Bullied Cognitions Inventory (BCI)
Measures maladaptive beliefs about oneself and others associated with bullying experiences.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Bullied Cognitions Inventory (BCI) was developed by Belinda Graham, Anke Ehlers (2023). It is designed to measure Bullied Cognitions. The scale is intended for use with Young individuals who have experienced bullying.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 15 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Degraded in the eyes of others, Negative interpretations of reactions to bullying, Recognizable as a bullying victim, Social defeat.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Degraded in the eyes of others | 1,2,3 | 3 |
| Negative interpretations of reactions to bullying | 4,5,6,7,8,9 | 6 |
| Recognizable as a bullying victim | 10,11,12 | 3 |
| Social defeat | 13,14,15 | 3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 15 to 105. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low maladaptive appraisals: 15 – 45
- Moderate maladaptive appraisals: 46 – 75
- High maladaptive appraisals: 76 – 105
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Full scale alpha = 0.93, subscales alpha 0.82 to 0.85.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.