Ugeskr Laeger. 2011 Jun 20;173(25):1785-91. [Psychological consequences of severe overweight in teenagers]. [Article in Danish] Grønbæk HN , Holm JC . Source Pædiatrisk Afdeling, Enheden for Overvægtige Børn og Unge, Holbæk Sygehus, Smedelundsgade 60, 4300 Holbæk, Denmark. [email protected]Abstract Obese adolescents are adversely affected by the psychosocial consequences of their obesity, which affects their identity development negatively. Further, the obesity-associated psychosocial consequences deteriorate increasingly as the children grow older. Obese adolescents have poor health related quality of life and tend to develop serious emotional and social problems, and a negative body image compared to normal weight peers. Obese adolescents represent approximately 5% of all youths in Denmark, but the treatment options available do not meet the demands of this vulnerable group. West J Emerg Med. 2011 Jul;12(3):305-9. Pre-Teen Alcohol Use as a Risk Factor for Victimization and Perpetration of Bullying among Middle and High School Students in Georgia. Swahn MH , Topalli V , Ali B , Strasser SM , Ashby JS , Meyers J . Source Georgia State University, Institute of Public Health, Atlanta, GA. Abstract OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between pre-teen alcohol use initiation and the victimization and perpetration of bullying among middle and high school students in Georgia. METHODS: We computed analyses using data from the 2006 Georgia Student Health Survey (N=175,311) of students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. The current analyses were limited to students in grades 8, 10 and 12 (n=122,434). We used multilogistic regression analyses to determine the associations between early alcohol use and reports of both victimization and perpetration of bullying, perpetration
Transcript
Ugeskr Laeger. 2011 Jun 20;173(25):1785-91.
[Psychological consequences of severe overweight in teenagers].[Article in Danish]Grønbæk HN, Holm JC.
Source
Pædiatrisk Afdeling, Enheden for Overvægtige Børn og Unge, Holbæk Sygehus, Smedelundsgade 60, 4300 Holbæk, Denmark. [email protected]
AbstractObese adolescents are adversely affected by the psychosocial consequences of their obesity, which affects their identity development negatively. Further, the obesity-associated psychosocial consequences deteriorate increasingly as the children grow older. Obese adolescents have poor health related quality of life and tend to develop serious emotional and social problems, and a negative body image compared to normal weight peers. Obese adolescents represent approximately 5% of all youths in Denmark, but the treatment options available do not meet the demands of this vulnerable group.
West J Emerg Med. 2011 Jul;12(3):305-9.
Pre-Teen Alcohol Use as a Risk Factor for Victimization and Perpetration of Bullying among Middle and High School Students in Georgia.Swahn MH, Topalli V, Ali B, Strasser SM, Ashby JS, Meyers J.
Source
Georgia State University, Institute of Public Health, Atlanta, GA.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:We examined the association between pre-teen alcohol use initiation and the victimization and perpetration of bullying among middle and high school students in Georgia.METHODS:We computed analyses using data from the 2006 Georgia Student Health Survey (N=175,311) of students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. The current analyses were limited to students in grades 8, 10 and 12 (n=122,434). We used multilogistic regression analyses to determine the associations between early alcohol use and reports of both victimization and perpetration of bullying, perpetration only, victimization only, and neither victimization or perpetration, while controlling for demographic characteristics, other substance use, peer drinking and weapon carrying.RESULTS:Pre-teen alcohol use initiation was significantly associated with both bullying perpetration and victimization relative to non drinkers in bivariate analyses (OR=3.20 95%CI:3.03-3.39). The association was also significant between pre-teen alcohol use initiation and perpetration and victimization of bullying in analyses adjusted for confounders (Adj.OR=1.74; 95%CI:1.61-1.89). Overall, findings were similar for boys and girls.
CONCLUSION:Pre-teen alcohol use initiation is an important risk factor for both the perpetration and victimization of bullying among boys and girls in Georgia. Increased efforts to delay and reduce early alcohol use through clinical interventions, education and policies may also positively impact other health risk behaviors, including bullying.
West J Emerg Med. 2011 Jul;12(3):316-23.
A case study with an identified bully: policy and practice implications.Huddleston LB, Varjas K, Meyers J, Cadenhead C.
Source
Georgia State University, Counseling and Psychological Services, Atlanta, GA.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:Bullying is a serious public health problem that may include verbal or physical injury as well as social isolation or exclusion. As a result, research is needed to establish a database for policies and interventions designed to prevent bullying and its negative effects. This paper presents a case study that contributes to the literature by describing an intervention for bullies that has implications for practice and related policies regarding bullying.METHODS:An individualized intervention for an identified bully was implemented using the Participatory Culture-Specific Intervention Model (PCSIM; Nastasi, Moore, & Varjas, 2004) with a seventh-grade middle school student. Ecological and culture-specific perspectives were used to develop and implement the intervention that included psychoeducational sessions with the student and consultation with the parent and school personnel. A mixed methods intervention design was used with the following informants: the target student, the mother of the student, a teacher and the school counselor. Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews with the parent, teacher and student, narrative classroom observations and evaluation/feedback forms filled out by the student and interventionist. Quantitative data included the following quantitative surveys (i.e., Child Self Report Post Traumatic Stress Reaction Index and the Behavior Assessment Scale for Children). Both qualitative and quantitative data were used to evaluate the acceptability, integrity and efficacy of this intervention.
RESULTS:The process of intervention design, implementation and evaluation are described through an illustrative case study. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicated a decrease in internalizing, externalizing and bullying behaviors as reported by the teacher and the mother, and a high degree of acceptability and treatment integrity as reported by multiple stakeholders.CONCLUSION:This case study makes important contributions by describing an intervention that is targeted to specific needs of the bully by designing culture specific interventions and working with the student's unique environmental contexts. Contributions also are made by illustrating the use of mixed methods to document acceptability, integrity and efficacy of an intervention with documented positive effects in these areas. In addition, implications for policy and practice related to the treatment of students identified as bullies and future research needs are discussed.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Using data from the 2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, the prevalence of 6 forms of bullying (physical, verbal, relational, sexual, cyber, and racist), and the role of smoking and drinking in bullying was examined among Italian adolescents for this study.METHODS:The sample was composed of 2667 Italian middle and secondary school students (49.9% girls) randomly selected. The revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to measure physical, verbal, relational, sexual, cyber, and racist forms of bullying. For each form, 3 categories were created and compared with students "not involved in bullying": bully, victim, and bully-victim. Logistic regressions were applied to test the connections among the 3 forms of involvement in different types of bullying and smoking and drinking.RESULTS:Prevalence of having been bullied or having bullied others at school at least once in the last 2 months was 11.6% for physical, 52% for verbal, 47.9% for relational, 18.5% for sexual, 19.4% for cyber, and 9.4% for racist bullying. Compared to girls, boys were more likely to be involved in physical bullying; moreover, boys were more involved as bullies in verbal, sexual, cyber, and racist bullying. In contrast, girls were more likely to be victims of verbal, relational, sexual, and cyber bullying than were boys. Logistic regressions showed the connection between the different forms of involvement in bullying and smoking and drinking.CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicate that all forms of bullying behavior are associated with legal substance use. Implication for prevention program was discussed.
J Psychol. 2011 Jul-Aug;145(4):313-30.
The role of affective and cognitive empathy in physical, verbal, and indirect aggression of a Singaporean sample of boys.Yeo LS, Ang RP, Loh S, Fu KJ, Karre JK.
Source
Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616. [email protected]
AbstractBullying behavior is a serious form of school violence, affecting many children. This study investigated the contributions of 2 specific components of empathy (affective and cognitive empathy) on the 3 forms of aggressive behaviors in a sample of 241 Grade 4 and Grade 5 boys from Singapore. The 2 components
of empathy differed in their relation with the 3 types of aggression. After accounting for cognitive empathy, affective empathy was associated with physical aggression. Neither affective empathy nor cognitive empathy was associated with verbal aggression. With control for affective empathy, cognitive empathy was associated with indirect aggression. Results suggest that empathy training based on specific deficits may be helpful in intervention and prevention of specific aggressive behaviors.
Hawaii Med J. 2011 Jul;70(7 Suppl 1):4-10.
Adolescent at-risk weight (overweight and obesity) prevalence in Hawai'i.Nigg C, Shor B, Tanaka CY, Hayes DK.
Source
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, HI, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To present prevalence rates of adolescents in Hawai'i at-risk weight (85 percentile or higher = overweight or obese) and the relationship with comorbidities.
METHODS:The Hawai'i Youth Risk Behavior Survey aggregated for 2005, 2007, and 2009 was analyzed addressing at-risk weight prevalence by sex, race/ethnicity, and grade. Comorbidities were related to at-risk weight using regression.
RESULTS:Over 1/4 of Hawai'i adolescents were at-risk weight. There were no differences by grade, but boys had higher prevalence (31.0%) than girls (22.4%). Overall, Other Pacific Islanders and Hawaiians had the highest prevalence (43.9% and 37.4%, respectively), followed by multi-race (27.1%), Filipino (25.7%), and Whites with the lowest (16.1%). Most associations between at-risk weight and various co-morbidities (including sexual behavior, nutrition, physical activity, mental health, bullying, alcohol, and other drug use) were not significant (p>.05). However, girls and boys trying to lose weight; and boys with 3+ hours of screen time (TV, video, or computer games) each day were at increased odds of at-risk weight (p<.05).CONCLUSION:Adolescent gender and ethnic disparities exist such that a single intervention approach (one size fits all) may be counterproductive. More research is required on the determinants and mechanisms to guide weight management interventions.
Dev Psychol. 2011 Jul;47(4):1090-107. doi: 10.1037/a0023769.
Adolescents' implicit theories predict desire for vengeance after peer conflicts: correlational and experimental evidence.Yeager DS, Trzesniewski KH, Tirri K, Nokelainen P, Dweck CS.
School of Education and Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. [email protected]
AbstractWhy do some adolescents respond to interpersonal conflicts vengefully, whereas others seek more positive solutions? Three studies investigated the role of implicit theories of personality in predicting violent or vengeful responses to peer conflicts among adolescents in Grades 9 and 10. They showed that a greater belief that traits are fixed (an entity theory) predicted a stronger desire for revenge after a variety of recalled peer conflicts (Study 1) and after a hypothetical conflict that specifically involved bullying (Study 2). Study 3 experimentally induced a belief in the potential for change (an incremental theory), which resulted in a reduced desire to seek revenge. This effect was mediated by changes in bad-person attributions about the perpetrators, feelings of shame and hatred, and the belief that vengeful ideation is an effective emotion-regulation strategy. Together, the findings illuminate the social-cognitive processes underlying reactions to conflict and suggest potential avenues for reducing violent retaliation in adolescents.
Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2011 Jul;20(3):447-65. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2011.03.004.
Cornered: an approach to school bullying and cyberbullying, and forensic implications.Bostic JQ, Brunt CC.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBullying is an abuse of power and control that can cause significant harm to individuals. School systems have the difficult task of trying to police this behavior to maintain a safe learning environment for their students. Although there may be an identified bully, the ramifications of the behavior affect the system as a whole. Bullies, targeted victims, and bystanders play an integral role in ameliorating this problem. A change of culture within the school system is often the best, yet often the most difficult, intervention. In addition, cyberbullying has become a powerful avenue for bullying, resulting in significant morbidity within schools.
Can J Public Health. 2011 Jul-Aug;102(4):258-63.
Prevalence and risk indicators of depressed mood in on-reserve first nations youth.Lemstra ME, Rogers MR, Thompson AT, Redgate L, Garner M, Tempier R, Moraros JS.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES:The first objective was to determine the prevalence of depressive mood in First Nations youth in school grades 5 through 8 in seven on-reserve communities. The second objective was to determine the unadjusted and adjusted risk indicators associated with depressed mood in these youth.
METHODS:Students in grades 5 through 8 in the seven reserve communities of the Saskatoon Tribal Council were asked to complete a paper and pencil, comprehensive youth health survey in May 2010. An eight-stage consent protocol was followed prior to participation.
RESULTS:Out of 271 students eligible to participate, 204 youth completed the survey for a response rate of 75.3%. Using the Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression scale, 25% of the youth had moderate depressive symptoms. After cross-tabulation, 1 socioeconomic variable, 10 social variables, 3 social support variables, 1 self-esteem variable, 5 parental relationship variables and 3 bullying variables were associated with depressed mood. Logistic regression was used to determine four independent risk indicators associated with having depressed mood in First Nations youth, including: 1) not having worked through things that happened during childhood, 2) not having someone who shows love and affection, 3) having a lot of arguments with parents and 4) being physically bullied at least once per week.CONCLUSIONS:Our study found high rates of depressed mood in on-reserve First Nations youth. These youth are now at increased risk for problems later in life unless successful interventions can be implemented.
Sleep Med. 2011 Aug;12(7):652-8. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2010.11.012. Epub 2011 May 26.
Aggressive behavior, bullying, snoring, and sleepiness in schoolchildren.O'Brien LM, Lucas NH, Felt BT, Hoban TF, Ruzicka DL, Jordan R, Guire K, Chervin RD.
Source
Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0845, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:To assess whether urban schoolchildren with aggressive behavior are more likely than peers to have symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing.
METHODS:Cross-sectional survey of sleep and behavior in schoolchildren. Validated screening assessments for conduct problems (Connor's rating scale), bullying behavior, and sleep-disordered breathing (pediatric sleep questionnaire) were completed by parents. Teachers completed Connor's teacher rating scale.RESULTS:Among 341 subjects (51% female), 110 (32%) were rated by a parent or teacher as having a conduct problem (T-score ⩾65) and 78 (23%) had symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing. Children with conduct problems, bullying, or discipline referrals, in comparison to non-aggressive peers, more often had symptoms suggestive of sleep-disordered breathing (each p<0.05). Children with vs. without conduct problems were more likely to snore habitually (p<0.5). However, a sleepiness subscale alone, and not a
snoring subscale, predicted conduct problems after accounting for age, gender, a measure of socioeconomic status, and stimulant use.CONCLUSIONS:Urban schoolchildren with aggressive behaviors may have symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing with disproportionate frequency. Sleepiness may impair emotional regulation necessary to control aggression.
Psychol Rep. 2011 Aug;109(1):167-8.
Higher rates of victimization to physical abuse by adults found among victims of school bullying.Björkqvist K, Osterman K, Berg P.
AbstractRetrospective reports of exposure to physical abuse by an adult during childhood was assessed in 874 adolescents (426 boys, 448 girls; M age = 11.5 yr., SD = 0.8) who also reported whether they had been victimized by school bullying. Having been hit by an adult was significantly more common among victims of school bullying (39.5%) than among adolescents not victimized by school bullying (16.8%). No sex difference was found. The finding raises questions about whether victimization by physical abuse puts a child at greater risk for developing a "victim personality".
Specifying type and location of peer victimization in a national sample of children and youth.Turner HA, Finkelhor D, Hamby SL, Shattuck A, Ormrod RK.
Source
Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA. [email protected]
AbstractMuch of the existing research on the prevalence and consequences of peer victimization focuses on "bullying" at school, often omitting from consideration non-bullying types of peer victimization as well as events that occur outside of school. The purpose of this study was to examine past-year exposure to peer-perpetrated victimization, occurring both within and outside of school contexts, among school-aged children in the United States. The study is based on a representative sample of 2,999 youth ages 6-17 (50% female; 45% non-white) from the 2008 National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV). Findings revealed age, gender, race, and family structure variations in many forms of peer victimization and demonstrated significant independent and cumulative effects of six different types of peer victimization (physical assault, physical intimidation, emotional victimization, sexual victimization, property crime, and internet harassment) on trauma symptoms. Findings also showed that, although victimization at school is substantial, a considerable proportion of peer victimizations occur away from school contexts. The findings highlight the importance of comprehensive measurement of multiple forms
of peer victimization that occur both at school and elsewhere, rather than focusing exclusively on traditional measures of school-focused bullying.
Parental strategies and trajectories of peer victimization in 4 to 5 year olds.Bonnet M, Goossens FA, Schuengel C.
