Validation of the Spanish Version of the Zurich Brief Bullying Scales (ZBBS): Reliability and Psychometric Validity

Background: School bullying, be it in its traditional form or as cyberbullying, is a worldwide phenomenon, with significant impacts on schoolchildren’s wellbeing, and its accurate evaluation is thus key in prevention and intervention. The aim of the present study was to validate the Spanish version of the Zurich Brief Bullying Scales (ZBBS), a brief and effective instrument to measure school bullying victimisation and perpetration in different settings. Method: The sample comprised 2125 students of secondary education (11–17 years) in Spain. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to evaluate the structure of the scale. Results: We examined the scale’s reliability (α > 0.7 in all the subscales) and correlations to test its construct validity and its concurrent validity with the Kidscreen-52 victimisation and self-esteem scales, and with cyberbullying scales (European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire). The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed two independent factors: victimisation and perpetration. Conclusions: The results supported the psychometric soundness of the ZBBS, evidencing its applicability in measuring school bullying and cyberbullying in different age groups and genders. We discuss the implications for its use in research and educational practice, underscoring its potential as a brief and valid instrument for monitoring school bullying and cyberbullying across early to late adolescence in Spanish-speaking educational contexts.