Erika Venzor

Graduation Semester and Year

2011

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Lauri A Jensen-Campbell

Abstract

The current thesis sought to examine whether (1) teacher bullying affects students' health, academic motivation and performance, (2) there are ethnic differences in teacher bullying, (3) teacher and peer bullying are different constructs, and (4) academic motivation and self-efficacy (Study 2) mediate the relationship between teacher bullying and academic performance. For Study 1, 346 college students participated in an online study. Those students who were bullied by both peers and teachers had the worst adjustment outcomes. Teacher bullying predicted lower academic motivation and poorer performance even after controlling for peer bullying. There were ethnic differences on peer relational victimization, teacher ethnic victimization, and teacher verbal victimization. Asian students reported more relational and teacher verbal bullying than any other ethnic group did. Further, Black/African American reported more teacher ethnic bullying than any other ethnic group did. Finally, academic motivation, especially amotivation, mediated the relationship between teacher bullying and academic performance. For Study 2, 104 12-19 year old adolescents completed a series of questionnaires either at school or online to assess levels of teacher bullying, peer and teacher ethnic bullying, health, academic motivation, and academic self-efficacy. Report cards were obtained to assess their actual academic performance. There were ethnic differences on teacher bullying; Minorities/Hispanics reported being bullied more by their teachers because of their ethnicity (ethnic teacher victimization) than did Whites. As in Study 1, students who were bullied by both teachers and peers had the worst adjustment outcomes. Teacher bullying was more strongly associated with academic performance while peer bullying was more strongly associated with physical and psychological health. Finally, amotivation again mediated the relationship between teacher bullying and academic performance. This thesis was an important step in understanding the consequences of teacher bullying on adjustment.

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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