Source
Department of Clinical Child and Family Studies, Faculty of Psychology and Education, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [email protected]
AbstractThis study was designed to examine how parental strategies contribute to explaining trajectories of peer victimization in young children. A total of 73 4 and 5 year old children identified as victims of peer aggression in the fall semester and their parents were recruited from 46 classrooms in 18 schools in the Netherlands. All children were followed-up twice in order to determine for whom victimization was stable. Hypothetical vignettes describing various forms of victimization were presented to one parent of each child in order to assess parental responses to victimization events. Findings indicated that autonomy supporting and autonomy neutral strategies were associated with a decrease of victimization in the first semester of the school year. No protective effects were found in the second semester. Autonomy undermining strategies were not related to the course of peer victimization. These findings underscore the importance of joint and coordinated efforts of teachers and parents as partners in supporting victimized young children at school.
Stability of peer victimization in early adolescence: effects of timing and duration.Rueger SY, Malecki CK, Demaray MK.
Source
Northern Illinois University, Department of Psychology, DeKalb, IL, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe current study investigated the stability of peer victimization and the impact of the timing and duration of victimization on psychological and academic outcomes for boys and girls on a sample of 863 middle school students. Results demonstrated strong support for the onset hypothesis and concurrent effects of maladjustment in anxiety, depression, self-esteem, poor school attitude, GPA, and attendance. Support for the cessation hypothesis was mixed, depending on the outcome and gender: boys demonstrated recovery from internalizing distress, whereas girls demonstrated residual effects, even after the cessation of victimization. Girls also demonstrated residual effects of victimization on grades, and both boys and girls evidenced residual effects of victimization on attendance. Regarding duration of victimization, there was strong support for the life-events model of stress and coping across almost all outcomes, suggesting
that even temporary experiences of victimization could have a negative impact on psychological and academic outcomes. Overall, results demonstrated the importance of considering the timing and duration of victimization in understanding the risks and damaging effects of victimization. The results from this study also highlight both the need and the potential to intervene during early adolescence when peer relationships are taking on increasing importance, as well as the importance of helping students regain social-emotional and academic functioning, even after victimization ceases.
J Adolesc. 2011 Aug;34(4):639-52. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.09.008. Epub 2010 Dec 17.
Negative school perceptions and involvement in school bullying: a universal relationship across 40 countries.Harel-Fisch Y, Walsh SD, Fogel-Grinvald H, Amitai G, Pickett W, Molcho M, Due P, de Matos MG, Craig W; Members of the HBSC Violence and Injury Prevention Focus Group.Collaborators (7)
Source
The International Research Program on Adolescent Well-Being and Health, School of Education, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
AbstractCross-national analyses explore the consistency of the relationship between negative school experiences and involvement in bullying across 40 European and North American countries, using the 2006 (40 countries n = 197,502) and 2002 (12 countries, n = 57,007) WHO-HBSC surveys. Measures include two Cumulative Negative School Perception (CNSP) scales, one based on 6 mandatory items (2006) and another including an additional 11 items (2002). Outcome measures included bullying perpetration, victimization and involvement as both bully and victim. Logistic regression analyses suggested that children with only 2-3 negative school perceptions, experience twice the relative odds of being involved in bullyingas compared with children with no negative school perceptions. Odds Ratios (p < 0.001) increase in a graded fashion according to the CNSP, from about 2.2 to over 8.0. Similar consistent effects are found across gender and almost all countries. Further research should focus on the mechanisms and social context of these relationships.
Int J Public Health. 2011 Aug;56(4):419-27. doi: 10.1007/s00038-011-0258-4. Epub 2011 May 5.
Experiences of violence among adolescents: gender patterns in types, perpetrators and associated psychological distress.Landstedt E, Gillander Gådin K.
Source
Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:To explore the psychological distress associations of experiences of several types of violence and the victim-perpetrator relationship of physical violence, a gender analysis was applied.
METHODS:Data were derived from a cross-sectional questionnaire study among 17-year-old upper secondary school students (N = 1,663). Variables in focus were: self-reported psychological distress, experiences of physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment. Logistic regressions were used to examine associations.RESULTS:Experiences of physical violence, sexual assault, bullying and sexual harassment were associated with psychological distress in boys and girls. The perpetrators of physical violence were predominately males. Whether the perpetrator was unknown or known to the victim seem to be linked to psychological distress. Victimisation by a boyfriend was strongly related to psychological distress among girls.CONCLUSIONS:Experiences of several types of violence should be highlighted as factors associated with mental health problems in adolescents. The victim-perpetrator relationships of violence are gendered and likely influence the psychological distress association. Gendered hierarchies and norms likely influence the extent to which adolescents experience violence and how they respond to it in terms of psychological distress.
Indian J Pediatr. 2011 Aug;78(8):987-92. doi: 10.1007/s12098-010-0350-4. Epub 2011 Jan 11.
Prevalence of peer bullying in high school students in Turkey and the roles of socio-cultural and demographic factors in the bullying cycle.Arslan S, Savaser S, Yazgan Y.
Source
Department of Nursing, School of Health, Duzce University, Duzce, Turkey. [email protected]
AbstractThis research was conducted as a descriptive and relational study to determine the frequency of bullying among high school students and the relationships between some of their characteristics and their roles in the bullying cycle. The research data were obtained from 1670 students in the 9th and 10th grades of six high schools in Istanbul province. The data were analyzed with percentage distribution, Chi square, t test, correlation and Tukey test.The Determination of Peer Bullying Scale and a Personal Information Form were used for data collection in the research. According to the Determination of Peer Bullying Scale 17% of the students were in a bullying cycle (5.3% as bully, 5.9% as victim, and 5.8% as both bully and victim). The boys used more direct methods of bullying and girls more indirect methods of bullying. The rate of bullying behavior was also higher in boys and being a victim was higher in girls; the majority of the girls were bullied by girls and the majority of the boys were bullied by boys. More of those involved in bullying incidents had unexcused absenteeism from school and stated that they did not like school. The results obtained from this research show that the prevalence of bullying in high schools in Turkey is similar to the results in other countries. Determination of the causative factors that support and maintain bullying behavior for implementation of prevention programs is required.
Is exposure to domestic violence and violent crime associated with bullying behaviour among underage adolescent psychiatric inpatients?Mustanoja S, Luukkonen AH, Hakko H, Räsänen P, Säävälä H, Riala K; STUDY-70 workgroup.Collaborators (13)
Source
Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Finland.
AbstractWe examined the relationship of exposure to domestic violence and violence occurring outside home to bullying behaviour in a sample (508; 40.9% males, 59.1% females) of underage psychiatric inpatient adolescents. Participants were interviewed using K-SADS-PL to assess DSM-IV psychiatric diagnoses and to gather information about domestic and other violence and bullying behaviour. Witnessing interparental violence increased the risk of being a victim of bullying up to 2.5-fold among boys. For girls, being a victim of a violent crime was an over 10-fold risk factor for being a bully-victim. Gender differences were seen in witnessing of a violent crime; girls were more likely to be bullies than boys. Further, as regards being a victim of a violent crime outside home and physical abuse by parents at home, girls were significantly more often bully-victims than boys. When interfering and preventing bullying behaviour, it is important to screen adolescents' earlier experiences of violence.
Am J Public Health. 2011 Aug;101(8):1481-94. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.190009. Epub 2011 Jun 16.
A meta-analysis of disparities in childhood sexual abuse, parental physical abuse, and peer victimization among sexual minority and sexual nonminority individuals.Friedman MS, Marshal MP, Guadamuz TE, Wei C, Wong CF, Saewyc E, Stall R.
Source
Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences and the Center for Research on Health and Sexual Orientation, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:We compared the likelihood of childhood sexual abuse (under age 18), parental physical abuse, and peer victimization based on sexual orientation.
METHODS:We conducted a meta-analysis of adolescent school-based studies that compared the likelihood of childhood abuse among sexual minorities vs sexual nonminorities.
RESULTS:Sexual minority individuals were on average 3.8, 1.2, 1.7, and 2.4 times more likely to experience sexual abuse, parental physical abuse, or assault at school or to miss school through fear, respectively. Moderation analysis showed that disparities between sexual minority and sexual nonminority individuals were larger for (1) males than females for sexual abuse, (2) females than males for assault at school, and
(3) bisexual than gay and lesbian for both parental physical abuse and missing school through fear. Disparities did not change between the 1990s and the 2000s.
CONCLUSIONS:The higher rates of abuse experienced by sexual minority youths may be one of the driving mechanisms underlying higher rates of mental health problems, substance use, risky sexual behavior, and HIV reported by sexual minority adults.
AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2011 Aug;25 Suppl 1:S39-45. doi: 10.1089/apc.2011.9877. Epub 2011 Jun 20.
Racial and sexual identity-related maltreatment among minority YMSM: prevalence, perceptions, and the association with emotional distress.Hightow-Weidman LB, Phillips G 2nd, Jones KC, Outlaw AY, Fields SD, Smith JC; YMSM of Color SPNS Initiative Study Group.
Source
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBullying is a form of violence characterized as an aggressive behavior that is unprovoked and intended to cause harm. Prior studies have found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experience high levels of bullying related to their sexuality and this harassment can lead to engagement in risk behaviors, depression, and suicide. Ethnic/racial minority young men who have sex with men (YMSM) may experience dual levels of stigma and maltreatment due to both their sexuality and their race. The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence and perceptions of racial and sexual identity-based abuse among a sample of minority YMSM, and whether this maltreatment plays a role in the emotional distress of these youth. We found that overall 36% and 85% of participants experienced racial and sexuality-related bullying, respectively. There was a significant association between experiencing a high level of sexuality-related bullying and depressive symptomatology (p=0.03), having attempted suicide (p=0.03), and reporting parental abuse (p=0.05). We found no association between racial bullying and suicide attempts. In a multivariable logistic regression model, experiencing any racial bullying and high sexuality-related bullying were significant predictors of having a CES-D score ≥16; adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.83 and 2.29, respectively. These findings contribute to the existing literature regarding the negative experiences and daily stressors facing LGBT youth with regard to both their minority status and LGBT identities. Future interventions for racial/ethnic minority YMSM should provide assistance to achieve a positive view of self that encompasses both their racial and sexual identities.
Brain Res Bull. 2011 Aug 10;86(1-2):123-8. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.06.009. Epub 2011 Jun 30.
Adolescent social defeat alters markers of adult dopaminergic function.Novick AM, Forster GL, Tejani-Butt SM, Watt MJ.
Source
Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, 57069-2390, USA.
AbstractStressful experiences during adolescence can alter the trajectory of neural development and contribute to psychiatric disorders in adulthood. We previously demonstrated that adolescent male rats exposed to repeated social defeat stress show changes in mesocorticolimbic dopamine content both at baseline and in response to amphetamine when tested in adulthood. In the present study we examined whether markers of adult dopamine function are also compromised by adolescent experience of social defeat. Given that the dopamine transporter as well as dopamine D1 receptors act as regulators of psychostimulant action, are stress sensitive and undergo changes during adolescence, quantitative autoradiography was used to measure [(3)H]-GBR12935 binding to the dopamine transporter and [(3)H]-SCH23390 binding to dopamine D1 receptors, respectively. Our results indicate that social defeat during adolescence led to higher dopamine transporter binding in the infralimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex and higher dopamine D1 receptor binding in the caudate putamen, while other brain regions analyzed were comparable to controls. Thus it appears that social defeat during adolescence causes specific changes to the adult dopamine system, which may contribute to behavioral alterations and increased drug seeking.
Early adolescent peer ecologies in rural communities: bullying in schools that do and do not have a transition during the middle grades.Farmer TW, Hamm JV, Leung MC, Lambert K, Gravelle M.
Source
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe transition to middle school is considered to be a heightened period for involvement in bullying because the lack of a defined dominance hierarchy is thought to promote jockeying for social positions among students. Accordingly, this study examined bullying in peer ecologies at the beginning of the middle grade years in rural schools that did and did not have a transition to middle school. Thirty-six schools (20 with transitions, 16 without transitions) participated in this research with a sample of 1,800 participants (52% female) who were in sixth grade during the second year of data collection. Overall, 67% were White, 19% African American, 7% Latino, 2% Native American, and 5% other (multi-racial, Asian, unknown). Compared to schools without a transition, schools with a transition had fewer bullies following the move from fifth to sixth grade and the social dynamics in schools with a transition appeared to be less supportive of bullying. Further, students in schools with a transition reported being bullied less frequently in sixth grade and they perceived the sixth grade peer ecology as being more protective against bullying than did students in schools without a transition. In addition, proportionally more youth had controversial sociometric status in schools without a transition during sixth grade than in schools with a transition. Collectively, these findings suggest that risk for involvement in bullying may be elevated in schools that do not have a transition to middle school. They also bring into question the conventional view of the small K-8 or K-12 rural school as a peaceful and supportive peer community.
Frequent fliers, school phobias, and the sick student: school health personnel's perceptions of students who refuse school.Torrens Armstrong AM, McCormack Brown KR, Brindley R, Coreil J, McDermott RJ.
AbstractBACKGROUND:This study explored school personnel's perceptions of school refusal, as it has been described as a "common educational and public health problem" that is less tolerated due to increasing awareness of the potential socioeconomic consequences of this phenomenon.
METHODS:In-depth interviews were conducted with school personnel at the middle school (N = 42), high school (N = 40), and district levels (N = 10). The findings focus on emergent themes from interviews with school health personnel (N = 12), particularly those themes related to their perceptions of and role in working with school-refusing students.
RESULTS:Personnel, especially school health services staff, constructed a typification of the school-refusing student as "the sick student," which conceptualized student refusal due to reasons related to illness. Personnel further delineated sick students by whether they considered the illness legitimate. School health personnel referenced the infamous "frequent fliers" and "school phobics" within this categorization of students. Overarching dynamics of this typification included parental control, parental awareness, student locus of control, blame, and victim status. These typifications influenced how personnel reacted to students they encountered, particularly in deciding which students need "help" versus "discipline," thus presenting implications for students and screening of students.
CONCLUSIONS:Overall, findings suggest school health personnel play a pivotal role in screening students who are refusing school as well as keeping students in school, underscoring policy that supports an increased presence of school health personnel. Recommendations for school health, prevention, and early intervention include the development of screening protocols and staff training.
OBJECTIVE:This study examined how chronic experiences of peer victimization throughout childhood relate to mental and physical health outcomes in adolescence.
METHODS:Children were tested in a laboratory playroom at the age of 5 years. They completed questionnaires at time 2, between the ages of 10 and 18 years, and a telephone interview at time 3, between the ages of 12 and 20 years. A total of 70 youth participated at all three time periods. Chronic victims were defined as having high levels of peer victimization at all three time points.
RESULTS:Youth who were chronically victimized reported experiencing significantly more mental and physical health problems than youth categorized as desisters or nonvictims. Also, for girls only, chronic victims reported more specific health problems (headaches, sleep problems) than did nonchronic victims.
CONCLUSIONS:The present findings may assist health professionals in assessing and treating physical and mental health problems that appear to be related to peer victimization.
AbstractThe current study examined normative beliefs about aggression as a mediator between narcissistic exploitativeness and cyberbullying using two Asian adolescent samples from Singapore and Malaysia. Narcissistic exploitativeness was significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying and normative beliefs about aggression and normative beliefs about aggression were significantly and positively associated with cyberbullying. Normative beliefs about aggression were a significant partial mediator in both samples; these beliefs about aggression served as one possible mechanism of action by which narcissistic exploitativeness could exert its influence on cyberbullying. Findings extended previous empirical research by showing that such beliefs can be the mechanism of action not only in offline but also in online contexts and across cultures. Cyberbullying prevention and intervention efforts should include modification of norms and beliefs supportive of the legitimacy and acceptability of cyberbullying.
Department of Psychology, Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, Erie, Pennsylvania 16563, USA. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:To develop effective prevention and intervention efforts that optimize adolescent health, factors must be identified that affect health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between somatic symptomatology and experiences with relational victimization (RV).
METHODS:We prospectively tested the unique role of relational peer victimization in predicting adolescents' somatic complaints (SC), while accounting for their previous physical symptoms and peer victimization experiences (i.e., relational and physical victimization), as well as concurrent experiences with physical victimization (PV). Questionnaires were administered to 1,595 students (52% females) from eight schools in one school district (grades, 5-8) in the Midwestern part of the United States during the fall and spring sessions of the academic school year. Self-reported measures included demographic characteristics, victimization experiences, and assessment of SC.
RESULTS:RV was a unique predictor of increased somatic symptoms, even after controlling for adolescents' sex, grade level, initial SC, previous victimization experiences, and concurrent experiences with PV. Notably, RV was a stronger predictor of somatic symptoms than was PV.
