Latent profiles of bullying perpetration and victimization: Gender differences and family variables

Abstract

BackgroundSchool bullying is a prevalent issue that threatens the psychological and social well-being of adolescents. However, little research has investigated how gender and family variables were related to bullying-involvement patterns among adolescents with siblings. ObjectiveThis study explored gender differences in the profiles of bullying involvement and the relationship between sibling, parental variables, and these profiles among Chinese adolescents. Participants and settingParticipants (N = 1,060; 46.0 % boys; Mage = 15.53) were recruited from junior and senior high schools in Jiangxi and Guizhou Provinces, China. MethodsBullying involvement, sibling warmth and conflict, and parental psychological maltreatment and neglect were assessed by self-report questionnaire. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups with distinct bullying involvement patterns, then multiple logistic regressions were performed to investigate the associations between family variables and bullying-involvement subgroups. ResultsWe found gender differences in both the latent profiles of bullying involvement and the associations between profiles and family variables. Only boys were identified severe bully-victims (3.39 %), while only girls were categorized as relational bully-victims (20.18 %). Boys and girls were similarly represented among uninvolved students (70.76 % vs. 66.85 %), moderate bully-victims (15.25 % vs. 6.49 %), and victims (10.59 % vs. 6.49 %). Students with more sibling warmth manifested less likelihood of engaging in bullying-related profiles, with more parental psychological maltreatment, and more parental neglect manifested more likelihood of engaging in bullying-related profiles only among girls. While students with more sibling conflict were related to more bullying-related profiles among boys than girls. ConclusionsThe findings emphasize the importance of developing gender-specific bullying intervention strategies that also consider relevant family factors.