Retrospective Bulling Questionnaire
Shäfer et al.‚ 2004
The following questions are about bullying. Bullying is intentional hurtful behavior. It can be physical or psychological. It is often repeated and characterized by an inequality of power so that it is difficult for the victim to defend him/her self.
All answers will be treated confidentially.
Are You Male Female
Age: _________
Please think back to your school days. You may have seen some bullying at school‚ and you may have been involved in some way. (Tick the choice which best describes your own experiences at school)
I was not involved at all‚ and I never saw it happen
I was not involved at all‚ but I saw it happen sometimes
I would sometimes join in bullying others
I would sometimes get bullied by others
At various times‚ I was both a bully and a victim
Can you briefly describe an incident in which you observed someone else being bullied or an incident in which you felt you were bullied?
PART I: PRIMARY SCHOOL
This part deals with your experiences at primary school (4–11 years).
Tick the boxes that are right for you.
1. Did you have a happy time at primary school?
detested‚ disliked. Neutral‚ liked a bit‚ liked a lot
2. Did you have a happy time at home with your family while in primary school?
detested‚ disliked. Neutral‚ liked a bit‚ liked a lot
The next questions are about physical forms of bullying – hitting and kicking‚ and having things stolen from you.
3. Were you physically bullied at primary school?
hit/punched yes no
stolen from yes no
4. Did this happen?
Never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
5. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about verbal forms of bullying – being called nasty names‚ and being threatened.
6. Were you verbally bullied at primary school?
called names yes no
threatened yes no
7. Did this happen?
never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
8. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about indirect forms of bullying – having lies or nasty rumours told about you behind your back‚ or being deliberately excluded from social groups.
9. Were you indirectly bullied at primary school?
had lies told about you yes no
excluded yes no
10. Did this happen?
never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
11. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about bullying in general.
12. How long did the bullying attacks usually last?
I wasn’t bullied‚ just a few days‚ weeks‚ months‚ a year or more
13. How many pupils bullied you in primary school?
I wasn’t bullied
Mainly by one boy
By several boys
Mainly by one girl
By several girls
By both boys and girls
14. If you were bullied‚ why do you think this happened?
PART II: SECONDARY SCHOOL
This part deals with your experiences at secondary school (11–18 years).
15. Did you have a happy time at secondary school?
detested‚ disliked. Neutral‚ liked a bit‚ liked a lot
16. Did you have a happy time at home with your family while in secondary school?
detested‚ disliked. Neutral‚ liked a bit‚ liked a lot
The next questions are about physical forms of bullying – hitting and kicking‚ and having things stolen from you.
17. Were you physically bullied at secondary school?
hit/punched yes no
stolen from yes no
18. Did this happen?
Never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
19. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about verbal forms of bullying – being called nasty names and being threatened.
20. Were you verbally bullied at secondary school?
called names yes no
threatened yes no
21. Did this happen?
Never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
22. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about indirect forms of bullying – having lies or nasty rumours told about you behind your back‚ or being deliberately excluded from social groups.
23. Were you indirectly bullied at secondary school?
had lies told about you yes no
excluded yes no
24. Did this happen?
never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
25. How serious did you consider these bullying-attacks to be?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
The next questions are about bullying in general.
26. How long did the bullying-attacks usually last?
I wasn’t bullied‚ not at all‚ only a bit‚ quite serious‚ extremely serious
27. How many pupils bullied you in secondary school?
I wasn’t bullied
Mainly by one boy
By several boys
Mainly by one girl
By several girls
By both boys and girls
28. If you were bullied‚ why do you think this happened?
PART III: GENERAL EXPERIENCES AT SCHOOL
29. Which were the main ways you used to cope with the bullying?
(Please tick one or more options)
I wasn’t bullied at school
I tried to make fun of it
I tried to avoid the situation
I tried to ignore it
I fought back
I got help from friends
I got help from a teacher
I got help from family / parents
I tried to handle it by myself
I did not really cope
Other
30. Did you ever take part in bullying anyone while you were at school?
hit/punched yes no
stole from yes no
called names yes no
threatened yes no
told lies about yes no
excluded yes no
31. Did this happen?
Never‚ rarely‚ sometimes‚ frequently‚ constantly
32. How often did you try to avoid school by pretending to be sick or by playing truant because you were being bullied?
I wasn’t bullied at school‚ Never‚ Only once or twice‚ Sometimes‚ Maybe once a week‚ Several times a week
33. When you were being bullied‚ did you ever‚ even for a second‚ think about hurting yourself or taking your own life?
I wasn’t bullied at school No‚ never Yes‚ once
Yes‚ more than once
34. Have you been bullied since leaving school?
I haven’t been bullied since leaving school
I have been bullied by my family
I have been bullied by others (please specify):
Recollections of being bullied at school
(Only answer these questions‚ if you were bullied):
35. Do you have vivid memories of the bullying event(s) which keep coming back causing you distress?
no‚ never. not often. Sometimes. Often. always
36. Do you have dreams or nightmares about the bullying event(s)?
no‚ never. not often. Sometimes. Often. Always
37. Do you ever feel like you are re-living the bullying event(s) again?
no‚ never. not often. Sometimes. Often. Always
38. Do you ever have sudden vivid recollections or “flashbacks” to the bullying event(s)?
no‚ never. not often. Sometimes. Often. Always
39. Do you ever feel distressed in situations which remind you of the bullying event(s)?
no‚ never. not often. Sometimes. Often. Always
40. If you were bullied‚ do you feel it had any long-term effects? If so‚ please describe below:
PART IV: BULLYING OR HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE
41. Have you ever experienced bullying in your workplace?
I wasn’t bullied in my workplace
I have been bullied in my present job
I was bullied in one of my previous jobs
I have been bullied in all of my jobs
I was bullied in more than one of myprevious jobs
42. Please state whether you have been bullied at work over the last six months.
No Yes‚ several times per month Yes‚ very rarely Yes‚ several times per week Yes‚ now and then Yes‚ almost daily
43. If yes‚ when did the bullying start?
Within the last 6 months Between 6 and 12 months ago Between 1 and 2 years ago More than 2 years ago
44. If you have been bullied‚ what did you do?
(Please tick one or more options)
Tried to avoid the situation Saw my doctor (GP) Tried to ignore it I went for counseling
Confronted the bully I got psychiatric help Went to the union/staff association Made use of the organization’s grievance procedure Went to personnel I left the job Discussed it with colleagues Did not really cope
Went to occupational health Other
Went to the welfare department
Primary school r = 0.88
Secondary school r = 0.87
Trauma r = 0.77
This tool touches on the following keywords:
This instrument can be found on pages 25-32 of Measuring Bullying Victimization‚ Perpetration‚ and Bystander Experiences:A Compendium of Assessment Tools‚ available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullycompendiumbk-a.pdf
Schäfer‚ M.‚ Korn‚ S.‚ Smith‚ P. K.‚ Hunter‚ S. C.‚ Mora-Merchán‚ J. A.‚ Singer‚ M. M.‚ et al. (2004). Lonely in the crowd: Recollections of bullying. British Journal of Developmental Psychology‚ 22‚ 379–394.
Developer’s Contact Information
Mechthild Schäfer‚ PhD
Department für Psychologie der LMU
Institut für Entwicklungspsychologie
Und Pädagogische Psychologie
Leopoldstr. 13
D-80802 München‚ Germany
Tel: +49 89 2180 3780