A comparison of definitions of school bullying among students, parents, and teachers: An experimental study from China

•This study compared the differences of school bullying definitions between teachers, students, and parents in China.•Compared to verbal, physical, and cyberbullying, relational bullying was less likely to be regarded as school bullying.•Students, parents, and teachers do not use the three characteristics defined by Olweus as criteria for defining bullying.•Adults’ (parents’ and teachers’) criteria for defining school bullying were different from students’ definition. This study aims to determine whether the four types of bullying (verbal, physical, relational, and cyberbullying) are equally likely to be regarded as school bullying by students, parents, and teachers, and whether all three characteristics of bullying (repetitiveness, intentionality, and power imbalance) are part of the definition of school bullying in China. Students (N = 1,943), parents (N = 1,957), and teachers (N = 409) in pre-college schools in China participated in survey experiments. Multi-level models and ordinary linear models were used to perform data analysis. Results indicated that compared with verbal, physical, and cyberbullying, relational bullying was less likely to be considered as school bullying. Neither students and parents, nor teachers used all three characteristics as criteria for identifying school bullying, although parents and teachers considered more characteristics than students when defining school bullying. Therefore, the three characteristics of bullying may not be the gold standard for defining school bullying. Practical investigation should give more attention to relational bullying, and parents and teachers should view school bullying through the students’ broader lens when responding to bullying.