School Bullying Victimization Research Articles

“I’m Stronger Now”: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Retrospective Accounts of School Bullying in Young Adults

ABSTRACT Despite the well-known long-term negative effects of school bullying, there is notable lack of research on the positive changes resulting from bullying, including perceptions of personal growth. This mixed methods study was designed to advance current understanding of negative and positive changes of school bullying in former victims. Specifically, it investigated post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD), mental resilience and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in former victims. Three-hundred thirty-six young adults who were former victims of school bullying completed questionnaires on retrospective experiences of school bullying, PTSD symptoms, mental resilience, and PTG. For the qualitative part, 10 participants took part in a semi-structured interview. All data were collected online. Qualitative data have been subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis with a phenomenological orientation. Quantitative results indicated that co-existence of multiple forms of bullying as well as victimization in secondary school and stable victimization were associated with higher levels of PTSD [F(5,330) = 6.96, η 2 = .10, p < .05 and F(3,333) = 13.18, η 2 = .07, p < .05, respectively]. They also showed that both PTSD (B = .41, p < .001) and mental resilience (B = .50, p = .001) were predictors of PTG. In qualitative data, benefits (e.g. new life paths and possibilities, appreciation of life) coexisted with negative consequences (e.g. stress, flashbacks, interpersonal difficulties, withdrawal). These findings may significantly contribute toward designing interventions for improving the mental health of former victims of school bullying.

Comparing Ruminative and Distracting Responses and Emotion Regulation Difficulties in Early Community Adolescents With and Without Self-Harm.

This study aimed to compare the demographic characteristics, responses to negative emotions, and difficulties in emotion regulation between self-harming adolescents and control individuals aged 12-14 years from the community. Data were collected from adolescents in Chungcheong Province, South Korea, between September 2021 and November 2022. Demographic characteristics and responses to the Depressed Mood Questionnaire and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16) were compared between the self-harm and control groups. The self-harm group exhibited a higher prevalence of child abuse (odds ratio [OR]=4.787, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.591-14.409, p=0.005) and school bullying victimization (OR=4.495, 95% CI=2.353-8.588, p<0.001) than those in the control group. The selfharm group displayed higher levels of rumination (t=7.88, p<0.001) and reduced distraction responses (reverse score t=2.25, p=0.025) than those of the control group. Additionally, the self-harm group scored higher on all subscales and the total DERS-16 score (t=7.61, p<0.001). Interventions for self-harming adolescents should address child abuse and bullying victimization. Prevention programs for self-harming adolescents should focus on reducing rumination responses, increasing distractive responses, and addressing difficulties in emotion regulation using dialectical behavior therapy-skill training.

Bullying Victimization and Malevolent Creativity in Rural Adolescents: The Longitudinal Mediational Role of Hostile Attribution.

Extensive research has documented bully victimization as a pivotal risk factor contributing to aggressive behaviors among adolescents. Particularly, the negative outcome of increased aggressive behaviors may be exacerbated when the aggressive actions are novel and difficult to detect. The present study aims to explore the complex relationships between cyberbullying and school bullying victimization and malevolent creativity and the potential mediating role of hostile attribution using two-wave longitudinal data. The present study analyzed data from 262 rural adolescents. The results revealed that cyberbullying victimization significantly predicted malevolent creativity, whereas school bullying victimization did not. Hostile attribution served as a mediator in the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and malevolent creativity in the longitudinal models. These findings provide significant implications for mitigating the negative influence of bullying victimization on the emergence of malevolent creativity in rural adolescents.

Bullying victimization among adolescents: Prevalence, associated factors and correlation with mental health outcomes.

Knowledge of the risk factors of bullying victimization in adolescents is crucial for the implementation of preventive measures. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of bullying victimization and to identify its correlation with mental health outcomes among middle school students in Tunisia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multi-stage cluster sampling technique to recruit a sample of 1111 students from 10 middle schools in El kef (Tunisia). The revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence and types of bullying victimization and the perceived efforts of others to counteract bullying. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used for screening emotional and behavioral problems. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine associated factors of bullying victimization. Additionally, we tested whether emotional and behavioral problems were present for bullying victims. The findings reported that 45.8% (95%CI = 45.5-46.0), of the total number of participants experienced school bullying victimization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis, revealed that repeating a grade (OR = 1.82, 95%CI = 1.31-2.54), having a working father (OR = 17.68; 95%CI = 2.29-136,15), and having a working mother (OR = 1.88, 95%CI = 1.39-2.53) were the factors significantly associated with bullying victimization. Nevertheless, a higher mother's educational level (OR = 0.76, 95%CI = 0.67-0.88) was a protective factor against bullying victimization. The self-reported SDQ revealed that the total difficulties score was significantly higher among victims (17.46 ± 5.30 vs. 20.86 ± 5.06, p<0.01). This study showed that the prevalence of bullying in middle schools was high and it significantly led to mental health problems. National policies for bullying prevention within schools are potentially needed. Improving students' problem-solving and soft skills is also essential.

