Abstract:
This study aimed to explore sibling bullying and school bullying across three age
groups (8, 10, and 12 years old) in Indonesia (N = 21,002; 49.44% boys, 50.56% girls)
and how these bullying actions (physical, psychological, verbal) affect children’s
subjective well-being. The study used data from the third wave of Children’s Worlds
Survey, which was conducted in West Java Province. Bullying actions were measured
by reported frequency of experiencing being bullied by siblings and other children
during the last month. Subjective well-being (SWB) was measured using the Children’s
Worlds Subjective Well-Being Scale (CW-SWBS). Data were analysed using structural
equation modelling. Being hit by siblings displayed significant effects on the CWSWBS for Grades 6 and 2, while being called unkind names by siblings showed
significant effects in the three grades. Being hit by other children at school did not
display a significant effect on the CW-SWBS for Grades 2 and 4, and only a low level
of significance for Grade 6. Being left out by children in class showed significant
effects for all grades. Being called unkind names by children at school displayed
significant effects for Grades 2 and 4 and was non-significant for Grade 6. Many
Indonesian children who are victims of bullying seem to have adapted to physical
bullying to maintain their level of SWB through buffers (behaviour and good relationships). The incidence of bullying in Indonesian children is very worrying and it must be
taken into account by parents and teachers that these children may be at risk, although
they remain passive to the situation in apparently a conformist way, by reporting rather
high SWB scores.