Unlocking the Power of Parenting: Unraveling How Family Atmosphere and Parenting Styles Impact the Pivotal Role in Bullying Behavior

Bullying at school negatively affects the class environment as well as all young people who participate in the bullying. One of the most important factors related to bullying is family. In the current study, the effect of family atmosphere and parenting style on different roles in bullying (bullies, victims, defenders) was examined in 155 adolescents (aged 13-15). The participants completed three self-reported scales measuring bullying, parenting style, and family atmosphere. For data analysis, Bayesian logistic regression was used. It was found that the family of bullies had less cohesion and control, more conflicts and fathers who demonstrated desultory parenting. Victims had higher family control, less family cohesion, fewer fathers with positive parenting and slightly higher positive parenting of mothers. Defenders had families with higher expressivity and organization, fewer conflicts, more fathers with positive parenting, fewer fathers with directive parenting and fewer mothers with autonomous parenting. Defenders were also predicted by the hostile parenting of fathers. Knowledge about the factors related to family atmosphere and parenting styles can be very useful in preparing bullying prevention and intervention programs.