Treat Me Right: A Nationwide Study of the Social Determinants of the Differences among Black Adolescents in the U.S Being the Target of Bullying Behavior

Abstract

Abstract: In 2019, 20% of students in the U.S. were bullied, with 85% of this bullying taking place at school. Bullying is associated with a litany of adverse health effects, including anxiety, depression, and substance misuse. Long-term adverse effects of bullying can include a greater likelihood of being involved in violence in adulthood, psychological disorders, ongoing substance misuse, school non-completion, and having a lower income. A key ingredient to reducing bullying among adolescents could be addressing social determinants as a means of increasing access to resources to engage in and maintain positive health behaviors. Using a CDC dataset of 553 Black adolescents, the researchers investigated if social determinants predisposed Black male and female young adults to being the targets of bullying behavior. Paramount to this discussion is how gender role socialization and manifestations of masculinity may influence this phenomenon. To help fill this gap in knowledge, this paper utilizes Critical Race theory and intersectionality as theoretical frameworks employ secondary analysis of the Black adolescent male and female sample within the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey data from the Center for Disease Control as well as hierarchical logistical regression modeling to examine the relative impact of positive health behaviors, mental health, and key demographics on whether or not a respondent gets bullied. Further, to examine gender differences between these two groups, analyses are performed first for all Black adolescents of the sample and then separately for Black males and Black females. In light of the findings, the conclusion section revisits issues of gender role socialization and manifestations of masculinity around getting bullied.