Emotional intelligence and bullying in elementary school children

• Main Authors: Cordelia Estévez Casellas, Aída Carrillo, María Dolores Gómez-Medina
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Asociación Nacional de Psicología Evolutiva y Educativa de la Infancia Adolescencia Mayores y Discapacidad 2018-04-01
• Series: INFAD
• Subjects: inteligencia emocional; bullying; escolares; primaria
• Online Access: http://www.infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/OJS/index.php/IJODAEP/article/view/1200

Several studies detect clear differences in the profiles of emotional intelligence associated with the roles of victims or aggressors in the phenomenon of bullying (Casas, Ortega, Del Rey, 2015). These studies usually focus on the adolescent population, but there are fewer studies that analyze this phenomenon in children under 11 years of age. The Cisneros Studio (Piñuel, 2006) shows that rates of bullying in elementary schools outnumber high school, therefore it is necessary to analyze the emotional characteristics of children under 11 years involved in bullying. The objective is to analyze the emotional profile school children between 8 and 11 years involved in bullying. Methods: 291 children between 8 and 11 years of age in which the variables were evaluated trait emotional intelligence Emotional Intelligence Inventory BarOn were interviewed ICE: NA (Baron, 2004), and role associated with the phenomenon of bullying Test Bull-S. (Cherry, 2002) It is confirmed that the prevalence of bullying at this age is high (18% aggressors and victims 12%) being boys who mainly assume the role of aggressor (90%) and victim (67%).One-way ANOVA analysis confirmed, with an index of significance 0.05, that aggressors scored lower on the Global Intelligence quotient as well as the dimensions interpersonal skills and stress management. In turn, the victims presented lower scores in these dimensions compared to the observers but higher than those of the aggressors. We can conclude that the role of emotional intelligence in elementary school children involved in the phenomenon of bullying is an aspect to be taken into account, when designing prevention strategies.