The social context of bullying and peer victimization: An introduction to the special issue

An overlooked aspect of bullying and peer victimization is the social context in which it occurs. To advance the research and effectively prevent bullying, additional research is needed to better understand various aspects of the school context that may influence victimization. Drawing on several theoretical frameworks, this article outlines the rationale for the special issue and its focus on the social context of bullying and peer victimization. The authors identify important themes from across the five empirical articles and invited commentaries. Issues related to the measurement of bullying and peer victimization, and other methodological challenges associated with the study of context, are discussed. Consistent with a public health approach to prevention, the authors discuss implications of these findings for improving the effectiveness of school-based prevention programs.