Bullying is defined as a specific type of aggression in which (a) the behaviour is intended to harm or disturb, (b) the behaviour occurs repeatedly over time and (c) there is an imbalance of power, with a more powerful person or group attacking a less powerful one (1). The prevalence of bullying has been reported to vary between nine and 54 percent among school pupils (2). Being bullied can have large consequences for the individual child, which may persist into adulthood (2,3). Victims may show a pattern of internalizing symptoms like anxiousness and depression, negative thoughts about themselves, loneliness and low self-esteem (3). Moreover, victims can be socially marginalized, experiencing low social status and being avoided by classmates (4). Children with motor impairment are more likely to be victims (5). Children and adolescents with very low birth weight (VLBW: birth weight ≤1500 g) have increased risk of developing both severe (cerebral palsy, mental retardation) and minor neuroimpairments (poor fine motor function, perceptual problems) (6). Moreover, studies have reported increased risk of psychiatric problems among VLBW adolescents, especially attention deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms, anxiety disorders and possibly depression, autistic spectrum symptoms and thought problems (7,8). They may also have lower self-esteem than their normal weight peers and problems with social rejection (9). Thus, as a group, VLBW adolescents have a high prevalence of risk factors associated with bullying. None the less, little research has been conducted on the association between being born with VLBW and being bullied. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of being bullied in a group of VLBW adolescents, and to describe associations between being bullied and physical and psychiatric functioning. Fifty-four VLBW and 86 control adolescents participated in the study at age 14. To assess bullying, we used appropriate questions from the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and in addition parental assessment of bullying was analyzed using one question from the autism spectrum screening questionnaire (ASSQ). Schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia for school-age children (K-SADS) was used in the assessment of psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses. The mothers reported ADHD-symptoms on the ADHD-rating scale. As a measure of social cognition, we used a revised ASSQ sum score (ASSQ sumrev). Child health questionnaire (CHQ) – child form 87 (self-report) was used to measure self-esteem. An estimate of intelligence quotient (IQest) was calculated using four subscales of the Wechsler intelligence scales (WISC-III). Socioeconomic status (SES) was calculated according to Hollingshead’s two-factor index of social position. These instruments are previously described in detail (7). Anthropometrics were assessed by clinical examination. Motor function was evaluated with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (Movement ABC) (10). Scores <5th centile indicate definite motor problems (10). Cerebral palsy (CP) was assessed by neuropediatric examination. SPSS for Windows version 14.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for data analyses. The Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics approved the study protocol. Written informed consent was obtained from both adolescents and parents. A total of 13 adolescents, 7 boys and 6 girls, reported that they had been bullied; 10 (19%, 95% CI 10.4–30.8; 5 boys, 5 girls) were VLBW adolescents and 3 (4%, 95% CI 1.2–9.8)