Concurrent and longitudinal associations of bullying, ethnic bullying, and empathic concern

Introduction: Empathic concern is acknowledged as a protective factor against bullying and ethnic bullying. However, longitudinal research on these associations is scarce for bullying and absent for ethnic bullying. Objective: This study examines concurrent and longitudinal association between bullying, ethnic bullying, and empathic concern, taking into account victimization and ethnic victimization. Procedure: A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted over two years with 495 adolescents attending grade 7 and 8 (52% boys; 12.41 years old at wave 1). Results: Cross-lagged panel models showed that lower levels of empathic concern at the beginning of grade 7 were a risk factor for increased bullying, ethnic bullying, and ethnic victimization at the end of grade 7, while no longitudinal associations were found between the end of grades 7 and 8. Concurrently, empathic concern was consistently negatively associated with bullying across three waves, and with ethnic bullying only at the end of grade 7. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between bullying, ethnic bullying, and empathic concern, offering directions for future research and practical implications.