Abstract
Bullying is a stressful phenomenon with many effects on the mental and social health of a child. This study examined the association of bullying and stress in children and adolescents. The participants were 574 students from the 5th and 6th grades of the primary school and from the three grades of junior high school. The Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire was used as a measurement of bullying and the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) and Stress in Children (SiC) were used as a measurement of stress in junior high school and primary school children respectively. 26.3% of children reported being victims of bullying, 7.8% reported engaging in bullying behaviour and 34.7% had been both victims of bullying and had engaged in bullying behavior. 31.2% had no role in the phenomenon. Verbal bullying was the most frequent form of bullying (22%) followed by hidden manipulation of social relationships to hurt or socially exclude the victim (19%). Bullying frequency was the most potent determinant of victims’ stress. Higher distress in bullies was associated with a higher frequency of bullying behavior and more stopping behaviors by adults especially if bullies reported less social support or had many adult-type responsibilities in their lives. Stress management programs to reduce bullying should be the central axis of intervention as stress not only constitutes a mediating factor in bullying but it is also associated with the phenomenon.
Highlights
IntroductionDirect bullying is an obvious expression of power and can include physical and verbal aggression, while indirect bullying is the hidden manipulation of social relationships to hurt or socially exclude the victim (Arsenault, Bowes, & Shakoor, 2010; Pateraki & Houndoumadi, 2001)
Bullying has been recognized as a cardinal problem for public health in terms of childhood with its undoubted stressful nature (APA, 2004; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2001)
The Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire was used as a measurement of bullying and the Adolescent Stress Questionnaire (ASQ) and Stress in Children (SiC) were used as a measurement of stress in junior high school and primary school children respectively. 26.3% of children reported being victims of bullying, 7.8% reported engaging in bullying behaviour and 34.7% had been both victims of bullying and had engaged in bullying behavior. 31.2% had no role in the phenomenon
Summary
Direct bullying is an obvious expression of power and can include physical and verbal aggression, while indirect bullying is the hidden manipulation of social relationships to hurt or socially exclude the victim (Arsenault, Bowes, & Shakoor, 2010; Pateraki & Houndoumadi, 2001). Victimization is predisposed by personality traits and familial factors and more importantly it has been associated with major physical, cognitive (i.e. learning issues) and mental disturbances (e.g. distress, feelings of loneliness, dysthemia etc.) (Flannery, Singer, Van Dulmen, Kretschmar, & Belliston, 2009). These consequences can be ongoing, lasting for several years, even into adolescence (Arsenault et al, 2010). Adolescent peer victimization has been associated with immediate and delayed elevations in anxiety and depression and the stress level of victims is enhanced
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