Why do Victims become Perpetrators of Peer Bullying? Moral Disengagement in the Cycle of Violence

Previous studies have shown that there is overlap between victimization and the perpetration of bullying, and social and motivational variables are known to mediate this relationship. However, the effects of different moral disengagement strategies have not been studied, despite the fact that they exert a major influence on aggressive behavior. This hypothesis and the moderating role of gender were tested through a longitudinal study (N = 2,066) administered in three waves at 6-month intervals. The results indicated that cognitive restructuring influenced the association between victimization and subsequent bullying. In high victimization scores, boys had higher scores in bullying perpetration compared to girls. The conclusion underlines the importance of the role of morals and ethics in peer relations and in the cycle of violence.

Automated summary

Previous studies have shown overlap between victimization and bullying perpetration, with social and motivational variables mediating this relationship. Among various moral disengagement strategies, cognitive restructuring has the most significant influence on the association between victimization and subsequent bullying. Boys tend to exhibit higher levels of bullying perpetration than girls when victimization scores are high.