Children’s gendered perceptions of peer bullying before and after transition to school

Recent research suggests that children may encounter bullying during the transition from preschool to school. But relatively few longitudinal studies on children’s perception of bullying from preschool to school have been conducted. This study aims to fill a major gap in the literature by exploring Chinese children’s perception and experiences of bullying and coping at three time points.: during the last month at preschool (Time 1), the first three months of Year 1 (Time 2), and the last month of Year 1(Time 3). The present study also examined the role gender plays in 50 Chinese children’s perceptions of bullying through children’s drawings and accompanying narratives. The findings provide robust data for understanding how children cope with bullying at school.