An Empirical Comparison of Methods of Sampling Aggression and Victimization in School Settings

Methods of identifying aggressive/bullying and victimized youngsters in a middle school sample were compared. First, the authors compared teachers' and research associates' ratings of students' aggression and found that the 2 measures were significantly correlated. Second, direct observations of youngsters' aggression and victimization were compared with indirect, diary measures kept by youngsters of the same behaviors. The measures were not interrelated, but the diary measures were related to the peer and self-report measures, whereas the direct observations were related to peer and teacher measures. Third, the authors compared the ability of different peer and self-report measures to identify youngsters at different levels of aggression and victimization severity. All measures were associated, even at low levels of severity. Results are discussed in terms of different instruments that provide information on public and private behavior.