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Homophobic bullying: evidence-based suggestions for intervention programmes

Stephen James Minton (School of Education, Trinity College Dublin, Republic of Ireland)

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research

ISSN: 1759-6599

Article publication date: 8 July 2014

388

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the basic factors of age and gender in homophobic bullying behaviour, in order that recommendations for the design of anti-bullying programmes specific to homophobic bullying could be made.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 475 fifth year students (ca. 16-17 years old) and 561-second year students (ca. 13-14 years old) at six secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland completed an English-language translation of a questionnaire previously used in a Norwegian study of sexual orientation and bullying behaviour (Roland and Auestad, 2009).

Findings

No evidence of “age-related declines” were found in reports of either bullying or homophobic bullying. Males were significantly more likely than females to report involvement (as both perpetrators and targets) in both bullying and homophobic bullying.

Practical implications

It was concluded that senior secondary school students, as well as their younger counterparts, should be involved in anti-bullying interventions; that males should be especially focused upon; and that programmes specific to anti-homophobic bullying, potentially targeting pre-adolescent students, should be supported.

Originality/value

This paper suggests evidence-based priorities for intervention programmes specific to homophobic bullying, accounts of which have been, to date, absent in the research literature.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was financially supported by awards made to the author by the Arts and Social Sciences Benefactions Fund, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

Citation

James Minton, S. (2014), "Homophobic bullying: evidence-based suggestions for intervention programmes", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 6 No. 3, pp. 164-173. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-10-2013-0027

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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