Escape from School: Linking School Climate, Bullying Victimization, Resilience and School Truancy in a Moderated Mediation Model

Escape from School: Linking School Climate, Bullying Victimization, Resilience and School Truancy in a Moderated Mediation Model

Bullying Victims' Perceived Social Support and Psychological Health and Prosocial Behavior: A Latent Profile Analysis.

The literature on school bullying and perceived social support primarily relies on variable-centered approaches, investigating the independent effects of individual sources of social support. However, victims of school bullying perceive different combinations of levels of social support from multiple sources. Hence, there lacks a holistic person-centered examination of the joint effects of multiple sources of social support. The study surveyed 915 bullying victims (51.9% boys, 48.1% girls; Mage = 13.52, SD = 0.75). Latent profile analysis identified five profiles of social support across five sources (i.e., parents, teachers, classmates, close friends, and online-only friends): online-offline supported adolescents, offline supported adolescents, moderately supported adolescents, close friend supported adolescents, and unsupported. The five social support profiles were associated differently with bullying victims' demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, and socioeconomic status), frequency of victimization, psychological health (i.e., subjective well-being, depression, and anxiety), and prosocial behavior. The findings support the heterogenous nature of social support perceived by bullying victims and offer insights into more tailored interventions aimed at promoting the development victims in different subgroups.

Defending behavior in school bullying: The role of empathic self-efficacy, social preference, and student-teacher relationship

AbstractBeing able to defend victims of school bullying is central in any intervention; thus, it seems paramount to investigate which factors may contribute to defending behavior. The present report aims to investigate whether empathic self-efficacy is associated with helping behavior and whether interpersonal factors (i.e., social preference and student-teacher relationship) may interact with it. The sample comprised 249 middle-school students (47.80% boys) aged 11–14 years, who received peer nominations on defending behavior and social preference. Self-reports were used to assess empathic self-efficacy and the relationship with the teachers. Results highlight a positive association between empathic self-efficacy and defending behavior when social preference and a positive relationship with teachers were average or high but not when they were low. Results are discussed in light of the importance of considering individual and interpersonal factors to understand defending in bullying situations and to develop intervention programs.

Social poverty indicators with school bullying victimization: evidence from the global school-based student health survey (GSHS)

BackgroundSchool bullying is prevalent in children and adolescents. Bullying victims are seen higher risk of negative psychological outcomes. Previously published studies suggested that social indicators may pose significant influence on bullying victimization. However, the association between social poverty and bullying victimization has not been exclusively discussed.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the association between 6 commonly used social poverty indicators (Poverty Headcount Ratio, PHR; Poverty Gap, PG; Squared Poverty Gap, SPG; monthly household per capita income, PCI; Watts’ Poverty Index, WPI; the Gini Index, Gini) and the prevalence of school bullying at country level by using the Global school-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) database.ResultsAltogether 16 countries were included into the final analysis, with school bullying victimization prevalence ranged from 12.9 to 47.5%. Bubble plots revealed statistically significant associations between the three indicators measuring absolute poverty level (PHR, PCI, WPI) and bullying victimization. Subsequently performed principal component regression indicated that, for all types of bullying victimization, the increase of absolute poverty level was related to elevated prevalence rates, and the association was particularly strong for verbal bullying victimization.ConclusionsOur study results may suggest that absolute social poverty is an important parameter for constructing and implementing school bullying victimization intervention strategies and measures.

Parental migration and cyberbullying victimization among Chinese left-behind children: understanding the association and mediating factors.

