The purpose of this study is to explore the internal pathways within psychology of individuals influenced by the reactions of parents to negative emotional expression of their children in which they have effect upon children’s empathic abilities and...
The purpose of this study is to explore the internal pathways within psychology of individuals influenced by the reactions of parents to negative emotional expression of their children in which they have effect upon children’s empathic abilities and thereby influence their defense responses for victims in the participant roles of peer bullying. In addition, this study sought to investigate the detailed mechanism of school violence according to the children’s gender, cognitive and emotional empathy, and behavioral responses of each person in the participant roles in bullying. As such, a survey of 384 elementary school students in Seoul and Gyeong-gi Province was conducted on the type of responses from parents to their negative emotional expressions, emphatic ability, and their behavior as the participant role of peer bullying. The data collected were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 and AMOS 21.0 and the results are as follows.
First, un-supportive parental responses towards the negative emotional expressions of their children were significantly higher among male students compared to those among female students. Emotional empathy was found to be significantly higher in female than male students, whereas the supporting responses of bullying were more frequently shown among male students. Second, supportive parental reactions for negative emotional expressions had a significantly positive effect on both cognitive and emotional empathy. Empathy had significantly positive impact upon defense responses for victims, and negative impact upon responses of bullying-supporting or onlooking behaviors. In particular, it was found both in female and male participants that cognitive empathy did not have a significant effect on the bullying-supporting responses, and only emotional empathy had an impact upon them. Also, the supportive reactions of parents had a significantly positive effect on defense responses for victims and negative effect on onlooking behavioral responses, while the un-supportive parental reactions had a significantly negative impact upon bullying-supporting and onlooking behavioral responses. Third, supportive response for children’s negative emotional expressions was found to influence the defense responses for victims of bullying through building empathy of children in part.
In this study, the impact of emotional socialization by parents in early experience through empathy upon the role of children engaging in bullying was identified. Consequently, this study discusses implications for fundamental solutions to peer bullying and school violence, and suggestions for further research.