indicated that relationships among attachment security and defending behaviours were complex. These relationships suggested that both securely attached and insecurely attached youth may defend their peers, and that additional characteristics of parent-child relationships may relate to youth’s use of resource control strategies and defending behaviour. Together, these findings raise many questions, emphasizing the need for further theory-driven research.

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