CONCLUSIONS:Our findings underscore the need for a comprehensive approach when addressing adolescents' physical health symptoms. Adolescents may benefit from clinicians looking beyond the obvious and using gentle probing to uncover how unique experiences with RV may be associated with overall health.
AbstractWith bullying in schools high on policy makers' agendas, researchers are looking for effective strategies to tackle its disruptive effects. The present study sets out to address this issue. First, the prevalence of bullying is examined in Hong Kong High Schools, and second, the effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach (RWsA) in reducing bullying is examined in a quasi-experimental design. The RWsA emphasizes the setting up of restorative goals, clear instructions, team building, and good relationships among students, parents, and teachers. Over the course of 2 years, and across four schools, the effectiveness of this program was observed by comparing an intervention group with a partial intervention group (which did not receive the full treatment) and a control group (which received no treatment whatsoever). The group that received the RWsA treatment exhibited a significant reduction of bullying, higher empathic attitudes, and higher self-esteem in comparison to the partial intervention and the control group.
Child Care Health Dev. 2011 Sep;37(5):692-702. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01181.x. Epub 2010 Dec
28.
Peer relationships and suicide ideation and attempts among Chinese adolescents.Cui S, Cheng Y, Xu Z, Chen D, Wang Y.
Source
Department of Child, Adolescent and Women's Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Suicide is a global health concern. Therefore, studying suicide behaviour and identifying the early roots of suicide are critical. To address these issues, the present study examined (i) the association between peer relationships and suicide ideation and attempts among Chinese adolescents; and (ii) whether such associations were moderated or mediated by feeling of loneliness. We hypothesized that problems in peer relationships were positively associated with suicide ideation and attempts, and that feeling of loneliness would moderate and mediate such associations.
METHODS:The sample included 8778 Chinese adolescents from a large survey. Measures of peer relationships, suicide ideation and attempts, and feeling of loneliness were obtained through adolescents' self-reports.
RESULTS:Results from multivariate logistic regressions suggested that specific problems in peer relationships, such as lack of peer association and being victimized by bullying, were significantly related to suicide ideation and attempts. In addition, the moderating effects of feeling of loneliness on the association between peer relationships and suicide ideation and attempts were found. Finally, some gender effects were also found.CONCLUSIONS:The present study provided strong evidence that suicide ideation and attempts were serious problems among adolescents in China, to which peer relationships played an important role. Further, feeling of loneliness acted as a moderator affecting the association between peer relationships and suicide ideation and attempts. Finally, there were some gender differences that have important implications.
Gender differences in the relationships between bullying at school and unhealthy eating and shape-related attitudes and behaviours.Farrow CV, Fox CL.
Source
School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND. Previous research has found links between being a victim of bullying and reporting more unhealthy eating behaviours and cognitions, particularly in girls. However, little is known about the factors
that might mediate these relationships. AIM. The present study compared the relationships between bullying, emotional adjustment, restrained eating, and body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys and girls. SAMPLE/METHOD. Self-report data were collected from a sample of 11- to 14-year-olds (N= 376) on experiences of bullying, emotional symptoms, and unhealthy eating and shape-related attitudes and behaviours. RESULTS. Bullying, emotional symptoms, restrained eating, and body dissatisfaction were all correlated. Emotional symptoms were found to significantly mediate the relationships between verbal bullying with body dissatisfaction in girls but not in boys. CONCLUSIONS. Findings suggest that the experience of being verbally bullied places adolescent girls at risk of developing emotional problems which can then lead to body dissatisfaction. Longitudinal research is necessary to disentangle these pathways in more detail to facilitate the development of informed interventions to support children who are being bullied.
Body Image. 2011 Sep;8(4):309-14. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2011.04.010. Epub 2011 Jun 12.
On being victimized by peers in the advent of adolescence: prospective relationships to objectified body consciousness.Lunde C, Frisén A.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. [email protected]
AbstractPrevious research indicates that peer victimization is tied to children's negative appearance evaluations. The current study examines whether early peer victimization is also prospectively related to objectified body consciousness. Six-hundred-and-two Swedish boys and girls answered questionnaires at age 10, and again at age 18. Main findings showed that being the target of peer victimization at age 10 was related to more habitual appearance monitoring and body shame at age 18. Gender moderated the relations between victimization and body shame, with victimized girls experiencing stronger body shame than victimized boys. Additionally, whereas boys experienced less body shame than girls, they were equally likely to monitor their appearance. In sum, this study provides preliminary support to the notion that peer victimization is involved in the processes by which young adolescents' self-objectify. Future studies are warranted to further validate these findings.
BMC Public Health. 2011 Sep 1;11:680. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-680.
The Sydney playground project: popping the bubblewrap--unleashing the power of play: a cluster randomized controlled trial of a primary school playground-based intervention aiming to increase children's physical activity and social skills.Bundy AC, Naughton G, Tranter P, Wyver S, Baur L, Schiller W, Bauman A, Engelen L, Ragen J, Luckett
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:In the Westernised world, numerous children are overweight and have problems with bullying and mental health. One of the underlying causes for all three is postulated to be a decrease in outdoor free play. The aim of the Sydney Playground Project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of two simple interventions aimed to increase children's physical activity and social skills.METHODS/DESIGN:This study protocol describes the design of a 3-year cluster randomised controlled trial (CRCT), in which schools are the clusters. The study consists of a 13-week intervention and 1 week each of pre-and post-testing. We are recruiting 12 schools (6 control; 6 intervention), with 18 randomly chosen participants aged 5 to 7 years in each school. The two intervention strategies are: (1) Child-based intervention: Unstructured materials with no obvious play value introduced to the playground; and (2) Adult-based intervention: Risk reframing sessions held with parents and teachers with the aim of exploring the benefits of allowing children to engage in activities with uncertain outcomes. The primary outcome of the study, physical activity as measured by accelerometer counts, is assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Additional assessments include social skills and interactions, self-concept, after school time use and anthropometric data. Qualitative data (i.e., transcriptions of audio recordings from the risk reframing sessions and of interviews with selected teacher and parent volunteers) are analysed to understand their perceptions of risk in play. The control schools have recess as usual. In addition to outcome evaluation, regular process evaluation sessions are held to monitor fidelity to the treatment.
DISCUSSION:These simple interventions, which could be adopted in every primary school, have the potential of initiating a self-sustaining cycle of prevention for childhood obesity, bullying and mental ill health.
Gender differences in the assessment, stability, and correlates to bullying roles in middle school children.Crapanzano AM, Frick PJ, Childs K, Terranova AM.
Source
Department of Psychology, Loyola University.
AbstractThe current study investigated bullying behaviors in 284 school children in the fourth through seventh grades at the time of the initial assessment. Peer ratings of bullying behavior were obtained at the end of the spring semester of one school year and at the end of the fall semester of the next school year. Importantly, peer ratings were obtained by assessing not only the level at which participants actually bully other students but also whether participants help bullies to hurt the victim (assister), encourage bullies (reinforce), or help the victim of bullying (defender). Our results did not support the utility of differentiating between bullies, assisters, or reinforcers. Specifically, these bullying roles were highly intercorrelated, both concurrently and across school years, and they showed similar correlations with aggression and several characteristics often associated with aggression (i.e., conduct problems, callous-unemotional traits, and positive expectancies about aggression). In contrast, ratings of defending designated a particularly prosocial group of students. Finally, whereas bullying appeared to be very similar in boys and girls, it was somewhat more stable across school years and was related to lower levels of prosocial
behavior in boys, both of which could suggest that bullying may be somewhat more related to social group dynamics in girls.
High school bullying as a risk for later depression and suicidality.Klomek AB, Kleinman M, Altschuler E, Marrocco F, Amakawa L, Gould MS.
Source
School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, Israel.
AbstractThis is the first study to examine whether high school students experiencing frequent bullying behaviors are at risk for later depression and suicidality. A total of 236 students who reported frequent bullying behavior without depression or suicidality during a suicide screening were interviewed 4 years later to reassess depression, suicidal ideation, attempts, substance problems, and functional impairment and were compared to at-risk youth identified during the screen, including 96 youth who also experienced bullying behavior. Youth who only reported frequent bullying behaviors (as bullies, victims, or both) did not develop later depression or suicidality and continued to have fewer psychiatric problems than students identified as at-risk for suicide. Students who experienced bullying behaviors and depression or suicidality were more impaired 4 years later than those who had only reported depression or suicidality. Thus, assessment of bullying behaviors in screening protocols is recommended.
Percept Mot Skills. 2011 Oct;113(2):353-64.
Self-reported experience of bullying of students who stutter: relations with life satisfaction, life orientation, and self-esteem.Blood GW, Blood IM, Tramontana GM, Sylvia AJ, Boyle MP, Motzko GR.
Source
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, 308 Ford Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. [email protected]
AbstractSelf-reported self-esteem, life orientation, satisfaction with life, and bullying were examined in relation to victimization experiences among 54 students who stuttered and 54 students who did not stutter. Those who stuttered reported greater, i.e., clinically significant, victimization (44.4%) than students who did not stutter (9.2%). Significant differences were found between means for self-esteem and life orientation, with students who stuttered reporting lower self-esteem and less optimistic life orientation than those who did not stutter. In both groups of students, high victimization scores had statistically significant negative correlations with optimistic life orientation, high self-esteem, and high satisfaction with life scores. Given the increased likelihood of students who stuttered being bullied, the negative relation of adjustment variables and bullying, and the potentially negative long-term effects of bullying, increased vigilance and early intervention are discussed.
Nord J Psychiatry. 2011 Oct;65(5):323-9. doi: 10.3109/08039488.2010.546881. Epub 2011 Feb 25.
Exposure to teacher bullying in schools: a study of patients with personality disorders.Monsvold T, Bendixen M, Hagen R, Helvik AS.
Source
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:The aim of this study was to examine the level and affect of exposure to teacher bullying in primary and secondary schools on patients with personality disorders (PD).METHOD:The study group contained 116 people (18-60 years old); 49 patients diagnosed with PD undergoing psychiatric treatment in 10 different psychiatric outpatient clinics in the Southern and Middle part of Norway, and a control group consisting of 67 people who worked in an institution for somatic/elderly people and an institution for people with drug/alcohol dependency in the Middle part of Norway. All study participants filled out a self-report questionnaire, which included demographic data, one item about whether they have been bullied by one or several teachers, and 28 items regarding subjection to negative acts from teachers based on the Negative Acts Questionnaire -Revised (NAQ-R).
RESULTS:Patients diagnosed with PD reported significantly more bullying by teachers in both primary school (OR 7.3; 95% CI 1.9-27.7) and secondary school (OR 5.8; 95% CI 1.1-30.5) than healthy controls. Patients with PD also reported a higher prevalence of negative acts from teachers than healthy controls in both primary and secondary schools, such as differential treatment, ridicule, humiliation, and being ignored or neglected at least once weekly.CONCLUSION:Our findings indicate a correlation between bullying from teachers, as reported by PD patients, and the development of PD in adulthood. The problem of teacher bullying deserves more attention with regard to this possible correlation between student victimization and the development of PD.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2011 Oct;42(4):520-35. doi: 10.1044/0161-1461(2011/10-0078). Epub 2011 Aug
15.
Peer victimization among students with specific language impairment, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and typical development.Redmond SM.
PURPOSE:The potential contributions of behavioral and verbal liabilities to social risk were examined by comparing peer victimization levels in children with specific language impairment (SLI) to those in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and typically developing (TD) children.
METHOD:Sixty children (age range: 7-8 years) participated in the study. Standardized verbal measures and parent ratings of behavioral difficulties were combined with children's self-reports of their school and peer environments to examine the risk for negative peer experiences associated with clinical status.
RESULTS:Clinical status was associated with elevated levels of victimization, especially for participants with SLI. A potential buffering effect for number of close friendships was found for participants with ADHD and TD participants, but not for participants with SLI. Peer victimization was associated with elevated levels of hyperactivity and stronger narrative skills for participants with SLI.
CONCLUSION:These results highlight the importance of peer victimization in the social adjustment of students with developmental language disorders.
J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2011 Oct;49(10):36-41. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20110831-03. Epub 2011
Sep 16.
What is cyberbullying & how can psychiatric-mental health nurses recognize it?Williams SG, Godfrey AJ.
Source
University of South Alabama, College of Nursing, Mobile, AL, USA. [email protected]
AbstractCyberbullying is an emerging issue within our society, particularly among adolescents. The phenomenon is similar to traditional bullying in that it is hurtful, repetitive behavior involving a power imbalance, often causing psychosocial issues. With the availability of cell phones, Internet, and video gaming systems, adolescents are constantly plugged into technology and therefore at risk of being a victim or a perpetrator of cyberbullying. Both physical and mental health problems can result from cyberbullying, which, in turn, can affect an adolescent's performance in school and other crucial areas of life. Legal action is an option, but many times the law is not clear. Psychiatric-mental health nurses are in a position to help educate children about resources to prevent or cope with cyberbullying in a way that will help not only the patients themselves but also parents, teachers, school administrators, and the community.
J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2011 Oct;49(10):22-9. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20110830-01. Epub 2011
Sep 28.
Two sides of the coin: the bully and the bullied.Warren BJ.
Source
The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBullying has become a worldwide phenomenon that produces serious individual and societal consequences when it is ignored. There are two sides of the coin that require consideration when psychiatric-mental health (PMH) nurses conduct assessments of situations that involve bullying behaviors. Both the bully and the bullied can incur serious, negative, and debilitating psychological effects. In some cases, physical injury and/or death occurs as a result of bullying. Deciphering the biopsychosocial mental health issues associated with bullying is challenging. PMH nurses have the clinical expertise to develop coping interventions and strategies that stop bullying, as well as enhance the mental health and wellness of both those who bully and who are bullied. This article presents PMH nursing biopsychosocial strategies for both sides of the bullying coin. Exemplars are provided to aid implementation of the strategies.
The effects of general and homophobic victimization on adolescents' psychosocial and educational concerns: the importance of intersecting identities and parent support.Poteat VP, Mereish EH, Digiovanni CD, Koenig BW.
Source
Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. [email protected]
AbstractMany adolescents experience peer victimization, which often can be homophobic. Applying the minority stress model with attention to intersecting social identities, this study tested the effects of general and homophobic victimization on several educational outcomes through suicidality and school belonging among 15,923 adolescents in Grades 7 through 12 on account of their sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Parent support also was tested as a moderator of these effects. Homophobic victimization had different effects on suicidality across groups, indicating the importance of considering individuals' multiple social identities. However, homophobic victimization had universal negative effects on school belonging for all groups. Nearly all indirect effects of general and homophobic victimization on reported grades, truancy, and importance of graduating were significant through suicidality and school belonging across groups. Parent support was most consistent in moderating the effects of general and homophobic victimization on suicidality for heterosexual White and racial/ethnic minority youth. In nearly all cases, it did not moderate the effects of general or homophobic victimization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. Furthermore, in most cases, parent support did not moderate the effects of general or homophobic victimization on school belonging. Findings underscore the need for counseling psychologists to work with parents of all youth on ways to provide support to those who experience homophobic victimization. Furthermore, they highlight the need for counseling psychologists to be involved as social justice advocates in the passage and implementation of school policies that address homophobic bullying and other forms of bias-based bullying and harassment.
Anxiety, social skills, friendship quality, and peer victimization: an integrated model.Crawford AM, Manassis K.
Source
Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 252 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractThis cross-sectional study investigated whether anxiety and social functioning interact in their prediction of peer victimization. A structural equation model linking anxiety, social skills, and friendship quality to victimization was tested separately for children with anxiety disorders and normal comparison children to explore whether the processes involved in victimization differ for these groups. Participants were 8-14 year old children: 55 (34 boys, 21 girls) diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and 85 (37 boys, 48 girls) normal comparison children. The final models for both groups yielded two independent pathways to victimization: (a) anxiety independently predicted being victimized; and (b) poor social skills predicted lower friendship quality, which in turn, placed a child at risk for victimization. These findings have important implications for the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders and for school-based anti-bullying interventions, but replication with larger samples is indicated.
J Adolesc. 2011 Oct;34(5):873-83. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2011.01.004. Epub 2011 Feb 18.
Bullying and discrimination experiences among Korean-American adolescents.Shin JY, D'Antonio E, Son H, Kim SA, Park Y.
