This exploratory study aimed to examine which components of early childhood conscience predicted bullying involvement around school entry. In the population-based Generation R Study, teacher reports of bullying involvement and parent reports of conscience were available for 3,244 children (M age=6.7 years). Higher levels of overall conscience predicted lower bullying perpetration scores, independently of intelligence quotient, temperamental traits and sociodemographic characteristics. Particularly, the subscales guilt, confession, and internalized conduct, and to a lesser extent empathy, predicted bullying perpetration. Conscience was not related to victimization. Similar results were found using observations during so-called 'cheating games' (subsample N = 450 children). Findings suggest that improving children's understanding of moral standards and norms may be a potential target for bullying intervention programs in early primary school.

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doi.org/10.1111/sode.12233, hdl.handle.net/1765/98005
Social Development
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Jansen, P., Zwirs, B., Verlinden, V., Mieloo, C., Jaddoe, V., Hofman, A., … Tiemeier, H. (2017). Observed and parent-reported conscience in childhood: Relations with bullying involvement in early primary school. Social Development. doi:10.1111/sode.12233