Parental absence is greatly associated with school bullying victimization of left-behind children (LBC) in migrant families. With the increasing popularity of the Internet, little is known about the association between parental migration and cyberbullying victimization, and potential mediators. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Anhui and Zhejiang Province, China, in 2020. With a sample of 792 currently left-behind children (CLBC), 541 previously left-behind children (PLBC), and 628 never left-behind children (NLBC), path analysis was used to explore the association between parental migration and cyberbullying victimization among children, while considering the independent and sequential mediating roles of parent-child communication, and time spent online. The prevalence of cyberbullying victimization was 29.3% among CLBC, 29.2% among PLBC, and 23.4% among NLBC. Path analysis showed that current left-behind status was positively associated with cyberbullying victimization among children (p = 0.024). Furthermore, current left-behind status was associated with worse parent-child communication, which, in turn, predicted a higher prevalence of cyberbullying victimization [95% CI = (0.007, 0.036)]. Similarly, the previous left-behind experience was associated with worse parent-child communication, which, in turn, predicted a higher prevalence of cyberbullying victimization [95% CI = (0.013, 0.043)]. Current left-behind status was associated with increased time spent online, which, in turn, predicted a higher prevalence of cyberbullying victimization [95% CI = (0.013, 0.038)]. Additionally, the current left-behind status positively predicted cyberbullying victimization among children through the serial mediating roles of parent-child communication and time spent online [95% CI = (0.001, 0.006)]. Similarly, previous left-behind experience positively predicted cyberbullying victimization among children through the serial mediating roles of parent-child communication and time spent online [95% CI = (0.002, 0.007)]. We propose that to protect CLBC and PLBC from cyberbullying victimization, it is of great importance for migrant parents to regulate children's time spent online and promote daily parent-child communication.

Sex Differences in the Relationship Between School Bullying Victimization and Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Roles of Insecure Attachment.

School bullying victimization is a highly concerning issue that can lead to a range of negative outcomes. Despite the research showing a significant association between bullying victimization and complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD), the internal mechanisms with its two components (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms [PTSD] and disorders of self-organization symptoms [DSO]) remain unclear. Previous studies have indicated that attachment style may influence the development of CPTSD symptoms and that there may be sex differences in attachment styles. Thus, the present study aims to examine the mediating role of insecure attachment between school bullying victimization and CPTSD symptoms in males and females. The study assessed bullying victimization, attachment orientation, and CPTSD (i.e., PTSD symptoms and DSO symptoms) symptoms in 675 college students (65.2% females; Mage = 19.6, SD = 1.34) from China who had reported bullying experiences at two different time points, 6 months apart. For females, school bullying victimization predicted PTSD and DSO symptoms through attachment anxiety and only predicted DSO symptoms through attachment avoidance. For males, we found that school bullying victimization predicted PTSD symptoms through attachment avoidance. These findings suggest that attachment is critical in understanding how school bullying victimization may lead to CPTSD symptoms among individuals of different sexes.

The hidden curves of risk: a nonlinear model of cumulative risk and school bullying victimization among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundSchool bullying victimization (SBV) occurs more frequently in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in general education than in special classes, and there is a cumulative risk effect on SBV exposure among young people with ASD reported by their parents and teachers. However, SBV is a personal experience, the predictive patterns of cumulative risk on SBV reported by themselves and its psychological mechanism remain unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between cumulative risk and SBV based on self-report, and to test whether internalizing problems mediates this relationship among adolescents with ASD placed in regular classes.MethodsThis study used data from the Taiwan Special Needs Education Longitudinal Study (SNELS) in 2011. The analysis included 508 adolescents with ASD who were in regular classes across Taiwan. The primary variables under study were the quality of friendship interactions, teacher-student relationship, school connection, perceived stigma, the impact caused by the disabilities, internalizing problem, and whether the participants had experienced SBV over the past semester, while control variables were adaptability and social-emotional skills. Established risk factors were summed to form a cumulative risk score.ResultsThe cumulative risk was positively associated with SBV. The relationship was characterized by the nonlinear pattern of the quadratic function (negative acceleration model) between cumulative risk and SBV. Internalizing problem played a partial mediating role in the effect of cumulative risk on SBV.ConclusionsIntervention measures to reduce SBV should include the strategies to reduce the number of risks to which adolescents with ASD in regular classes are exposed, comprehensive prevention targeting each risk factor is needed specially when the number of risks is one or two, and more attention needs to be given to their internalizing problem in various ways.