J Adolesc. 2012 Apr;35(2):469. Kim, Seong-A [corrected to Kim, Seung-A].AbstractThe bullying experiences of Korean-American adolescents (N = 295) were explored in relation to discrimination and mental health outcomes. Bullyingexperiences were assessed by the Bully Survey (Swearer, 2005), discrimination by the Perceived Ethnic and Racial Discrimination Scale (Way, 1997) and depression by the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D). Those who reported being bullied (31.5%) as well as those who reported both being bullied and bullying others (15.9%) experienced a higher level of depression, which was elevated beyond the clinically significant level of CES-D. The results of a LISREL model suggest that the experiences of bullying among Korean/Asian-American adolescents and their related mental health issues need to be addressed in a comprehensive context of their discrimination experiences, acculturation, family and school environments.
Friendship as protection from peer victimization for girls with and without ADHD.Cardoos SL, Hinshaw SP.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Room 3210, Tolman Hall #1650, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe goal of this study was to examine the ability of friendship to moderate the association between behavioral risk and peer victimization for girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 140) and comparison girls (n = 88) in a 5-week naturalistic summer camp setting. Participants were an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse group of girls ages 6-12. Parents and teachers reported on pre-summer internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence. Participants reported on friendships and peer victimization through a peer report measure at the summer camps; friendship was scored via mutual nominations. Pre-summer externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, and low social competence predicted peer victimization at the summer camps. Friendship moderated the association between behavioral risk and victimization for the entire sample, such that the presence of at least one friend reduced the risk of victimization. Additional analyses suggested that girls with ADHD were no more or less protected by the presence of a friendship than were comparison girls. Finally, preliminary analyses suggested that girls having only friends with ADHD were not significantly less protected than girls with at least one comparison friend. Future directions and implications for intervention are discussed.
School bullying perpetration and other childhood risk factors as predictors of adult intimate partner violence perpetration.Falb KL, McCauley HL, Decker MR, Gupta J, Raj A, Silverman JG.
Source
Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To assess the relationship between bullying peers as a child and adult intimate partner violence perpetration in a clinic-based sample of adult men. School bullying perpetration and intimate partner violence perpetration are both thought to stem from desire for power and control over others.DESIGN:A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January 2005 and December 2006.
SETTING:Three urban community health centers in Boston, Massachusetts.
PARTICIPANTS:Men aged 18 to 35 years (n = 1491) seeking services at participating community health centers.
MAIN EXPOSURE:School bullying perpetration.OUTCOME MEASURE:Past-year physical or sexual violence perpetration against a female partner (intimate-partner violence [IPV]).
RESULTS:Two-fifths of men reported perpetrating school bullying as a child (n = 610; 40.9%). Men who rarely bullied in school were 1.53 times more likely to perpetrate past-year IPV than men who did not bully (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.29); this risk was elevated to 3.82 times more likely to perpetrate any past-year IPV for those men who bullied peers frequently (95% CI, 2.55-5.73).CONCLUSIONS:The present study indicates that bullying peers in school as a child, especially frequent bullying perpetration, is associated with increased risk for men's perpetration of IPV as an adult. The effect remains strong after controlling for common prior risk factors for both bullying and IPV perpetration. Future research is needed to discern the mechanisms and underlying root causes of abusive behavior, such as power and control, as a means to prevent violence perpetration across settings and life stages.
Am Psychol. 2011 Oct;66(7):604-13. doi: 10.1037/a0024609.
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual victimization in the military: an unintended consequence of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"?Burks DJ.
Source
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe integration of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals into the U.S. military is a long-standing and politically and socially divisive issue. Exclusionary and pseudo-inclusionary policies that restrict openly LGB individuals from military service are also of long duration. Yet LGB servicemembers have continued to serve covertly in the military for many decades. Moreover, political issues and social conventions associated with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) have diverted focus from imperative research issues, such as LGB servicemembers and incidents of victimization in the military. Research is reviewed to evaluate such victimization, which is conceptualized as resulting from a convergence of sexual stigma, conservative gender role beliefs, and sexual prejudice. DADT, in combination with overarching difficulties intrinsic to sexual orientation research, serves to augment LGB victimization and reduce victim reports and help seeking. Consequently, there is a deficient evidence base for assisting LGB servicemembers and for advancing research, prevention efforts, and policy changes. Implications of repealing DADT are discussed, as are future directions for LGB military research.
Risk profiles and peer violence in the context of school and leisure time.Pulido Valero R, Martín Seoane G, Lucas Molina B.
Source
Departmento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Universidad Complutense, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractThough violence at school is by no means a new phenomenon, there has been growing social and scientific concern about this issue in recent years. The present study builds on prior analysis of the roles adolescents play in peer harassment, and the relationship between violence occurring at school and during free time. A representative sample of students between the ages of 14 and 18 was selected in the Community of Madrid (N = 1622) through random cluster sampling (school was the unit of analysis). Participants completed the C.E.V.E.O. questionnaire, which presents fifteen situations involving peer violence. The results reveal a relationship between violent situations occurring at school and during free time, and between the roles of aggressor and victim during free time. A profile analysis yielded three different categories: the "minimal violence exposure" type (1126 adolescents), the "psychological violence exposure" type (413 adolescents), and the "high risk of violence" type (83 adolescents). Judging from these results, we posit that interventions must be designed which tailor to each group and their respective risk situations.
Public Health Nurs. 2011 Nov-Dec;28(6):556-68. doi: 10.1111/j.1525-1446.2011.00972.x. Epub 2011 Oct 17.
Childhood bullying: a review of constructs, concepts, and nursing implications.Liu J, Graves N.
Source
School of Nursing and School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6096, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBullying among children as a pervasive problem has been increasingly recognized as an important public health issue. However, while much attention has been given to understanding the impact of bullying on victims, it is equally important to examine predictors of bullying and potential outcomes for bullies themselves. The current literature on bullying lacks consensus on a utilizable definition of bullying in research, which can vary by theoretical framework. In an attempt to bridge the gaps in the literature, this article will provide a review of the state of the science on bullying among children, including the major theoretical constructs of bullying and their respective viewpoints on predictors and correlates of bullying. A secondary aim of this article is to summarize empirical evidence for predictors of bullying and victimization, which can provide strategies for intervention and prevention by public health nursing professionals. By calling attention to the variability in the bullying literature and the limitations of current evidence available, researchers can better address methodological gaps and effectively move toward developing studies to inform nursing treatment programs and enhance public health initiatives that reduce violence in school settings.
Risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation among Taiwanese adolescents.Wang RH, Lai HJ, Hsu HY, Hsu MT.
Source
College of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:: Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in adolescents aged 15-19 years in Taiwan. Suicidal ideation is an important predictor of committing suicide among adolescents.
OBJECTIVES:: The aim of this study was to examine the important risk factors, the protective factors, and the role of protective factors on the relationship of risk factors to suicidal ideation among Taiwanese adolescents aged 15-19 years.
METHODS:: By adopting a cross-sectional study, senior high school students (n = 577) aged 15-19 years in southern Taiwan were recruited for this study. An anonymous self-reported questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics, risk factors, protective factors, and suicidal ideation of the sample. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to identify the important risk and protective factors and the interaction between risk and protective factors on suicidal ideation.
RESULTS:: Nearly 18% (n = 101) of the participants reported having suicidal ideation during the past 12 months. Gender (female; odds ratio [OR] = 4.23), life stress (OR = 1.03), depression (OR = 3.44), peer suicidal ideation (OR = 4.15), and bullying victimization (OR = 1.81) were important risk factors of suicidal ideation among the targeted sample. In addition, self-esteem (OR = 0.92) and emotional adaptation (OR = 0.88) were important protective factors of suicidal ideation. Self-esteem and emotional adaptation were not used to moderate the negative effects of life stress, depression, perceived peer suicidal ideation, and bullying victimization on suicidal ideation. The final model explained 40.6% of the total variance in suicidal ideation and correctly predicted 86.1% of participants with suicidal ideation.DISCUSSION:: Suicidal ideation prevention programs should be targeted to female adolescents. School-based efforts that provide adolescents with self-esteem enhancement, emotional regulation skills training, positive peer norms for life, coping skills for managing stress and depression, and antibullying programs might help reduce the suicidal ideation of adolescents.
Matern Child Health J. 2011 Nov;15(8):1282-6. doi: 10.1007/s10995-010-0672-x.
The impact of cyberbullying on substance use and mental health in a multiethnic sample.Goebert D, Else I, Matsu C, Chung-Do J, Chang JY.
Department of Psychiatry, Alcohol Research Center of Hawai`i, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, School of Medicine, 1356 Lusitana St., 4th Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe objective of this study was to examine the relationship between cyberbullying and mental health problems among a multiethnic sample of high school students in Hawai'i. A University-Community partnership was established to direct the research. Using a mixed-methods approach, we explored violence among Asian and Pacific Islander youth. In the first phase, focus groups were conducted to identify areas of youth concern and develop survey questions. Responses from 677 high school students on interpersonal youth violence and risk and protective factors were utilized in this study. More than 1 in 2 youth (56.1%) had been victims of cyberbullying in the last year. Filipino and Samoan youth were more likely to report feeling badly about themselves as a result of cyberbullying. While cyberbullying and mental health problems varied by sex and ethnicity, we found that cyberbullying is widespread with serious potential consequences among Asian and Pacific Islander youth. A multifaceted approach is needed to reduce and prevent cyberbullying. School, family and community programs that strengthen positive relationships and promote safe use of technology provide promise for reducing cyberbullying.
Weight-based victimization toward overweight adolescents: observations and reactions of peers.Puhl RM, Luedicke J, Heuer C.
Source
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8369, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Weight-based victimization has become increasingly reported among overweight youth, but little is known about adolescents' perceptions and observations of weight-based teasing and bullying. This study examined adolescents' observations of and reactions to weight-based victimization toward overweight students at school.METHODS:Adolescents (N = 1555) at 2 high schools in central Connecticut completed a questionnaire that examined their perceptions of how common weight-based victimization is compared to other forms of teasing at school, what types of weight-based teasing are frequently observed, who typical perpetrators of weight-based victimization are, and their own reactions to observed teasing incidents. Participants also completed the Fat Phobia Scale.
RESULTS:Participants perceived being overweight as a primary reason that peers are victimized at school. At least 84% of participants observed overweight students being teased in a mean way and teased during physical activities, and 65% to 77% of students observed overweight and obese peers being ignored, avoided, excluded from social activities, having negative rumors spread about them, and being teased in the cafeteria. Most students also observed verbal threats and physical harassment toward overweight and obese students. Although the majority of participants felt comfortable stepping in to help an overweight peer who has been teased, many remain passive bystanders following these incidents.
CONCLUSION:Youth perceive frequent and multiple forms of weight-based victimization. Schools' efforts to address weight bias and assist overweight and obese students are important.
Effects of childhood adversity on bullying and cruelty to animals in the United States: findings from a national sample.Vaughn MG, Fu Q, Beaver KM, Delisi M, Perron BE, Howard MO.
AbstractThis study examined effects of type of and cumulative burden of childhood adversities on bullying and cruelty to animals in the United States. Data were derived from Waves I and II of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Structured psychiatric interviews were completed by trained lay interviewers between 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Although the effects of childhood adversity diminished with the inclusion of confounding variables, several adversities remained significant. For bullying, these included being made to do chores that were too difficult or dangerous, threatening to hit or throw something, pushing, shoving, slapping, or hitting, and hitting that left bruises, marks, or injuries. With respect to cruelty to animals, swearing and saying hurtful things, having a parent or other adult living within the home that went to jail or prison, and adult/other person fondling/touching in a sexual way were significant. The final models indicated that the cumulative burden of childhood adversities had strong effects on the increased likelihood of bullying behavior but not cruelty to animals.
Hurtful cyber-teasing and violence: who's laughing out loud?Madlock PE, Westerman D.
Source
Texas A&M International University, Laredo, Texas 78041, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe current study sought to specifically examine the affect of teasing by way of technology (cyber-teasing) and the importance of the redressive component of a tease. A triangulated approach was used here to gain better insight into the concept of "hurtful" cyber-teasing between romantic partners. A pretheoretical model was developed highlighting the possible associations between teasing via technology and relational outcomes. Findings provide researchers with the prevalence of hurtful cyber-teasing and the associated personal and relational outcomes. In addition, the relationship between hurtful cyber-teasing and the reasons why certain messages escalated into face-to-face verbal aggression and physical violence were also revealed. These results are discussed in light of the inability of technology to fully transmit the redressive nonverbal component of a cyber-tease.
Predictors of health-related quality of life in a sample of children and adolescents: a school survey.Haraldstad K, Christophersen KA, Eide H, Nativg GK, Helseth S.
Source
Oslo University College, Faculty of Nursing, Oslo, Norway. [email protected]
AbstractAIM:The aim is to study the health-related quality of life in a school sample of children and adolescents aged 8-18 years and to examine the relationship between health-related quality of life and the following variables; age, gender, perceived pain, body image, body mass index and bullying.BACKGROUND:The study of health-related quality of life in children and adolescents have received little attention compared with adults in health care research and still little is known about the associations between health-related quality of life and other variables.
DESIGN:A cross-sectional design was chosen.
METHOD:We measured the health-related quality of life using the generic questionnaire KIDSCREEN-10. We administered the KIDSCREEN 52-item, and the 10 items were selected from this according to the KIDSCREEN manual. Multilevel regression models were used to evaluate the associations between health-related quality of life and the independent variables.
RESULTS:The sample included 1066 children and adolescents, 576 girls and 490 boys, with a response rate of 74%. The results show that body mass index was not significant associated with health-related quality of life in full model. However, in addition to age, being bullied, pain and body image were significant associated with health-related quality of life. Of these predictors, body image has the strongest impact in terms of explained variance in health-related quality of life.
CONCLUSION:The subjective sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with one's body, perceived body image, is a powerful predictor of health-related quality of life.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:Knowledge about predictors of health-related quality of life is especially important for public health nurses. Health promotion and intervention programmes that aim to strengthen psychosocial well-being, especially those that strengthen body image, should be developed for both genders.
Eur Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;26(8):498-503. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2010.11.006. Epub 2011 Feb 9.
Victims of bullying in childhood and suicide attempts in adulthood.
Meltzer H, Vostanis P, Ford T, Bebbington P, Dennis MS.
Source
Department of Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology, University of Leicester, 22-28, Princess Road West, Leicester LE1 6TP, UK. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:To examine whether self-reported exposure to bullying during childhood is associated with suicide attempts over the life course, and if so, what mechanisms could account for this relationship.SUBJECTS AND METHODS:A random probability sample comprising 7461 respondents was interviewed for the 2007 survey of psychiatric morbidity of adults in Great Britain. Survey respondents were asked about suicidal attempts and whether they were bullied in childhood.
RESULTS:Recall of being bullied in childhood decreased with age from 25% of 16-24-year-olds to 4% among those 75 or over with few differences in the proportions between men and women. Bullying co-occurred with several victimisation experiences including sexual abuse and severe beatings and with running away from home. Even after controlling for lifetime factors known to increase the risk of suicidal behaviour, adults who reported bullying in childhood were still more than twice as likely as other adults to attempt suicide later in life.DISCUSSION:Being the victim of bullying involves the experience of suffering a defeat and humiliation that in turn could lead to entrapment, hopelessness, depression and suicidal behaviour.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying is already known to be associated with substantial distress and other negative consequences and this further evidence of a strong correlation with the risk of suicide in later life should increase further the motivation of society, services and citizens to act decisively to reducebullying in childhood.
Are cyberbullies less empathic? Adolescents' cyberbullying behavior and empathic responsiveness.Steffgen G, König A, Pfetsch J, Melzer A.
Source
Research Unit INSIDE, University of Luxembourg, Walferdange, Luxembourg. [email protected]
AbstractMeta-analyses confirm a negative relationship between aggressive behavior and empathy, that is, the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Based on theoretical considerations, it was, therefore, hypothesized that a lack of empathic responsiveness may be characteristic for cyberbullies in particular. In the present study, 2.070 students of Luxembourg secondary schools completed an online survey that included a cyberbullying questionnaire(4) and a novel empathy short scale. According to the main hypothesis, analyses of variances indicated that cyberbullies demonstrated less empathic responsiveness than non-cyberbullies. In addition, cyberbullies were also more afraid of becoming victims of cyberbullying. The findings confirm and substantially extend the research on the relationship between
empathy and aggressive behavior. From an educational point of view, the present findings suggest that training of empathy skills might be an important tool to decrease cyberbullying.
Can J Public Health. 2011 Nov-Dec;102(6):462-6.
Prevalence, risk indicators and outcomes of bullying among on-reserve First Nations youth.Lemstra M, Rogers M, Redgate L, Garner M, Moraros J.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:Bullying is common and multifaceted. There is no published literature focusing on bullying in First Nations youth on-reserve in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence, risk indicators and impact of bullying within a First Nations youth population currently living on-reserve.METHODS:Students in grades 5 through 8 (age 10 to 16 years) within the Saskatoon Tribal Council were asked to complete a youth health survey. Among the seven schools, 271 students were eligible to participate.
RESULTS:204 youth completed the eight-stage consent protocol and the school survey for a response rate of 75.3%. Overall, 35.8% of youth reported being physically bullied, 59.3% verbally bullied, 47.5% socially bullied and 30.3% electronically bullied at least once or twice in the previous four weeks. After regression analysis, having a father who works in a professional occupation, doing well in school, and having the perception that parents expect too much from them were found to be independent risk indicators of being bullied. Irrespective of the type of bullying, youth who were bullied were at least twice as likely to suffer from depressed mood.DISCUSSION:We have found that bullying is more common for First Nations youth living on-reserve, compared to other Canadian youth. Given that the independent risk indicators also appear to be different, we hope that this new information can aid in the design of effective bullying strategies.
Brain Cogn. 2011 Nov;77(2):191-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2011.06.012. Epub 2011 Aug 19.
Peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and high salivary cortisol predict poorer memory in children.Vaillancourt T, Duku E, Becker S, Schmidt LA, Nicol J, Muir C, Macmillan H.
Source
Faculty of Education and School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractThe predictive relations of peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and salivary cortisol on memory in 168 children aged 12 at Time 1 (T1) were examined using a longitudinal design in which data were collected on four occasions over a 2-year period. Results indicated that: (1) peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and evening cortisol were stable over time, (2) peer victimization and elevated symptoms of depression were concurrently linked at each time, (3) T1 peer victimization predicted elevated symptoms of depression at T2 which in turn predicted lower cortisol levels at T3, and (4) controlling for earlier associations, T3 peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and higher morning and evening cortisol levels uniquely predicted memory deficits at T4. The links between elevated cortisol, symptoms of depression, and poor memory are consistent with published research on depressed adults and extend the findings to children exposed to peer victimization. These findings highlight that peer abuse is harmful and may impact children's long-term mental health and memory functioning.
Aggress Behav. 2011 Nov-Dec;37(6):521-37. doi: 10.1002/ab.20408. Epub 2011 Aug 22.
Modeling the bullying prevention program design recommendations of students from grades five to eight: a discrete choice conjoint experiment.Cunningham CE, Vaillancourt T, Cunningham LJ, Chen Y, Ratcliffe J.
Source
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractWe used a discrete choice conjoint experiment to model the bullying prevention recommendations of 845 students from grades 5 to 8 (aged 9-14). Students made choices between experimentally varied combinations of 14 four-level prevention program attributes. Latent class analysis yielded three segments. The high impact segment (27.1%) recommended uniforms, mandatory recess activities, four playground supervisors, surveillance cameras, and 4-day suspensions when students bully. The moderate impact segment (49.5%) recommended discretionary uniforms and recess activities, four playground supervisors, and 3-day suspensions. Involvement as a bully or bully-victim was associated with membership in a low impact segment (23.4%) that rejected uniforms and surveillance cameras. They recommended fewer anti-bullying activities, discretionary recess activities, fewer playground supervisors, and the 2-day suspensions. Simulations predicted most students would recommend a program maximizing student involvement combining prevention with moderate consequences. The simulated introduction of mandatory uniforms, surveillance cameras, and long suspensions reduced overall support for a comprehensive program, particularly among students involved as bullies or bully-victims.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Nov 4;24(1):3-10. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.002.
School bullying: its nature and ecology.Espelage DL, De La Rue L.
Source
Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Recent youth suicides only highlight a persistent problem in schools - bullying and sustained peer victimization. Being a target or victim of bullying has long been recognized has having short- and long-term psychological effects on children and adolescents across the world today. School bullying is one of the most significant public health concerns facing children and adolescents.OBJECTIVE:Involvement in the social phenomena of school bullying is often explained as emerging from a wide range of risk and protective factors within the social-ecology of youth. The social-ecological model posits that bullying behaviors are shaped by various interrelated contexts including individual characteristics, family, peers and the school environment.METHODS:Research is reviewed to highlight the correlates of bullying involvement across these context using social-ecological and social-learning frameworks. Meta-analytic studies are reviewed on the short- and long-term impact of bullying involvement and efficacy of bullying prevention programs. Specific recommendations for prevention planning and future research efforts are provided.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying is a multi-faceted issue, which is best understood in the larger social context in which it occurs. Individual characteristics of students contribute to bullying involvement when students have families that promote violence, teachers that ignore or dismiss bullying, schools that have negative climates and students who socialize with friends who bully. These social contexts need to be targeted in bully prevention programs to reduce bullying and peer victimization in schools.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Nov 4;24(1):11-6. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.003.
Morbidity among bystanders of bullying behavior at school: concepts, concerns, and clinical/research issues.Rivers I.
Source
School of Sport and Education, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK. [email protected]
AbstractThe role of the bystander is not one that is easily understood in the anti-bullying literature. Roles within the unofficial hierarchy of the school-yard and playground overlap considerably, and each role has its own social dynamic that brings with it a shifting behavioral landscape that affects every student. In this article, the mental health correlates of three categories of bystander are explored: the co-victim, the isolate, and the confederate. Each category of bystander has its own characterizations and mental health correlates. Reports of post-traumatic stress, internalized hostility, substance use, and suicide ideation are discussed with reference to studies involving witnesses of family abuse, community and school violence as well as bullying. It is argued that bystanders are the key to challenging bullying in schools, and their mental health and well-being is pivotal to the effectiveness of anti-bullying interventions.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Nov 29;24(1):27-35. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.005.
Cyberbullying and adolescent mental health.Suzuki K, Asaga R, Sourander A, Hoven CW, Mandell D.
AbstractThe rapid growth of electronic and computer-based communication and information sharing during the past decade has dramatically changed social interactions, especially among teenagers. Cyberbullying has emerged as a new form of bullying and harassment, and it has been shown to possess different ramifications from traditional school-yard bullying. This problem has emerged in nations worldwide. Cyber victims have reported various emotional and behavioral symptoms, along with school-related problems. This paper reviews international cross-sectional studies relating to the definition, prevalence, age, and gender differences inherent in cyberbullying. Psychosocial and risk factors associated with cyberbullying are also addressed. Prevention and intervention strategies for school officials and parents are suggested. Healthcare providers, policy makers, and families must be ever-mindful of the grave dangers cyberbullying poses to youths. Longitudinal studies are warranted to assess the psychological risk factors of cyberbullying.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Nov 29;24(1):57-62. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.008.
Bullying and gangs.White R, Mason R.
Source
School of Sociology and Social Work, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Although bullying is associated with gangs, questions arise as to whether bullying, as such, takes place within gangs.OBJECTIVE:To provide a critical analysis of bullying as this pertains to youth gangs and especially to violence within gangs, and as applied to the behaviour of individual gang members. Study group: Young men between 12 and 25 years of age.METHODS:Review of relevant literature with a view to theorising the nature of the relationship between bullying and violence within a youth gang context.RESULTS:Bullying is associated with the reasons why individuals join gangs and with gang-related behaviour, but the violence within a gang is of a different character than that usually described by the term bullying.CONCLUSION:Bullying has implications for related and/or subsequent types of street violence, but is less relevant for descriptions of violence within a youth gang context as such.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Nov 29;24(1):83-90. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.012.
The nature and extent of college student hazing.Allan EJ, Madden M.
College of Education and Human Development, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:This study explored the nature and extent of college student hazing in the USA. Hazing, a form of interpersonal violence, can jeopardize the health and safety of students.
METHODS:Using a web-based survey, data were collected from 11,482 undergraduate students, aged 18-25 years, who attended one of 53 colleges and universities. Additionally, researchers interviewed 300 students and staff at 18 of the campuses.
RESULTS:Results reveal hazing among USA college students is widespread and involves a range of student organizations and athletic teams. Alcohol consumption, humiliation, isolation, sleep-deprivation and sex acts are hazing practices common across student groups. Furthermore, there is a large gap between the number of students who report experience with hazing behaviors and those that label their experience as hazing.
CONCLUSIONS:To date, hazing prevention efforts in post-secondary education have focused largely on students in fraternities/sororities and intercollegiate athletes. Findings from this study can inform development of more comprehensive and research-based hazing prevention efforts that target a wider range of student groups. Further, data can serve as a baseline from which to measure changes in college student hazing over time.
Bullying at age eight and criminality in adulthood: findings from the Finnish Nationwide 1981 Birth Cohort Study.Sourander A, Brunstein Klomek A, Kumpulainen K, Puustjärvi A, Elonheimo H, Ristkari T, Tamminen T, Moilanen
I, Piha J, Ronning JA.
Source
Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku University and Turku University Hospital, 20520 Turku, Finland. [email protected]
AbstractCONTEXT:There are no prospective population-based studies examining predictive associations between childhood bullying behavior and adult criminality.OBJECTIVE:To study predictive associations between bullying and victimization at age eight and adult criminal offenses.DESIGN:Nationwide birth cohort study from age 8 to 26 years.
PARTICIPANTS:The sample consists of 5,351 Finnish children born in 1981 with information about bullying and victimization at age eight from parents, teachers, and the children themselves.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:National police register information about criminal offenses at age 23-26 years.
RESULTS:When controlled for the parental education level and psychopathology score, bullying sometimes and frequently independently predicted violent (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.9-7.9, p < 0.001; OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.6-4.1, p < 0.001, respectively), property (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2-4.7, p < 0.05; OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7, p < 0.05), and traffic (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.8-4.4, p < 0.001; OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1, p < 0.001) offenses. The strongest predictive association was between bullying frequently and more than five crimes during the 4-year period (OR 6.6, 95% CI 2.8-15.3, p < 0.001) in adjusted analyses. When different informants were compared, teacher reports of bullying were the strongest predictor of adult criminality. In adjusted analyses, male victimization did not independently predict adult crime. Among girls, bullying or victimization at age eight were not associated with adult criminality.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying among boys signals an elevated risk of adult criminality.
Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc, San Clemente, CA 92672-6745, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To examine rates of technology-based violent experiences (eg, bullying, harassment, unwanted sexual experiences [USEs] perpetration, and victimization) and exposures (eg, hate sites) from 2006 to 2008 among US children.PATIENTS AND METHODS:One thousand five-hundred eighty-eight youth aged 10 to 15 years were surveyed nationally online in 2006, 2007 (76% follow-up rate), and 2008 (73% follow-up rate).
RESULTS:All other things equal, rates of Internet-based violent exposures and experiences were stable. Of exception, harassment perpetration and exposure to violent cartoon sites reduced by 26% and 36% over the 2 year period (P < 0.05), respectively. In contrast, several rates of violent experiences via text messaging increased over time, specifically: harassment victimization (aOR = 1.6, p = 0.001) and perpetration (aOR = 1.4, p = 0.03), and USE victimization (aOR = 1.9, p = 0.02). Increases in bullying victimization were suggested (aOR = 1.5, p = 0.06). Text messaging USE perpetration did not significantly change, however. General technology use (i.e., intensity and frequency of Internet and text messaging) was consistently influential in explaining the odds of almost all violent experiences and exposures both online and via text messaging; as was age for many exposures and experiences online.CONCLUSIONS:Ongoing surveillance of text-messaging-based experiences is needed to understand trends as population usage rates begin to stabilize. General technology use is a predictive factor for almost all technology-based violent experiences and exposures. Age is also influential in explaining involvement in Internet-based experiences and exposures. Prevention programs should focus on reducing risk as youth age into later adolescence and to help heavy technology users manage their risk for violence involvement.
Nurs Clin North Am. 2011 Dec;46(4):423-9, v-vi. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2011.08.003. Epub 2011 Oct 17.
"I know it shouldn't but it still hurts" bullying and adults: implications and interventions for practice.Kelly L.
Source
Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies, Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBullying problems among children and adolescents are well documented but there is scant literature that examines this phenomenon among adults. This article contends that nurses must begin to assess adult patients for this type of violence. Direct questions about being bullied at work or in cyberspace should be added to assessments. Questioning will help bullying victims recognize that what they are going through is not acceptable and not their fault. It will also help identify patients who may need interventions beyond the treatment of the physically traumatic effects of bullying.
Is accuracy of weight perception associated with health risk behaviors in a diverse sample of obese adolescents?Lenhart CM, Daly BP, Eichen DM.
Source
Department of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. [email protected]
AbstractCurrent evidence is equivocal as to whether adolescent's perception of weight status is linked to both healthy and risky behaviors. This study examined the association between accurate and inaccurate perception of weight and self-reported health and risk behaviors among a diverse sample of obese, urban adolescents. Data were analyzed from 1,180 participants in the 2009 Philadelphia Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Health behaviors of obese students self-identifying as very or slightly overweight were compared to obese students who underestimated their weight status. Accurate self-identifiers of weight status were significantly more likely to report trying to lose weight, bullying victimization, and suicide attempts as compared to obese students underestimating their weight status. Findings suggest that it is important for school nurses to understand that perceived weight status confers distinct risk profiles and differing needs for health-related services related to the physical, mental, and social health of adolescents.
High incidence of obesity co-morbidities in young children: a cross-sectional study.Bell LM, Curran JA, Byrne S, Roby H, Suriano K, Jones TW, Davis EA.
Source
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Australia.
AbstractAIM:The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is a public health problem because of future morbidity. However, the prevalence of medical complications in overweight and obese primary school children in Australia is not well documented. As part of the larger, prospective cohort Growth and Development Study, this report aimed to identify the medical complications of obesity in a population-based community sample of primary school-aged children.
METHODS:Two groups of primary school children were studied: a random community sample of overweight/obese children (not seeking treatment) and a matched community sample of normal weight children. Demographics, medical history, family history and symptoms of complications of overweight were collected. Children had a physical examination, oral glucose tolerance tests with insulins, fasting lipid profiles and liver function tests.
RESULTS:Data from 283 children are presented (6.1-13.4 years, mean 9.8 years). There were no differences in birth data, family composition, parental age or socio-economic status between groups. Overweight and obese children were more likely to complain of musculoskeletal pain, depression, anxiety and bullying, and had more adverse examination findings than control children. They also had more abnormal investigations: overweight children: impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) 1.3%, hyperinsulinism 19.5%, dyslipidaemia 63.8%, raised alanine transaminase (ALT) 9.0%; obese children: IGT 5.3%, hyperinsulinism 38.9%, dyslipidaemia 73.7%, raised ALT 31.6%.CONCLUSION:Overweight and obese primary school-aged children have significant medical complications of their weight status. Overweight children, in addition to obese children, should be screened for complications. A secondary finding is a high proportion of normal weight children with lipid levels outside desirable healthy ranges.
Bullying in orthodontic patients and its relationship to malocclusion,self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life.Seehra J, Fleming PS, Newton T, DiBiase AT.
Source
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust,Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3NG, UK. [email protected].
AbstractObjectives: To measure the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying amongst patients referred for orthodontic treatment and to investigate whether there is a relationship between levels of self-reported bullying, malocclusion and need for orthodontic treatment and an individual's self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Design and setting: Cross-sectional study of an adolescent group referred for orthodontic assessment at three UK hospitals. Subjects and methods: Three hundred and thirty-six participants aged between 10 and 14 years were recruited. Validated questionnaires were used to measure the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying, self-esteem and OHRQoL. Orthodontic treatment need was assessed using IOTN. Results: The prevalence of bullying was 12·8%. Being bullied was significantly associated with Class II Division 1 incisor relationship (P = 0·041),increased overbite (P = 0·023),increased overjet (P = 0·001)and a high need for orthodontic treatment assessed using AC IOTN (P = 0·014).Bullied participants also reported lower levels of social competence (P<0·001),athletic competence (P<0·001), physical appearance related self-esteem (P<0·001)and general self-esteem (P<0·001). Higher levels of oral symptoms (P = 0·032),functional limitations (P<0·001), emotional (P<0·001)and social impact (P<0·001) from their oral condition, resulting in a negative impact on overall OHRQoL (P<0·001),were also reported. Conclusions: Significant relationships exist between bullying and certain occlusal traits, self-esteem and OHRQoL.
