Bullying and Victimization Among Young Elementary School Children: The Role of Child Ethnicity and Ethnic School Composition

Pauline W Jansen,Frank C Verhulst,Anke Dommisse-Van Berkel,Wilma Jansen,Cathelijne L Mieloo,Jan Van Der Ende,Gonneke Stevens,Marina Verlinden,Henning Tiemeier

doi:10.1007/s12552-016-9182-9

Abstract

School-aged children with an ethnic minority background are relatively often involved in bullying and victimization, but the role of ethnic composition of schools in this context remains unclear. This study examined the relation between ethnic minority background, ethnic school composition, and bullying behaviour around primary school entry in the Netherlands. The study was based on a 2008/2009 school survey in Rotterdam, a Dutch city where about 50 % of children have a non-Dutch background. For 8523 children, teacher reports of bullying behaviour at age 5–6 years were available. Children with a non-Dutch background had higher odds of being a victim (adjusted OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.11, 1.80), bully (OR 1.38, 95 % CI 1.20, 1.58) or bully-victim (OR 1.38, 95 % CI 1.19, 1.62) than children of Dutch national origin. Ethnic diversity in schools increased children’s risk of bullying behaviour (e.g. ORvictim per 0.1 increase in 0–1 diversity range = 1.06, 95 % CI 1.00, 1.13), with children of both Dutch and non-Dutch national origin relatively more often involved in bullying in ethnically diverse schools. The proportion of same-ethnic peers in school reduced the risk of bullying among children of Dutch national origin (e.g. ORvictim per 10 % more same-ethnic children = 0.90, 95 % CI 0.83, 0.98), but not among non-Dutch children. In conclusion, ethnic minority background and ethnic diversity within schools are risk factors for bullying among 5–6 year olds. Plausibly, reductions in absolute numbers of bullying events may be obtained with tailor-made interventions in ethnically diverse schools. Such interventions should preferably be offered early in the school curriculum.

Highlights

School bullying is an important problem affecting children’s mental well-being and functioning (Bond et al 2001; Griffin and Gross 2004; Kim et al 2006; Schreier et al 2009)
Children of non-Dutch origin were relatively often involved in bullying: nonDutch ethnic minority children had higher odds of being a victim, bully or bully-victim than children of Dutch national origin, independent of possible sociodemographic confounding factors
Elevated risks of bullying and bully-victimization were seen in all non-Dutch subgroups, except for children originating from other Western or non-Western countries, who showed similar risks as children of Dutch national origin

Summary

Introduction

School bullying is an important problem affecting children’s mental well-being and functioning (Bond et al 2001; Griffin and Gross 2004; Kim et al 2006; Schreier et al 2009). The ‘‘social misfit’’ theory, as proposed by Wright and colleagues (Wright et al 1986), can be used to combine both perspectives This theory describes that individuals whose characteristics deviate from the norm group are prone to rejection. Translating this theory to the social context of children raises the suggestion that victimized children somehow deviate from their schoolmates, for instance regarding their appearance, physical strengths or other abilities (Olweus 1993). In accordance with this theory, children with an ethnic minority background may be at risk of victimization. Ethnic minority children—often with an immigrant background— may be victimized, because of having different cultural norms or a deviating physical appearance, or because they are not part of the ‘‘in’’-group consisting of ethnic majority children

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion