Abstract:

The aim of this study was to examine student teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward school bullying. Participants were 676 students at the Faculty of Primary Education, University of Athens, Greece. They replied to a question about the perceived seriousness of bullying (Nikolaides, Toda, & Smith, 2002), and completed the Teachers’ Attitudes About Bullying Questionnaire (Beran, 2005). Principal components analysis confirmed the five-component structure of the questionnaire. Results showed that a considerable percentage of prospective teachers regarded bullying as a serious matter and wanted to learn more about this issue during their studies. Also, they expressed high personal commitment and system commitment to dealing with bullying. Although they are not satisfied with their education on bullying, they exhibit at least moderate confidence in coping with it. Results are discussed in comparison with the few relevant studies conducted in other countries on this issue and in relation to the developmental characteristics of emerging adults.

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