Abstract
Background: Students’ perceptions of teacher response play a critical role in addressing bullying, as they are closely linked to student involvement. However, no validated instruments currently exist in Spain to assess this construct adequately. This study aimed to validate the Teachers’ Responses to Bullying Questionnaire (TRBQ) in Spain, examine its measurement invariance across educational levels, gender, and bullying roles, and to explore students’ perceptions of teacher responses based on these variables. Method: A total of 1,241 students (48.8% girls; 48.3 % primary school; Mage = 12.00; SD = 1.79; range = 9–18 years) from southern Spain participated. Results: EFA revealed a three-factor structure—non-intervention, restorative psychoeducational strategies, and disciplinary methods—with good fit, confirmed through CFA. The instrument demonstrated satisfactory reliability and measurement invariance. Girls perceived teacher responses as more frequent. Restorative strategies were more common in primary school, while non-intervention was more prevalent in secondary school. No significant differences emerged for disciplinary methods. Non-involved students reported more restorative interventions, bullies-victims perceived more non-intervention; and aggressors reported greater use of disciplinary methods. Conclusions: The Spanish adaptation and validation of the TRBQ provides a valuable tool for assessing teacher responses to bullying and contributes to research and intervention in school contexts.
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