Abstract
BackgroundPresently, 1 in 4 Lebanese adolescents is involved in bullying, with 12% being perpetrators. In Lebanon, around 90% of bullying incidents occur in schools. Given the lack of studies tackling bullying perpetration in Lebanon, this study aims to identify and target risk factors of bullying perpetration among Lebanese adolescents, which would serve future prevention and intervention programs.MethodsThis cross-sectional study took place between January and May 2019 in a proportionate random sample of schools from all Lebanese districts. A total of 1810 (90.5%) out of 2000 students accepted to participate.ResultsResults showed that 831 (49.1%, CI: 0.46–0.51) participants had bullied other people. A stepwise linear regression, using as the dependent variable the bullying perpetration score, showed that higher psychological (β = 0.12; 95% CI 0.083–0.176), sexual (β = 0.26; 95% CI 0.128–0.411), neglect (β = 0.08; 95% CI 0.051–0.120), physical abuse (β = 0.13; 95% CI 0.036–0.235), higher internet addiction (β = 0.07; 95% CI 0.057–0.097), higher social fear (β = 0.10; 95% CI 0.075–0.140), and having separated parents (β = 1.60; 95% CI 0.561–2.650) were significantly associated with more bullying perpetration. Higher social avoidance (β = − 0.03; 95% CI -0.062- -0.003) was significantly associated with less bullying perpetration.ConclusionThe results revealed that bullying perpetration is significantly associated with parental status, child abuse, internet addiction, and social fear. Educational and relevant governmental institutions could use our findings to develop and implement efficient bullying prevention and intervention programs for all involved parties.
Highlights
1 in 4 Lebanese adolescents is involved in bullying, with 12% being perpetrators
Higher bullying scores were significantly associated with fear, avoidance, addiction to the internet, depression, neglect, physical and sexual abuse, whereas lower bullying scores were correlated to higher household crowding index (HCI) (Table 3)
Our results showed that higher bullying perpetration scores were positively associated with having separated parents, all types of child abuse, higher social fear, and internet addiction
Summary
1 in 4 Lebanese adolescents is involved in bullying, with 12% being perpetrators. A dangerous phenomenon that has become the focus of global research, is an intentional, aggressive pattern of behavior repeatedly and consistently carried out over some time by a single individual or group, often associated with a leader. It is employed as an expression of real or perceived power imbalance. Over the past few years, evidence suggests a bidirectional relation between psychological and social factors contributing to bullying perpetration, regardless of biological predispositions [8]
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