AbstractEleven young adults with an intellectual disability were interviewed for this exploratory study aimed at charting their experiences of growing up in homes where at least one parent had the same or a similar disability. Two main themes emerged from the interviews. Firstly, a clear majority of the young adults had positive experiences of family life during their upbringing, as expressed especially through their memories of their grandparents. Secondly, the study participants all described experiences of being bullied and harassed outside the family context. The results obtained in this study highlight the importance of the parents, the family, and informal networks in the upbringing of these children. The study also considers the consequences that the study participants' negative experiences of peer contacts and their sense of exclusion might have for their prospects in later life.
Going to scale: a nonrandomized nationwide trial of the KiVa antibullying program for grades 1-9.Kärnä A, Voeten M, Little TD, Poskiparta E, Alanen E, Salmivalli C.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland. [email protected]
Erratum in
J Consult Clin Psychol. 2012 Aug;80(4):661.AbstractOBJECTIVE:The effects of school-based antibullying programs have typically been examined on small samples, with number of schools ranging from 1 to 78 (Farrington & Ttofi, 2009). This study investigated the effectiveness of the KiVa antibullying program in the beginning of its nationwide implementation in Finland.
METHOD:At each time point, the participants included 888 schools with approximately 150,000 students in 11,200 classrooms in Grades 1-9 (8-16 years of age; 51% boys and 49% girls). Victims and bullies were identified with the global questions from the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (Olweus, 1996), utilizing the criteria suggested by Solberg and Olweus (2003). The program effects were examined by calculating odds ratios based on a cohort-longitudinal design, correcting the standard errors for clustering.
RESULTS:During the first 9 months of implementation, the KiVa program reduced both victimization and bullying, with a control/intervention group odds ratio of 1.22 (95% CI [1.19, 1.24]) for victimization and 1.18 (95% CI [1.15, 1.21]) for bullying.CONCLUSIONS:Generalized to the Finnish population of 500,000 students, this would mean a reduction of approximately 7,500 bullies and 12,500 victims.
Content analysis of school anti-bullying policies: a comparison between New Zealand and Victoria, Australia.Marsh L, McGee R, Hemphill SA, Williams S.
Source
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago Medical School, Dundedin, New Zealand. [email protected]
AbstractISSUE ADDRESSED:To undertake a detailed analysis of the content of anti-bullying policies in schools in New Zealand (NZ) and Victoria, Australia.METHODS:The content of anti-bullying policies from 253 NZ schools and 93 Victorian schools were analysed in terms of definitions of bullyingbehaviour; reporting, recording and responding to bullying incidents; communicating and evaluating the policy; and outlining strategies for preventingbullying.RESULTS:There was a wide range in 'policy scores' between schools, and Victorian schools scored higher on nearly every area compared with NZ schools. In both regions, definitions rarely included bullying on the grounds of homophobia, religion or disability; or bullying between adults and students. Policies also lacked detail about the responsibilities of non-teaching staff in dealing with bullying, and rarely described follow-up after abullying incident. Few policies explained how the policy would be evaluated, and many failed to mention preventive strategies.CONCLUSION:This study highlights some important areas that are deficient in NZ and Victorian school anti-bullying policies, and emphasises the need for guidance on how schools can develop an effective anti-bullying policy. Having more comprehensive anti-bullying policies will give schools a much better chance of reducing bullying.
Health Promot J Austr. 2011 Dec;22(3):223-7.
Smoking is rank! But, not as rank as other drugs and bullying say New Zealand parents of pre-adolescent children.Glover M, Kira A, Min S, Scragg R, Nosa V, McCool J, Bullen C.
Source
Centre for Tobacco Control Research, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand. [email protected]
AbstractISSUE ADDRESSED:Despite the established risks associated with smoking, 21% of New Zealand adults smoke. Prevalence among Māori (indigenous) and Pacific Island New Zealanders is disproportionately high. Prevention of
smoking initiation is a key component of tobacco control. Keeping Kids Smokefree--a quasi-experimental trial--aimed to do this by changing parental smoking behaviour and attitudes. However, little is known about parents' attitudes to smoking in comparison with other concerns.
METHOD:Parents of 4,144 children attending five urban schools in a high smoking prevalence population in Auckland, New Zealand, were asked to rank seven concerns on a paper-based questionnaire, including smoking, alcohol and bullying, from most to least serious.RESULTS:Methamphetamine and other illicit 'hard' drugs were ranked as most serious followed by marijuana smoking, alcohol drinking, bullying, cigarette smoking, sex and obesity. Never smokers ranked cigarette smoking as more serious than current or ex-smokers.CONCLUSION:Parents' under-estimation of the serious nature of tobacco smoking relative to other drugs could partly explain low participation rates in parent-focused smoking initiation prevention programs.
Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2011 Dec;20(4):339-43.
Bullying behaviours among students in Pavia, Italy: prevalence and association with stress and cannabis use.Martinelli V, Brondino N, Rossi S, Panigati R, Magnani R, Cappucciati M, Vecchia L, Tinelli S, Emanuele E, Politi
P.
Source
Department of Health Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:This study examined the prevalence of students' reported experiences of bullying and victimization in primary and secondary schools and their association with levels of perceived stress and cannabis use.METHODS:We consecutively enrolled 407 students attending three secondary schools in Pavia (Italy). Bullying and victimization were measured using the retrospective bullying questionnaire (RQB). The 10-item perceived stress scale (PSS-10) was used to assess the degree to which situations in life were perceived as stressful. Data on demographic characteristics and cannabis use in the previous 6 months were also collected.RESULTS:There were 328 victims (80.6%) and 221 bullies (52.1%). The results of the stepwise regression analysis with bullying as the dependent variable were significant with either male sex (R2 = 0.030, p = 0.024) or PSS-10 scores (R2 0.056, p = 0.036) in the model. With victimization as the dependent variable, only the PSS-10 scores were retained in the model as an independent predictor variable (R2 = 0.048, p<0.001).CONCLUSIONS:The results from this study indicate that the level of perceived stress has an independent association with both bullying and victimization. Further studies are needed to clarify the psychobiological links between stress, cannabis use and bullying behaviours.
Prevention of school bullying: the important role of autonomy-supportive teaching and internalization of pro-social values.Roth G, Kanat-Maymon Y, Bibi U.
Source
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel Sapir College, Israel. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:This study examined students' perceptions of autonomy-supportive teaching (AST) and its relations to internalization of pro-social values and bullying in class.AIMS:We hypothesized that: (1) teachers' AST, which involves provision of rationale and taking the student's perspective, would relate positively to students' identified internalization of considerateness towards classmates, and would relate negatively to external regulation (considerateness to obtain rewards or avoid punishments); (2) students' identified regulation would relate negatively to self-reported bullying in class, whereas external regulation would relate positively to bullying; and (3) the relation between teachers' AST and student bullying would be mediated by students' identification with the value of considerateness towards others.SAMPLE:The sample consisted of 725 junior high school students (50% females) in Grades 7 and 8 from 27 classes in four schools serving students from lower-middle to middle-class socioeconomic backgrounds.
METHOD: The participants completed questionnaires assessing the variables of interest.
RESULTS:Correlational analysis supported the hypotheses. Moreover, mediational analyses using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) demonstrated that identified regulation mediates the negative relation between AST and self-reported bullying in class. The mediational hypothesis was supported at the between-class level and at the within-class level.CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that school policy aimed at bullying reduction should go beyond external control that involves external rewards and sanctions and should help teachers acquire autonomy-supportive practices focusing on students' meaningful internalization.
Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Dec 1;70(11):1016-23. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.06.017. Epub 2011 Aug 12.
Blunted cortisol responses to stress signal social and behavioral problems among maltreated/bullied 12-year-old children.Ouellet-Morin I, Odgers CL, Danese A, Bowes L, Shakoor S, Papadopoulos AS, Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.
Source
Medical Research Council Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
BACKGROUND:Evidence from animal and human studies suggests that early-life stress such as physical maltreatment has long-lasting effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and is associated with blunted HPA axis reactivity in adulthood. Few studies have investigated whether blunted HPA axis reactivity observed in children exposed to early-life stress signals social, emotional, and behavioral problems.
METHODS:Participants were 190 12-year-old children (50.5% males) recruited from the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994 to 1995 cohort of families with twins. Cortisol responses to psychosocial stress were measured in maltreated/bullied (n = 64) and comparison children (n = 126). We ascertained maltreatment and bullying victimization using mothers' reports and assessed children's social, emotional, and behavioral problems at ages 5 and 12 using mothers' and teachers' reports.RESULTS:Piecewise multilevel growth curve analyses indicated that maltreated/bullied and comparison children showed distinct cortisol responses to stress. Specifically, maltreated/bullied children had lower cortisol responses than comparison children who exhibited a significant increase. Lower cortisol responses were, in turn, associated with more social and behavioral problems among maltreated/bullied children.
CONCLUSIONS:These findings provide support for the influence of childhood harm on blunted HPA axis reactivity and its potential impact on children's functioning. Our findings emphasize the need to integrate stress biomarkers in guiding prevention efforts for young victims.
Clin Psychol Psychother. 2011 Dec 6. doi: 10.1002/cpp.800. [Epub ahead of print]
Differences Between Victims of Bullying and Non-victims on Levels of Paranoid Ideation and Persecutory Symptoms, the Presence of Aggressive Traits, the Display of Social Anxiety and the Recall of Childhood Abuse Experiences in a Portuguese Mixed Clinical Sample.Lopes BC.
Source
Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. [email protected].
AbstractBACKGROUND:Bullying has been considered as a traumatic experience that can lead to paranoid ideation in students (Campbell and Morrison, 2007). This study aimed to explore differences concerning experiences of childhood trauma, the display of social anxiety behaviours, paranoid ideation, and aggressive traits and behaviour in a mixed clinical population with and without persecutory delusions, between individuals who reported being victims of bullying versus those who did not.METHOD:A total of 61 individuals with diagnoses of paranoid schizophrenia and social anxiety disorder were given a battery of questionnaires that measured bullying experiences, childhood abuse and experiences of
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Dec 9;24(1):77-82. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.011.
Working towards a detection of bullying related morbidity.Srabstein J.
Source
Children's National Medical Center, Montgomery County Outpatient Center, Rockville, MD, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Physicians are being confronted with the responsibility of detecting bullying related health and safety risks in different clinical settings.METHODS:Recommendations are being made on the basis of research evidence of a significant link of bullying with a wide array of health and safety problems; the author's clinical routine practice of ascertaining patients' participation in bullying and a recommended role for clinical detection ofbullying within a whole-community base strategy for its prevention.RECOMMENDATIONS:There is a need to develop a standardized strategy for detection of bullying related morbidity which could be utilized in all clinical settings with sensitivity to developmental and cultural differences in the understanding of what is meant by bullying. Such an approach should ascertain the exposure of different types of bullying across social settings and its symptomatic repercussions. Its results should be used for clinical decisions to procure intervention and treatment, within a three-tier bullying prevention strategy.CONCLUSIONS:The present paper is the result of a work-in-progress which will contribute to efforts to develop a clinical practice guideline providing a standardized strategy for the detection and intervention of bullying related health and safety problems, within a primary or specialty pediatric setting.Bullying is at the intersection of many health and safety risks and health practitioners are challenged with the critical public health responsibility of their detection, prevention, and intervention. It would be expected that the
recommendations contained in this article should facilitate the development of strategies to fulfill such a responsibility.
Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2011 Dec 9;24(1):91-6. doi: 10.1515/ijamh.2012.013.
Is there a syndrome of bullying?Srabstein J, Piazza T.
Source
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Childrens's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:We investigated the existence of a psychosomatic disorder associated with bullying by delineating its health and safety and correlates, and defining the demographic characteristics of the USA adolescents affected by this condition.METHODS:This study was based on an analysis of USA data from the 1996 World Health Organization Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. The survey provides nationally-representative, cross-sectional survey information on 9938 USA students in Grades 6-10. We examined those students who were involved in bullying as a victim and/or as a bully, with or without a self-reported cluster of depression, "bad mood", "feeling low", "feeling nervous" and sleeping difficulties, and one or more physical symptoms (headaches, stomach aches, back aches, dizziness).RESULTS:A cluster of physical and emotional symptoms linked to their participation in bullying as bullies and/or victims was reported by 9.5% of adolescents, with a higher frequency of 8th Grade students and a predominance of females. These students were 8.14 times more likely to hurt themselves on purpose and 4.20 times more likely to hurt others purposely than their peers who were not involved in bullying and did not suffer from a cluster of physical and emotional symptoms.CONCLUSIONS:This study may elicit further examination and debate about the existence of a nosological entity linked to bullying. Pending further research, the present results should support the need to ascertain participation in bullying, as a bully and/or as a victim, in all pediatric visits. Furthermore, there is a need to enquire about symptoms and risks related to this form of abuse.
Violence Vict. 2012;27(3):396-413.
Teachers bullied by students: forms of bullying and perpetrator characteristics.Kauppi T, Pörhölä M.
Source
Department of Communication, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. [email protected]
The focus of this study is on the forms in which the bullying of school teachers by students manifests itself, the characteristics of the students who engage in the bullying, and the manner in which the students who engage in bullying behave in their own peer relationships. The data was gathered from primary and lower secondary school teachers by means of an Internet survey. The answers of 70 teachers who had experienced bullying by their students are examined. The teachers had been exposed to different forms of bullying by students. They had typically been bullied by male students. In most cases, the bullying had been perpetrated by an individual student or a small group of students. According to the teachers' assessment, the majority of the students who bullied them also bullied their fellow students.
Violence Vict. 2012;27(5):689-709.
The difficulty in measuring suitable targets when modeling victimization.Popp AM.
Source
Department of Sociology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15282, USA. [email protected]
AbstractTarget suitability is a critical theoretical concept for opportunity theory. Previous research has primarily measured this concept using demographic characteristics of the study participant, which is problematic. This study corrects the measurement problem by employing bullying variables as alternative measures of target suitability because they are arguably better at capturing the social and psychological vulnerability of the individual that is attracting motivated offenders. Using three waves (1999, 2001, & 2003) of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) School Crime Supplement (SCS), this research explores the impact of the bullying measures along with demographic characteristics and lifestyle measures on the likelihood that a student will experience victimization in school. The findings suggest that the bullying measures are better predictors of victimization over the demographic characteristics and lifestyle measures for all three waves. The findings highlight the need for better measures of target suitability, which capture the social and psychological vulnerability of victims to explain victimization.
Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2012;54(5):463-9.
[Symptoms of anxiety in adolescents. Findings from the TRAILS-study].[Article in Dutch]
BACKGROUND:The Dutch TRAILS-study focuses on development from early adolescence into adulthood. An important aspect of this development is the development of anxiety. Hitherto little has been known about typical development of symptoms of anxiety during adolescence.
AIM:To describe both the normative development of anxiety during adolescence, and the risk indicators for high levels of anxiety in adolescents.
METHOD:Studies were embedded in trails, a large cohort study that followed children from the age of 10 to adulthood.
RESULTS:Our results showed that, on average, levels of anxiety decrease in early adolescence and subsequently increase in middle or late adolescence, depending on the subtype of anxiety involved. Child-, parent- and peer-factors at age 10-12 years were related to higher subsequent anxiety levels. Some factors, such as the style of upbringing, were related to higher anxiety levels solely in early adolescence, whereas other factors such as being bullied by peers were related to continuing higher anxiety levels throughout adolescence, irrespective of later victimisation.
CONCLUSION:Our study should, we hope, lead to a better understanding of the normative development of anxiety in the general adolescent population.
Stud Health Technol Inform. 2012;181:212-7.
Online social networking and the experience of cyber-bullying.O'Dea B, Campbell A.
AbstractOnline social networking sites (SNS) are popular social tools used amongst adolescents and account for much of their daily internet activity. Recently, these sites have presented opportunities for youth to experience cyber-bullying. Often resulting in psychological distress, cyber-bullying is a common experience for many young people. Continual use of SNS signifies the importance of examining its links to cyber-bullying. This study examined the relationship between online social networking and the experience of cyber-bullying. A total of 400 participants (Mage=14.31 years) completed an online survey which examined the perceived definitions and frequency of cyber-bullying. Users of SNS reported significantly higher frequencies of stranger contact compared to non-users. Spearman's rho correlations determined no significant relationship between daily time on SNS and the frequency of stranger contact. This suggests that ownership of a SNS profile may be a stronger predictor of some cyber-bullying experiences compared to time spent on these sites. Findings encourage continued research on the nature of internet activities used by young adolescents and the possible exposure to online victimization.
