Retrospective Bullying Questionnaire

Abstract

The Retrospective Bulling Questionnaire (RBQ), developed by Schäfer et al. in 2004, is a comprehensive psychological instrument designed to measure an individual’s lifetime exposure to bullying, both as a victim and as a perpetrator. Utilizing a retrospective self-report methodology, the RBQ systematically assesses experiences across key developmental stages, including primary school (ages 4–11), secondary school (ages 11–18), and later in the workplace.

The questionnaire is structured into four main parts, addressing physical, verbal, and indirect forms of victimization, coping mechanisms, and the presence of trauma symptoms related to the bullying events. This tool is valuable for researchers studying the long-term psychological impact of childhood abuse and peer harassment.

Keywords

Bullying, Victimization, Perpetration, School Bullying, Workplace Harassment, Retrospective Assessment, Trauma, Peer Relations, Childhood Experience, Social Exclusion.

Authors

Schäfer, M., Korn, S., Smith, P. K., Hunter, S. C., Mora-Merchán, J. A., Singer, M. M., et al.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Retrospective Bullying Questionnaire is to provide a detailed and quantifiable measure of an individual’s exposure to different forms of bullying across their lifespan. It aims to capture the frequency, severity, and nature (physical, verbal, indirect) of these experiences, allowing researchers to differentiate between various roles (victim, perpetrator, or bully/victim hybrid).

Furthermore, the instrument serves to assess the immediate and long-term consequences of these experiences, including the coping strategies employed during school years and the manifestation of post-traumatic symptoms related to the recalled events. It extends its scope beyond childhood to include adult experiences of bullying or harassment in the workplace setting.

Construct

The RBQ measures the construct of bullying victimization and perpetration through a time-segmented, multi-dimensional framework. The theoretical definition underpinning the scale describes bullying as intentional, repeated, and hurtful behavior characterized by an inequality of power, making defense difficult for the victim.

The instrument operationalizes the construct by dividing it into three observable dimensions of attack:

• Physical Bullying: Includes behaviors like hitting, punching, and theft.
• Verbal Bullying: Encompasses being called nasty names or being threatened.
• Indirect Bullying: Covers social aggression such as having lies or nasty rumors spread, or being deliberately excluded from social groups.

A unique feature of the RBQ is its assessment of the psychological sequelae of bullying, specifically measuring symptoms related to the intrusive recollection of past events, often associated with trauma, such as nightmares and flashbacks.

Validity

While explicit psychometric data detailing specific types of validity (e.g., construct, discriminant) are often found in the full source article, the structure of the RBQ suggests strong content and face validity. The questionnaire comprehensively covers the widely accepted modalities of bullying (physical, verbal, indirect) and applies this framework consistently across distinct developmental periods (primary and secondary school).

The inclusion of items related to coping mechanisms, frequency, severity, and emotional impact further enhances the content validity, ensuring that the measure captures the complex nature of the bullying experience rather than just simple peer conflict.

Reliability

The reliability of the Retrospective Bullying Questionnaire was assessed using internal consistency measures for the key domains focusing on victimization experiences. The scale demonstrates high reliability across the school-based sections and the trauma-related recollection section, suggesting that the items within these subscales are highly correlated and consistently measure their intended constructs.

The reported reliability coefficients (likely Cronbach’s alpha, though listed as ‘r’ in the source material) are as follows:

• Primary School Victimization: r = 0.88
• Secondary School Victimization: r = 0.87
• Trauma/Recollection Items: r = 0.77

Factor Analysis

Detailed information regarding specific exploratory or confirmatory factor analyses used during the development of the RBQ by Schäfer et al. (2004) is not provided in the abstracted content. However, the structure of the instrument suggests a multi-factor model aligning with the three distinct types of bullying measured (physical, verbal, indirect) across two primary contexts (primary and secondary school).

Instrument

Test Type: Retrospective Self-Report Questionnaire

Format: Paper-and-pencil survey utilizing checklist responses (Yes/No), Likert-type scales (e.g., Never to Constantly), and open-ended questions.

Language Available: English (Original research may have involved translations, but English is the language of the provided version).

Population Group: General population (Adults recalling childhood and recent experiences).

Age Group: Adults reflecting on ages 4 through current age (including workplace experiences).

Population Details: Used primarily in academic research settings to study the long-term mental health outcomes associated with childhood bullying.

Test Methodology: Respondents are instructed to reflect back on specific developmental periods (primary school, secondary school) and report their experiences as victims and perpetrators, detailing the severity, frequency, and type of bullying encountered.

Keywords

Peer Victimization, School Violence, Long-term Effects, Post-Traumatic Stress, Developmental Psychology, Social Aggression, Adult Harassment.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: [email protected] (Mechthild Schäfer)

Correspondence Address: Mechthild Schäfer, PhD, Department für Psychologie der LMU, Institut für Entwicklungspsychologie, Und Pädagogische Psychologie, Leopoldstr. 13, D-80802 München, Germany.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was first published and validated in 2004. For permissions regarding use, researchers should contact the primary author, Mechthild Schäfer.

The instrument is often cited in academic literature and is available publicly in compilation texts. The original PDF can be downloaded here: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullycompendiumbk-a.pdf

Reference’s

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.

The full instrument is also published in: Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences: A Compendium of Assessment Tools, available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullycompendiumbk-a.pdf (pages 25-32).

Items of the Retrospective Bulling Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

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 