The moderating effect of gender on the relationship between bullying victimization and adolescents' self-rated health: An exploratory study using the Fragile Families and Wellbeing Study

Abstract

PurposeBullying is a prominent public health concern that affects adolescents' mental and behavioral outcomes. Little is known about the effects of bullying victimization on adolescents' self-rated health. This study explores the relationship between bullying victimization and adolescents' self-rated health. MethodUsing the most recent wave (Year 15 follow-up, Wave 5) of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), this study uses the responses from the now 15-year-old adolescents (n = 3444, 74%) and 3580 primary caregivers (77%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between bullying victimization and adolescents' self-rated health as well as the moderating role of gender. Subgroup analysis also explores the differential effects of relational victimization versus physical aggression on adolescents' self-rated health. ResultsAccounting for social contextual and controlling variables, bullying victimization was negatively associated with adolescents' self-rated health. Gender moderated the relationship between bullying victimization and self-rated health with the relationship significantly greater among male adolescents than girls. Subgroup analyses indicated the harmful linkage between bullying victimization and self-rated health only exist among those who experienced relational victimization but not those who experienced physical aggression. ConclusionsImplications call for teachers, school mental health providers, school nurses and other school-based professionals to be aware of the gender disparity among adolescents experiencing bullying. In addition, practitioners need to be mindful of the differential effect of relational victimization versus physical aggression while working with adolescents experiencing bullying.