AbstractThe schoolbullying is a neologism which designates " a long-term violence, physical or psychological, perpetrated by one or more attackers (bully) against a victim (bullied) in a relationship of domination "(C. Blaya). This term is primarily used to describe repeated harassment behavior in schools. This phenomenon concerns one child out of seven in schools. Difficult to detect, it can have more or less serious psychological impacts (medium or long-term effects), such as dropout or anxious school refusal, loss of self esteem, major depressive disorder, suicide, eating disorders and leakage to substance abuse or alcohol. Its therapeutic follow-up is multidisciplinary and difficult. The aim of this paper is to draw the attention of health professionals to these new phenomena of violence in order to detect them as early as possible and thus provide optimal care.
Psychiatr Hung. 2012;27(5):350-360.
[The presence of callous/unemotional traits among students in different roles of bullying.][Article in Hungarian]
AbstractBackground:The phenomenon of bullying in the schools is more frequent in our country and abroad too. The bullying behaviour is a persistent, intentional harm of others where the balance of power between the participants is uneven.Researches about school bullying has provided many useful information regarding prevention and treatment of bullying but only the few of them takes an interest in the personality traits in bullies which can increase the appearance of the agressive, bullying behaviour.The callous/unemotional traits get a growing role in the explanation and understandig of aggressive behaviour. In case of the presence of callous/unemotional traits a special emotional (lack of guilt, shallow emotions) and interpesonal style (use of proactive agression and absence of responsibility) can be observed in children. Aim: The purpose of our study was to measure the callous/unemotional traits between the different groups determined by the role they play in the bullying. We assume that the presence of callous/unemotional traits are significantly more typical within the group of Bullies than the other groups. Sample:Our sample consisted of 117 elementary school students (6th-8th grade). Method: To examine the roles of bullying we used the Bullying Questionniare. The questionnaire consist 23 items, it was developed to determine the role of students and involvement in the process of bullying. To measure callous/ unemotional traits we used the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits (ICU) developed by Frick
which measure the factors of callous unemotional traits along 24 items. Results: According to our results the group of Bullies scored significantly higher in all three factors of the Inventory of Callous Unemotional Traits compared to other groups. Treatment of callous/unemotional features may reduce the occurrence of bullying.
Psicothema. 2012;24(3):358-63.
[The bullied who bullies: the reciprocal relationship between victim and aggressor in workplace bullyingsituations].[Article in Spanish]
Rodríguez Muñoz A, Moreno Jiménez B, Baillien E, Sanz Vergel AI, Moreno López Y.
AbstractThe aim of this study was to explore longitudinal relationships between organizational factors (workload and procedural justice) and targets and perpetrators of workplace bullying. We compared several causal models (baseline or stability, normal, reversed and reciprocal models). The sample comprised 286 employees from two companies in Madrid, and we used a time-lag of one year. Results of structural equation modeling analyses showed that reciprocal model fit the data the best. We found that T1 workload was related positively to T2 target of bullying, and T1 procedural justice was related negatively to T2 target of bullying. There was a significant reverse effect of T1 target of bullying on T2 workload. Furthermore, we found a reciprocal relationship between being the target and the perpetrator of bullying. Overall, these findings emphasize the need to extend the traditional causal models of workplace bullying to more dynamic approaches.
Psicothema. 2012;24(3):364-70.
[The BASYS observation system for the analysis of aggressive behavior in classroom-settings].[Article in Spanish]
AbstractEducational or therapeutic measures of aggressive student behavior are often based on the judgments of teachers. However, empirical studies show that the objectivity of these judgments is generally low. In order to assess aggressive behavior in classroom settings, we developed a context-sensitive observational system. The observation system exists in a version for teachers in action as well as a version for the uninvolved observer. The teacher version allows categorizing aggressive behavior while teaching. The aim is to differentiate the perception and the judgments of teachers, so that the judgments
can serve as trustable diagnostic information. The version for an independent observer, in addition, contains categories to collect information about the context in which aggressions take place. The behavior observation system was tested in four field-studies in regular and special classes. The empirical results show that, after training, teachers were able to make objective observations, and that aggressive behavior depends to a large extent on situational factors. The system allows identification of problematic people-environment relationships and the derivation of intervention measures.
Adolescent bullying involvement and psychosocial aspects of family and school life: a cross-sectional study from Guangdong Province in China.Wang H, Zhou X, Lu C, Wu J, Deng X, Hong L, Gao X, He Y.
Source
Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
AbstractBACKGROUND:School bullying is an emerging problem in China. The present study aimed to measure the prevalence of bullying behaviors among Chinese adolescents and to examine the association of bullying and being bullied with family factors, school factors and indicators of psychosocial adjustment.METHODS:A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 8,342 middle school students were surveyed in four cities in the Guangdong Province. Self-reports on bullying involvement and information regarding family factors, school factors and psychosocial adjustment were collected. Descriptive statistics and multi-level logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the prevalence of school bullying and explore potentially influential factors.RESULTS:Of the total sample, 20.83% (1,738) reported being involved in bullying behaviors. Of the respondents, 18.99% were victims of bullying, 8.60% were bullies and 6.74% both bullied themselves and bullied others. Factors that were determined to be correlated with bullying behaviors included grade, parental caring, consideration of suicide, running away from home, time spent online per day and being in a physical fight.CONCLUSION:Bullying was determined to be prevalent among Chinese adolescents. Given the concurrent psychosocial adjustment, family and school factors associated with bullying, as well as the potential long-term negative outcomes for these youth, this issue merits serious attention, both for future research and preventive intervention.
Tochigi M, Nishida A, Shimodera S, Oshima N, Inoue K, Okazaki Y, Sasaki T.
Source
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
AbstractPURPOSE:A number of studies have tried to identify risk factors for being involved in bullying in order to help developing preventive measures; however, to our knowledge, no study has investigated the effect of nocturnal lifestyle behavior such as sleep pattern or cellular phone usage. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between school bullying and sleep pattern or nocturnal cellular phone usage in adolescents. The effect of school size on school bullying was also examined.METHODS:Data from the cross-sectional survey of psychopathologies conducted for 19,436 Japanese students from 45 public junior high schools (7(th)-9(th) grade) and 28 senior high schools (10(th)-12(th) grade) were analyzed.
RESULTS:Bullying status was significantly associated with irregular bedtime (OR = 1.23 and 1.41 for pure bullies and bully-victims, respectively) and e-mail exchange or calling after lights-out (OR = 1.53 and 1.31 for pure bullies and bully-victims, respectively) after controlling domestic violence and substance usage. In addition, school size was significantly associated with the increased risk of bullying in junior high school students (OR = 1.13 for bully-victims).CONCLUSIONS:The present results suggested that sleep pattern and nocturnal cellular phone usage might be risk factors for being involved in school bullying in adolescents. Although further accumulation of data is needed, progressive trend towards nocturnal lifestyle and increasing usage of cellular phone might impair the well-being of adolescents. School-based interventions for lifestyle including sleep pattern and cellular phone usage may be encouraged to reduce school bullying.
PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e52017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052017. Epub 2012 Dec 13.
Early sympathy and social acceptance predict the development of sharing in children.Malti T, Gummerum M, Keller M, Chaparro MP, Buchmann M.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada ; Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
AbstractSharing is a fascinating activity of the human species and an important basis for the development of fairness, care, and cooperation in human social interaction. Economic research has proposed that sharing, or the willingness to sacrifice own resources for others, has its roots in social emotions such as sympathy. However, only few cross-sectional experiments have investigated children's other-regarding preferences, and the question how social-emotional skills influence the willingness to share valuable resources has not been tested. In the present longitudinal-experimental study, a sample of 175 6-year-old children, their primary caregivers, and their teachers is examined over a 3-year period of time. Data are
analyzed by means of growth curve modeling. The findings show that sharing valuable resources strongly increases in children from 6 to 9 years of age. Increases in sharing behavior are associated with the early-developing ability to sympathize with anonymous others. Sharing at 7 years of age is predicted by feelings of social acceptance at 6 years of age. These findings hold after controlling for children's IQ and SES. Girls share more equally than boys at 6 and 7 years of age, however, this gender difference disappears at the age of 9 years. These results indicate that human sharing strongly increases in middle childhood and, that this increase is associated with sympathy towards anonymous others and with feelings of social acceptance. Additionally, sharing develops earlier in girls than in boys. This developmental perspective contributes to new evidence on change in sharing and its social-emotional roots. A better understanding of the factors underlying differences in the development of sharing and pro-social orientations should also provide insights into the development of atypical, anti-social orientations which exhibit social-emotional differences such as aggression andbullying behavior.
Obes Facts. 2012;5(5):722-33. doi: 10.1159/000338333. Epub 2012 Oct 23.
Factors associated with low self-esteem in children with overweight*.Danielsen YS, Stormark KM, Nordhus IH, Mæhle M, Sand L, Ekornås B, Pallesen S.
Source
Department of Psychosocial Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Sinton MM, Goldschmidt AB, Aspen V, Theim KR, Stein RI, Saelens BE, Epstein LH, Wilfley DE.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. [email protected]
AbstractShape and weight concerns among overweight pre-adolescents heighten risk for eating disorders and weight gain. Treatment and prevention efforts require consideration of psychosocial factors that co-occur with these concerns. This study involved 200 overweight pre-adolescents, aged 7-12 years (M age = 9.8; SD = 1.4), presenting for family-based weight control treatment. Hierarchical regression was used to examine the influence of pre-adolescents' individual characteristics and social experiences, and their parents' psychological symptoms, on shape and weight concerns as assessed by the Child Eating Disorder Examination. Findings revealed that higher levels of dietary restraint, greater feelings of loneliness, elevated experiences with weight-related teasing, and higher levels of parents' eating disorder symptoms predicted higher shape and weight concerns among overweight pre-adolescents. Interventions addressing overweight pre-adolescents' disordered eating behaviors and social functioning, as well as their parents' disordered eating behaviors and attitudes, may be indicated for those endorsing shape and weight concerns.
Weight-based victimization among adolescents in the school setting: emotional reactions and coping behaviors.Puhl RM, Luedicke J.
Source
Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8369, USA. [email protected]
AbstractWeight-based victimization is a frequent experience for adolescents, but little is known about their emotional reactions and coping strategies in response to weight-based teasing and bullying. The present study examined the ways that adolescents cope with experiences of weight-based victimization at school. An initial sample of 1,555 students from two high schools in central Connecticut completed a comprehensive battery of self-report measures to assess their experiences of weight-based teasing and bullying at school, affective responses to these experiences, and coping strategies used to deal with incidents of weight-based victimization. Only those students who reported experiencing weight-based victimization (N = 394) were included for the purposes of the present study. Of this sub-sample, 56% were females, 84% were Caucasian, and the mean age was 16.4 years. Weight-based victimization resulted in 40-50% of adolescents feeling sad and depressed, worse about themselves, bad about their body, angry, and some feeling afraid. Gender differences emerged with respect to how boys and girls react to experiences of weight-based victimization. However, structural equation model estimates demonstrated that both boys and girls who reported negative affect in response to weight-based victimization were more likely to use coping strategies of avoidance (e.g., avoiding gym class), increased food consumption, and binge eating. Binary logistic regressions showed that the odds of students skipping school or reporting that their grades were harmed because of weight-based teasing increased by 5% per teasing incident, even after controlling for gender, age, race, grades, and weight status. To our knowledge, this study is the first systematic examination of affective reactions and coping strategies
among overweight adolescents in response to weight-based victimization. These findings can inform efforts to assist overweight youth to cope adaptively with weight-based victimization.
Voices in the playground: a qualitative exploration of the barriers and facilitators of lunchtime play.Stanley RM, Boshoff K, Dollman J.
Source
Health and Use of Time Group, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To explore children's perceptions of the factors influencing their engagement in physical activity during the "critical" lunchtime period, using a social-ecological framework.
DESIGN:This study was an in-depth descriptive qualitative design.
METHODS:Fifty-four South Australian children aged 10-13 years participated in same-gender focus groups. Transcripts, field notes and activity documents were analysed using content analysis. Using an inductive thematic approach, data were coded and categorised into perceived barriers and facilitators according to a social-ecological model.
RESULTS:Children identified a range of environmental, social and intrapersonal barriers and facilitators. Bullying/teasing, the school uniform and school rules were exposed as explicit barriers to lunchtime play. Other important barriers included lack of access to, and poor suitability of, space, lack of access to programs/facilities and equipment, and lack of peer and teacher support. Perceived facilitators of lunchtime physical activity centred on access to equipment, enjoyment, motivation to improve skills, and peer support and acceptance. The freedom to make up or modify rules for games was also perceived to be a facilitator of lunchtime play.CONCLUSIONS:Communicating with children has been an effective approach in uncovering perceived barriers and facilitators to lunchtime play that may not have been previously considered in the quantitative correlate literature. Lunchtime interventions targeting children's physical activity should focus on addressing the barriers perceived to be important to lunchtime play.
J Sch Violence. 2012 Jan;11(1):75-93. Epub 2012 Jan 2.
Examination of the Predictors of Latent Class Typologies of Bullying Involvement among Middle School Students.Lovegrove PJ, Henry KL, Slater MD.
University of Virginia; Curry School of Education, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
AbstractThis study employs latent class analysis to construct bullying involvement typologies among 3114 students (48% male, 58% White) in 40 middle schools across the U.S. Four classes were constructed: victims (15%); bullies (13%); bully-victims (13%); and noninvolved (59%). Respondents who were male and participated in fewer conventional activities were more likely to be members of the victims class. Students who were African-American and reported being less successful at school had a higher likelihood of membership in the bullies class. Bully-victims shared characteristics with bullies and victims: Students with more feelings of anger toward others and a higher tendency toward sensation-seeking had a higher likelihood of membership in the bullies and bully-victims classes, whereas lower levels of social inclusion was associated with membership in the victims and bully-victims classes.
J Psychol. 2012 Jan-Apr;146(1-2):119-34.
Family of origin environment and adolescent bullying predict young adult loneliness.Segrin C, Nevarez N, Arroyo A, Harwood J.
Source
Department of Communication, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis study tested parental loneliness, family of origin environment, and a history of being bullied as predictors of loneliness in young adults. The role of social skills in young adults' loneliness was also examined. Participants were 111 young-adult-parent dyads who completed measures of loneliness and the family communication environment. In addition, young adults completed measures of social skills and history of being bullied. Predictions were tested with structural equation modeling, path analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results showed that parental loneliness and a history of being bullied were each significant predictors of young adult loneliness. A family environment that supported open communication was negatively associated with young adults' loneliness. Parental loneliness and a history of being bullied each had direct effects on young adults' loneliness as well as indirect effects through reduced social skills.
BACKGROUND:Among school- attending adolescents, victimization from bullying is associated with anxiety, depression and poor academic performance. There are limited reports on victimization from bullying in Zambia; we therefore conducted this study to determine the prevalence and correlates for victimization from bullying among adolescents in grades 7 to 10 in the country in order to add information on the body of knowledge on victimization from bullying.METHODS:The 2004 Zambia Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) data among adolescents in grades 7 to 10 were obtained from the World Health Organization. We estimated the prevalence of victimization from bullying. We also conducted weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine independent factors associated with victimization from bullying, and report adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI).RESULTS:Of 2136 students who participated in the 2004 Zambia GSHS, 1559 had information on whether they were bullied or not. Of these, 1559 students, 62.8% (60.0% of male and 65.0% of female) participants reported having been bullied in the previous 30 days to the survey. We found that respondents of age less than 14 years were 7% (AOR=0.93; 95%CI [0.91, 0.95]) less likely to have been bullied compared to those aged 16 years or older. Being a male (AOR=1.07; 95%CI [1.06, 1.09]), lonely (AOR=1.24; 95%CI [1.22, 1.26]), worried (AOR=1.12; 95%CI [1.11, 1.14]), consuming alcohol (AOR=2.59; 95%CI [2.55, 2.64]), missing classes (AOR=1.30; 95%CI [1.28, 1.32]), and considering attempting suicide (AOR=1.20; 95%CI [1.18, 1.22]) were significantly associated with bullying victimization.CONCLUSIONS:Victimization from bullying is prevalent among in-school adolescents in grades 7 to 10 in Zambia, and interventions to curtail it should consider the factors that have been identified in this study.