Associated factors and patterns of school bullying among school-aged adolescents in China: A latent class analysis

Adolescents involved in school bullying are a heterogeneous group. Yet less is known about school bullying patterns and their associated factors in social domains in China. The objective of the study was to use latent class analysis to identify patterns of school bullying involvement and to examine factors in individual, family, and school domains associated with each bullying pattern. Data were self-reported anonymously using a questionnaire completed by students from 3 middle schools and 4 high schools in a southern city in China (N = 13,166). A latent class analysis was conducted to identify involvement patterns in school bullying victimization and perpetration. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine factors in social domains associated with each pattern. Seven patterns of school bullying involvement were identified: Low Victim (14.5%), High Victim (4.4%), Sexual and Cyber Victim (2.5%), Physical Bully-Victim (1.4%), Verbal Bully-Victim (3.5%), All-Type Bully-Victim (3.3%) and Uninvolved (70.4%). Alcohol use, high frequency of using social networking sites, and distrusting people were associated with all bullying patterns (p <.05). Gender, grade level of schooling, boarding at school, cigarette smoking, being a class leader, poor academic performance, parents both working in other cities, poor relationships between family members, father’s/mother’s alcohol use, parental neglect, unpopularity at school, lack of feeling safe, and no close friends were each associated with at least one school bullying pattern (p <.05). Different types of school bullying victimization and perpetration co-occur among students and multiple social domain factors were associated with bullying patterns. Findings from this study suggest that consideration of the heterogeneity of school bullying and its associated factors are critical to developing targeted prevention interventions for different school bullying patterns.

Perceived teacher unfairness and school bullying victimization of senior-grade pupils: The mediating effect and gender difference of the sense of school belonging

Perceived teacher unfairness and school bullying victimization of senior-grade pupils: The mediating effect and gender difference of the sense of school belonging

School Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Tendency Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Internalizing Problems and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

ABSTRACT Background Adolescent suicide has become an increasingly serious social problem in China. Bullying victimization was found to be an influential factor of suicidal tendency, but less attention has been paid to the internal mechanisms of the relationship. Objective This paper examined the relationship between adolescents’ bullying victimization and suicidal tendency, and the mediating effects of internalizing problems and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Method Generalized Structural Equation Model was employed to a sample of 3,575 Chinese secondary school students. Results Bullying victimization has a direct positive impact on adolescents’ suicidal tendency, but also has an indirect impact on suicidal tendency through three paths: the independent mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI, and the chain mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI. Conclusions The results suggested that students who are bullied tend to have a higher risk of suicidal tendency, and internalizing problems and NSSI are usually the prelude to suicidal behaviors.

Subjective Norm Rather Than Social Norm in the Induced-Hypocrisy Paradigm: A Test in the Context of School Bullying Victim Support

Subjective Norm Rather Than Social Norm in the Induced-Hypocrisy Paradigm: A Test in the Context of School Bullying Victim Support

Cultural heterogeneity, family dysfunction and inadequate school support: Ethnic disparities in bullying victimization within China's multiethnic regions

AbstractFew studies have discussed ethnic disparities in school bullying victimization within developing countries. Based on an empirical survey of 1763 children in the Tibetan, Hui and Miao regions in China, this study reached two findings: First, there are significant ethnic disparities in bullying victimization within China's multiethnic regions, where a balanced representation of different cultures can contribute to reducing the risk of victimization. Second, the bullying victimization of different ethnicities is associated with microsystem factors, including the ethnic composition of a school, family dysfunction and children's aggressive behaviour, which displays more homogeneity than heterogeneity.

Association between bullying victimization and post-traumatic stress disorders among Chinese adolescents: a multiple mediation model

