Physical Health Risk Factors across Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Victim and Offender Groups

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectives: This study highlighted the physical health differences, alongside differences in deviant lifestyle and psycho-social adjustment, among traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization and offending groups. Methods: Using a national U.S.-based sample, we first used ANOVA to explore whether the average values of physical health differed across groups. Next, we estimated multinomial logistic regression models to discern whether these various factors differentiated victims, offenders, or victim-offenders, in comparison to students uninvolved in bullying. This analysis also allowed us to discern whether indicators differentiate traditional bullying versus cyberbullying victim and offender groups similarly or differently. Results: We found significant mean differences across victim and offender groups. Some of the indicators of physical health, deviance, and psycho-social adjustment distinguished victim and offender groups in multivariate analysis, and there were both similarities and differences in this regard when comparing traditional bullying versus cyberbullying groups. Conclusions: Findings suggest that physical health risk factors should be thought as important factors in the studies of offending and victimization. Findings also imply that relatively early intervention in adolescents’ health-related risk factors might not only enhance health and physical fitness but also might reduce bullying victimization and offending incidents in the school context.