Classroom Size as a Predictor of Bullying Behaviour among Secondary School Adolescents in Nigeria

Abstract

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the patterns of bullying behaviour among Nigerian secondary school adolescents and to ascertain the link between classroom size and bullying in selected Senior Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria.  Study Design: Cross-sectional survey design. Place of Study: Redeemer’s University Osun State, South Western Nigeria. Methodology: Multistage sampling technique was adopted in this study.  Random sampling technique was used to select Obafemi / Owode Local Government Area (LGA) from Ogun central senatorial district, four Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) from the LGA and 397 students. Participants responded to School Congestion Questionnaire (SCQ) and Adolescent Peer Relation Instrument: Bully/Target (APRI-BT). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis Results: Observed prevalence rates included verbal bullying (42.5%), social bullying (42.3%), physical bullying (37.9%) and overall bullying behaviour (44.8%). Class Size (CS) independently and significantly predicted the severities of verbal bullying (R² = .029, p = .001); social bullying (R² = .055, p = .000); physical bullying (R² = .042, p = .000) and overall bullying behaviour (R² = .042, p = .000) among the sample. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of bullying behaviour among Nigerian secondary school adolescents. Classroom size is a significant predictor of the individual factors of bullying behaviour (verbal bullying, social bullying, and physical bullying) as well as the composite of bullying behaviour among Senior Secondary School students in Nigeria.