Social Class and Bullying Behavior among Female High School Students of Sargodha, Pakistan

Abstract

Bullying is a pervasive social problem with significant implications for adolescent development and school safety. While extensive research has examined bullying as an individual or psychological issue, fewer studies have explored it from a criminological and structural perspective, particularly in relation to social class. This study investigates the relationship between socio-economic class and bullying behavior among female high school students in Sargodha, Pakistan. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 120 students selected through stratified random sampling from public and private secondary schools. Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were employed to examine patterns, forms, and frequency of bullying across socio-economic groups. Findings reveal a high prevalence of bullying, with students from relatively lower socio-economic backgrounds reporting significantly higher exposure to frequent and repeated bullying. Bullying was also found to have adverse academic, psychological, and social consequences. From a criminological perspective, the results highlight bullying as a form of everyday social victimization shaped by class-based power relations within school environments. The study underscores the need for class-sensitive, preventive, and policy-oriented interventions to address bullying as a social harm rather than merely an individual behavioral problem.