BackgroundResearch that focused on the mechanisms underlying the relation between school bullying victimization and PTSD ignored the simultaneous effect of emotional and cognitive factors, which may limit our comprehensive understanding of their roles. Besides, most researchers included non-bullying victims in data analysis, and this may mask the true effect among bullying victims. The present study aimed to explore the relation between bullying victimization and PTSD, and the mediating roles of social anxiety, loneliness, and rumination, after filtering out non-bullying victims.Materials and methodsIn April 2019, we used convenience sampling to recruit 5013 students from Grade 10 and 11 in two high schools in Anhui Province, China. The mean age of these students was 16.77 (SD = 0.92) years. They completed five self-report questionnaires including the Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale-Student Chinese Revision (DBVS-S), the modified PTSD Checklist, the Social Anxiety Scale, the Adolescent Loneliness Scale, and the Rumination Scale. Further, a total of 443 bullying victims were screened out for this study according to the critical score of the DBVS-S.ResultsThe results showed that bullying victimization had a direct and positive association with PTSD among adolescents (β = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.046–0.252). Bullying victimization was positively associated with PTSD through increasing adolescents’ social anxiety (β = 0.06, 95%CI: 0.017–0.105), as well as through increasing their loneliness (β = 0.16, 95%CI: 0.109–0.215). In addition, bullying victimization was positively associated with PTSD through social anxiety via loneliness (β = 0.04, 95%CI: 0.013–0.067), as well as through loneliness via rumination (β = 0.02, 95%CI: 0.003–0.033). Bullying victimization was also positively associated with PTSD through a three-step path from social anxiety to rumination via loneliness (β = 0.004, 95%CI: 0.001–0.009).ConclusionsSocial anxiety, loneliness, and rumination have important mediating effects in the relation between bullying victimization and adolescents’ PTSD, in which emotional factors (e.g., social anxiety, loneliness) are more crucial than cognitive factors (e.g., rumination). Intervention should pay more attention to timely alleviate victims’ emotional problems to reduce the risk of developing PTSD.

Analyzing the Risk of Being a Victim of School Bullying. The Relevance of Students’ Self-Perceptions

School bullying is a growing concern in almost all developed economies, bringing negative and serious consequences for those students involved in the role of victims. In this paper, we propose to analyze this topic for the case of Spain, considering the data compiled in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report in 2018. The sample size consists of 12,549 15-old-year students (51.84% females and 48.16% males). With the help of structural equation models (SEM), we aim to detect the relationship between the risk of being a victim of bullying and several self-appreciations expressed by the students. We have considered variables that try to measure individual perceptions in several aspects, such as the self-image, the help provided by parents and teachers and how the school environment’s safety is perceived. A multigroup analysis was also performed to see the impact of the socioeconomic level of the families and the students’ academic performances on the proposed model. We conclude that several of those aspects are directly related with the risk of being bullied and this risk is higher in those students who present school failure and have a lower socioeconomic status. In this regard, the results would permit pointing out some aspects in which the decision-makers can focus their proposals to establish prevention measures.

Social Relationships as Mediators of Material Deprivation, School Bullying Victimization, and Subjective Well-Being among Children Across 25 Countries: A Global and Cross-National Perspective

Social Relationships as Mediators of Material Deprivation, School Bullying Victimization, and Subjective Well-Being among Children Across 25 Countries: A Global and Cross-National Perspective

Prevalence and predictors of bullying among in-school adolescents in Nigeria

ObjectiveAs an emerging significant public health issue affecting many students globally, school bullying is a threat that should not be disregarded. While several published studies have focused on bullying in developed countries, very little is known about the prevalence and predictors of bullying in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of bullying in secondary schools in Edo State, Nigeria. MethodA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 621 in-school adolescents using a multistage random sampling technique. The 40-item Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) was utilized for data collection. The chi-squared test, Fisher's test, and binomial logistic regression analysis were utilized to examine associations between variables at 5% level of significance. ResultsApproximately half of the respondents (51.9%) had experienced at least one type of bullying, while 173 (27.9%) reported themselves as bullies. The most common type of bullying was physical bullying in different forms (belonging taken/stolen-68.3%; kicked, pushed or locked indoor-52.2%; threatened-47.8%), while the most common location of bullying was the classroom in the absence of a teacher (75%); the perpetrators were reported by the majority (58.3%) to be classmates. Respondents in junior classes were 1.61-fold more likely to be bullied than those in senior classes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.60; confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–2.24), those who live in rural areas were 1.75-fold more likely to be bullied than urban cities (AOR: 0.45; CI: 0.58–1.80), and those who were frequently beaten by their parents were 2.28-fold more likely to be bullies than those who were not beaten (AOR: 2.16; CI: 1.33–3.52). Furthermore, the act of bullying others was significantly associated with family monthly income (p = 0.01). ConclusionOwing to the prevalence and predictors of bullying reported in this study, we recommend that policies should be implemented in schools to protect the most affected and vulnerable groups from being victims of school bullying.