Abstract

VERGEL ORTEGA, Mawency; MARTINEZ LOZANO, José Joaquín  and  ZAFRA TRISTANCHO, Sandra Liliana. Factors associated with bullying in higher education institutions. Rev. Crim. [online]. 2016, vol.58, n.2, pp.197-208. ISSN 1794-3108.

This article is the result of phase I in a research project about "the impact of the learning community in the development of competencies, and teaching innovation indicators" carried out in Colombia by the Francisco de Paula Santander University. Its objective consists of analyzing factors leading to bullying (intimidation, harassment and abuse) in higher education students. The approach in this research is quantitative, with a cross-sectional design, using a factorial analysis technique and a neuronal network. The sample is composed by 571 university students in the Department (one of the several Colombian political and administrative divisions) of Norte de Santander. Result: with an age average of 19.62±0.96 years, the prevalence of bullying being identified in this study amounted to 11.11%, and it happened to be more frequent among females, younger pupils, and homosexuals. The main risk factors for victims were related to: physical and psychological features (χ2=21.59, p=0.000, OR2.86, IC95% 1.82-4,5), type and form of harassment (χ2=31.23, p=0.000, OR5.79, IC95% 2.9-11,4); the most frequent causes of bullying leading to victimization relate to sexual orientation (28.6%), body appearance (16.2%), race (6.8%), religion (2.5%), region of origin (1.7%). Conclusion: factors associated with bullying in universities are those relating to type and form of intimidation or harassment, institutional programs, victim's profile, the causes leading to create the bullying situation and the perception towards it. Both gender and sexual orientation explain the occurrence of intimidation, harassment and abuse cases in higher education institutions in Norte de Santander.

Keywords : Students; social factors; juvenile crime; school violence; victim's profile; Alunos, fatores sociais; fatores de delinqüência juvenil; violência escolar; perfil da vítima.

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