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Summary:

Abstract: Bullying has long-term negative effects on the mental health and wellbeing of everyone involved. School-wide interventions have been successful in some contexts, but they often require significant institutional and financial resources. Empathy is comprised of a cognitive component (perspective taking) and an affective component (empathic concern), both of which may be necessary for prosocial behavior. According to relational frame theory (RFT), empathy involves a transformation of stimulus functions across deictic relations (I-YOU, HERE-THERE, NOW-THEN), which also requires psychological willingness (i.e., psychological flexibility). The present study investigated this theoretical model of empathy based on RFT and the role of this model in middle school bullying. Results tentatively support this model by demonstrating two ways in which psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between deictic framing ability and empathy. The utility of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in predicting bullying behaviors was also examined. Deictic framing ability and psychological flexibility were expected to negatively predict bullying behaviors, and psychological flexibility was expected to moderate the relationship between deictic framing ability and relational bullying in particular. Additional research questions explored the roles of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in the relationship between relational bullying and other relevant psychological determinants: (a) parental discord, (b) social anxiety, and (c) social roles. The results of this study were insufficient to apply this model to bullying behaviors. Methodological and statistical limitations are discussed in depth, and future directions to improve on this study and clarify these relationships are emphasized.

Author/Creator:

Moyer, Danielle N. , author

Contributors:

Murrell, Amy R. , major professor

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Putting Bullying into Perspective: Peer Aggression as a Function of Perspective Taking, Empathy, and Psychological Willingness [by Moyer, D.N.]

Related Series:

NT dissertation, Clinical Psychology; [volume] 2018

Subjects:

Bullying

Perspective (Philosophy)

Context effects (Psychology)

Empathy

Genres:

Academic theses

Dissertation Notes:

Ph. D. ― University of North Texas, 2018.

General Notes:

Includes bibliographical references.
Description based on: Online resource; title from PDF title page (UNT Digital Library, viewed March 18, 2021).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vii, 77 pages).

Call Numbers:

Electronic Dissertation

OCLC Numbers:

1300231994