Using Qualitative Methods to Measure and Understand Key Features of Adolescent Bullying: A Call to Action

Bullying is a significant problem that has received a great amount of research attention, yet a basic definition of bullying has proven challenging for researchers to agree upon. Differences of definitions between academics and the public pose additional problems for the ongoing study and prevention of bullying. Qualitative methodologies may afford unique insights into the conceptualization of bullying and how we might reconcile existing definitional differences. In particular, we focus on the theoretically derived definition created by Volk et al. (2014). In this definition, three main aspects of bullying behavior are considered: (1) there is a power imbalance between the perpetrator and the victim, (2) the behavior is goal-directed, and (3) the behavior has a harmful impact. We review the qualitative evidence in support of the definition while simultaneously drawing attention to the potentials of qualitative research for furthering our understanding of all definitions of bullying. We argue that qualitative methods provide researchers with a unique perspective that cannot be practically obtained by the more common use of quantitative methods and offer suggestions for future methodological practices to study bullying.