J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2012 Jan;51(1):62-73.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2011.10.005.
The clinical utility of the proposed DSM-5 callous-unemotional subtype of conduct disorder in young girls.Pardini D, Stepp S, Hipwell A, Stouthamer-Loeber M, Loeber R.
Source
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:A callous-unemotional (CU) subtype of conduct disorder (CD) has been proposed as an addition to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This study tested the hypothesis that young girls with the CU subtype of CD would exhibit more severe antisocial behavior and less severe internalizing problems over time relative to girls with CD alone. Second, the developmental
outcomes of girls with CU traits in the absence of CD was examined because these girls would be overlooked by the proposed CU subtyping scheme.
METHOD:Theses issues were examined in a community sample of 1,862 girls 6 to 8 years of age at study onset. Outcomes included internalizing and externalizing problems, academic achievement, and global impairment assessed concurrently and at a 6-year follow-up.
RESULTS:Girls with the CU subtype of CD had higher levels of externalizing disorder symptoms, bullying, relational aggression, and global impairment than girls with CD alone. Girls with CD alone tended to have more anxiety problems than girls with the CU subtype of CD. Girls with high CU traits without CD exhibited higher ODD and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and lower academic achievement at the 6-year follow-up relative to girls without CU traits and CD. Group differences at the 6-year follow-up were primarily accounted for by baseline differences on the outcomes.CONCLUSIONS:The proposed DSM-5 CU subtype of CD identifies young girls who exhibit lower anxiety problems and more severe aggression, CD symptoms, academic problems and global impairment across time than girls with CD alone.
Bullying perpetration and subsequent sexual violence perpetration among middle school students.Espelage DL, Basile KC, Hamburger ME.
Source
Department of Educational Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois, USA. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:This study examines the association between bullying experiences and sexual violence (SV) perpetration among a sample of middle school students (n = 1391; males and females in grades 5-8) across five middle schools in a Midwestern state.METHODS:We include waves 1 and 2 of a larger longitudinal study that aimed to track the overlap between bullying and SV victimization and/or perpetration across a 3-year period. Wave 1 data were collected in the spring of 2008, and wave 2 data were collected in the fall of 2008. Student participants completed a series of scales in a paper and pencil survey. After missing data imputation, a total sample of 1391 students was analyzed.RESULTS:Using cutoff scores, 12% of males and 12% of females could be considered bully perpetrators. Thirty-two percent of the boys (22% of girls) reported making sexual comments to other students, 5% of boys (7% of girls) spread a sexual rumor, and 4% of boys (2% of girls) pulled at someone's clothing. Bullying perpetration and homophobic teasing were significant predictors of sexual harassment perpetration over time.
CONCLUSIONS:Given the overlap among bullying, homophobic teasing perpetration, and SV perpetration, future studies should address the link among these forms of aggression so that prevention programs can be enhanced to address gender-based bullying and sexual harassment.
The bully at school: an interdisciplinary approach.Carter S.
Source
Dowling College , Oakdale, New York.
AbstractRecent legislation enacted across the United States mandates schools to intervene and improve the reporting system of school bullying. Although the laws are an extension of safe school mandates, restoring justice in schools has taken a top priority. The lack of intensity of current anti-bullyingprograms and educators underestimating the gravity of bullying and its long-term effects on victims is problematic. In addition, little emphasis is being placed on understanding the research base of children who bully others. A review of the criminology and psychiatric research provides insight into the behavior of the bully. Studies demonstrate that bullying in school is a "gateway" behavior toward future criminal behavior; bullying will persist if professionals do not buy into the gravity of chronic child aggressors. Remediation directed at young children is essential, concurrent with the provision of teacher training programs focused on understanding the common behavioral disorders of childhood. A look at the existing research provides direction toward meeting the significant needs of children who bully others and perpetuate violence in schools and into adulthood.
Epidemiol Rev. 2012 Jan;34(1):120-8. doi: 10.1093/epirev/mxr024. Epub 2011 Nov 30.
Peer victimization among school-aged children with chronic conditions.Sentenac M, Arnaud C, Gavin A, Molcho M, Gabhainn SN, Godeau E.
Source
Research Unit on Perinatal Epidemiology and Childhood Disabilities, Adolescent Health, INSERM, UMRU1027, Toulouse, France. [email protected]
AbstractPeer victimization is a common problem among school-aged children, and those with chronic conditions are at an increased risk. A systematic review of the literature was carried out to explore the increased risk of peer victimization among children with chronic conditions compared with others, considering a variety of chronic conditions; and to assess intervention programs designed to reduce negative attitudes or peer
victimization at school toward children with chronic conditions. Various data sources were used (PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science), and 59 studies published between 1991 and 2011 and mainly carried out in North American and European countries were included in the review. A higher level of peer victimization among children with chronic conditions was shown for each type of condition explored in this review (psychiatric diagnoses, learning difficulties, physical and motor impairments, chronic illnesses, and overweight). Despite a substantial number of studies having shown a significant association between chronic conditions and peer victimization, intervention studies aiming to reduce bullying among these children were rarely evaluated. The findings of this review suggest a growing need to develop and implement specific interventions targeted at reducing peer victimization among children with chronic conditions.
Disabil Rehabil. 2012;34(2):101-9. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2011.587086. Epub 2011 Aug 26.
Experiences of social exclusion and bullying at school among children and youth with cerebral palsy.Lindsay S, McPherson AC.
Source
Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:Although bullying amongst typically developing school-aged children has been well explored, it is under-researched for children with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of exclusion and bullying among children with disabilities.METHOD:We draw on qualitative in-depth interviews and a focus group with children and youth with disabilities (n = 15) to explore their experiences of exclusion and bullying.RESULTS:Our results showed that restrictions in the socio-contextual environment influenced the social exclusion that children experienced. Youth encountered social exclusion from both teachers and peers. Children reported that teachers' attitudes toward children with disabilities often influenced the social exclusion experienced by peers. Bullies engaged in both implicit and explicit forms of social exclusion toward children with disabilities which often lead to verbal and physical bullying.CONCLUSIONS:Children with cerebral palsy are victims of bullying and social exclusion within the school context. More opportunities for social inclusion are needed.
Early detection of drug use and bullying in secondary school children by using a three-dimensional simulation program.Carmona Torres JA, Cangas AJ, García GR, Langer AI, Zárate R.
Department of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractThe current study analyzes the psychometric properties of an innovative three-dimensional (3D) simulation program, entitled Mii-School (MS), designed for the early detection of drug use and bullying in Secondary School children. This computer program showed adequate reliability and construct validity. The factorial structure, as well as the explanatory weight of the different factors, is presented. In addition, the results of a parallel version in paper and pencil format are also presented and compared with those of the computerized version (i.e., MS). There was a statistically significant difference between the two formats in the total (i.e., combined) sore of risk. When drug use and bullying were separately analyzed, differences were found only with regard to drug use. The relevance of these results as well as the suitability of this type of 3D instrument for the early detection of risky behaviors in young people are discussed.
Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2012 Jan;21(1):43-55, viii. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2011.08.013. Epub 2011 Oct
26.
Spinning our wheels: improving our ability to respond to bullying and cyberbullying.Englander EK.
Source
Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA 02325, USA.
AbstractBullying is physical and or psychological abuse perpetuated by one powerful child upon another, with the intention to harm or dominate. Bullying and aggression in schools has reached epidemic proportions. Abusive bullying behaviors begin in elementary school, peak during middle school, and begin to subside in high school. Bullying behaviors are associated with catastrophic violence. Cyberbullying has emerged as one result of the increasingly online social life in which modern teens and children engage. Mediation may be inappropriate. The only safety mechanism that children will ultimately retain is the one between their ears.
Can J Public Health. 2012 Jan-Feb;103(1):9-13.
Risk indicators and outcomes associated with bullying in youth aged 9-15 years.Lemstra ME, Nielsen G, Rogers MR, Thompson AT, Moraros JS.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Department of Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Tribal Council, Saskatoon, SK. [email protected]
OBJECTIVES:Bullying is a form of aggression in which children are intentionally intimidated, harassed or harmed. The main objective of our study was to determine the unadjusted and adjusted risk indicators associated with physical bullying. The second objective was to clarify the impact of repeated physical bullying on health outcomes - namely depressed mood.METHODS:Every student attending school in the city of Saskatoon, Canada, between grades 5-8 was asked to complete the Saskatoon School Health Survey.
RESULTS:In total, 4,197 youth completed the questionnaire; of these, 23% reported being physically bullied at least once or twice in the previous four weeks. After multivariate adjustment, the covariates independently associated with being physically bullied included being male (OR=1.39), attending a school in a low-income neighbourhood (OR=1.41), not having a happy home life (OR=1.19), having a lot of arguments with parents (OR=1.16) and feeling like leaving home (OR=1.23). Children who were repeatedly physically bullied were more likely to have poor health outcomes. For example, 37.3% of children who were physically bullied many times per week had depressed mood in comparison to only 8.1% of children who were never bullied. After regression analysis, children who were ever physically bullied were 80% more likely to have depressed mood.
CONCLUSION:Most of the independent risk indicators associated with physical bullying are preventable through appropriate social policy implementation and family support. It also appears that preventing repeated bullying should be the main focus of intervention in comparison to preventing more infrequent bullying.
Am J Public Health. 2012 Jan;102(1):171-7. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300308. Epub 2011 Nov 28.
Cyberbullying, school bullying, and psychological distress: a regional census of high school students.Schneider SK, O'Donnell L, Stueve A, Coulter RW.
Source
Health and Human Development Division, Education Development Center, Newton Waltham, MA 02453, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:Using data from a regional census of high school students, we have documented the prevalence of cyberbullying and school bullyingvictimization and their associations with psychological distress.METHODS:In the fall of 2008, 20,406 ninth- through twelfth-grade students in MetroWest Massachusetts completed surveys assessing their bullyingvictimization and psychological distress, including depressive symptoms, self-injury, and suicidality.RESULTS:A total of 15.8% of students reported cyberbullying and 25.9% reported school bullying in the past 12 months. A majority (59.7%) of cyberbullying victims were also school bullying victims; 36.3% of school bullying victims were also cyberbullying victims. Victimization was higher among nonheterosexually identified youths. Victims report lower school performance and school attachment. Controlled analyses indicated that distress was highest among victims of both cyberbullying and
school bullying (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] were from 4.38 for depressive symptoms to 5.35 for suicide attempts requiring medical treatment). Victims of either form of bullying alone also reported elevated levels of distress.CONCLUSIONS:Our findings confirm the need for prevention efforts that address both forms of bullying and their relation to school performance and mental health.
Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2012 Jan;82(1):67-74. doi: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.2011.01132.x.
Perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear among victims, bullies, and bully-victims.Berkowitz R, Benbenishty R.
Source
Louis and Gaby Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examines the distribution of the types of involvement in school violence (bullies, victims, bully-victims, and students not involved in violence) among the general population of Israeli school students. The prevalence of these different types of involvement was also examined according to gender, age or school level (junior high vs. high school), and ethnicity (Jewish vs. Arab). Further, the study examines the relationships between type of involvement in school violence and students' perceptions of teachers' support, safety, and absence from school because of fear. Data were obtained from a nationally representative, stratified sample of 13,262 students in grades 7-11 who responded to a self-report questionnaire on victimization by, and perpetration of, school violence and on perceptions of school climate. Data revealed that 3.6% of all students were victims ofbullying (18.5% of those involved in violence). The proportion of bully-victims among male students was 6.4% (21.9% of all involved) compared with 1.1% (11.2% of all involved) among females. Bully-victims reported the lowest levels of teacher support and feelings of security and missed school because of fear significantly more often. The results point to the uniqueness of the bully-victim group. This group presents multiple challenges for school staff with these students needing special attention.
BMC Public Health. 2012 Jan 18;12:45. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-45.
Ethnic discrimination prevalence and associations with health outcomes: data from a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of secondary school students in New Zealand.Crengle S, Robinson E, Ameratunga S, Clark T, Raphael D.
Source
Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. [email protected]
BACKGROUND:Reported ethnic discrimination is higher among indigenous and minority adult populations. There is a paucity of nationally representative prevalence studies of ethnic discrimination among adolescents. Experiencing ethnic discrimination has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. NZ has a diverse ethnic population. There are health inequalities among young people from Māori and Pacific ethnic groups.
METHODS:9107 randomly selected secondary school students participated in a nationally representative cross-sectional health and wellbeing survey conducted in 2007. The prevalence of ethnic discrimination by health professionals, by police, and ethnicity-related bullying were analysed. Logistic regression was used to examine the associations between ethnic discrimination and six health/wellbeing outcomes: self-rated health status, depressive symptoms in the last 12 months, cigarette smoking, binge alcohol use, feeling safe in ones neighbourhood, and self-rated school achievement.RESULTS:There were significant ethnic differences in the prevalences of ethnic discrimination. Students who experienced ethnic discrimination were less likely to report excellent/very good/good self-rated general health (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.39, 0.65), feel safe in their neighbourhood (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.40, 0.58), and more likely to report an episode of binge drinking in the previous 4 weeks (OR 1.77; 95% CI 1.45, 2.17). For all these outcomes the odds ratios for the group who were 'unsure' if they had experienced ethnic discrimination were similar to those of the 'yes' group.Ethnicity stratified associations between ethnic discrimination and the depression, cigarette smoking, and self-rated school achievement are reported. Within each ethnic group participants reporting ethnic discrimination were more likely to have adverse outcomes for these three variables. For all three outcomes the direction and size of the association between experience of ethnic discrimination and the outcome were similar across all ethnic groups.
CONCLUSIONS:Ethnic discrimination is more commonly reported by Indigenous and minority group students. Both experiencing and being 'unsure' about experiencing ethnic discrimination are associated with a range of adverse health/wellbeing outcomes. Our findings highlight the progress yet to be made to ensure that rights to be free from ethnic discrimination are met for young people living in New Zealand.
Reprint of: bullying victimisation, self harm and associated factors in Irish adolescent boys.McMahon EM, Reulbach U, Keeley H, Perry IJ, Arensman E.
Source
National Suicide Research Foundation, 1 Perrott Avenue, College Road, Cork, Ireland.
AbstractSchool bullying victimisation is associated with poor mental health and self harm. However, little is known about the lifestyle factors and negative life events associated with victimisation, or the factors associated with self harm among boys who experience bullying. The objectives of the study were to examine the prevalence of bullying in Irish adolescent boys, the association between bullying and a broad range of risk factors among boys, and factors associated with self harm among bullied boys and their non-bullied peers. Analyses were based on the data of the Irish centre of the Child and Adolescent Self Harm in Europe (CASE) study (boys n = 1870). Information was obtained on demographic factors, school bullying,
deliberate self harm and psychological and lifestyle factors including negative life events. In total 363 boys (19.4%) reported having been a victim of school bullying at some point in their lives. The odds ratio of lifetime self harm was four times higher for boys who had been bullied than those without this experience. The factors that remained in the multivariate logistic regression model for lifetime history of bullying victimisation among boys were serious physical abuse and self esteem. Factors associated with self harm among bullied boys included psychological factors, problems with schoolwork, worries about sexual orientation and physical abuse, while family support was protective against self harm. Our findings highlight the mental health problems associated with victimisation, underlining the importance of anti-bullying policies in schools. Factors associated with self harm among boys who have been bullied should be taken into account in the identification of boys at risk of self harm.
Psicothema. 2012 Feb;24(1):42-7.
[Justification of violence as a mediator between exposure to violence and aggressive behavior in children].[Article in Spanish]
Orue I, Calvete E.
Source
Facultad de Psicología y Educación, Universidad de Deusto, 48080 Bilbao, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the mediating role of the justification of violence schema in the relationship between exposure to violence and reactive and proactive aggressive behavior. We differentiated between direct and indirect exposure in four contexts: home, neighborhood, school and TV. A total of 675 children, aged between 8 and 12 years, participated in the study. They answered questionnaires about exposure to violence, justification of violence, and proactive and reactive aggressive behavior in two waves six months apart. The results showed that witnessing violence at home and on TV predicted aggressive behavior, and this relationship was mediated by the justification of violence. Victimization in all contexts predicted aggressive behavior and this relationship was generally mediated by the justification of violence.
Nurs Stand. 2012 Feb 1-7;26(22):22-3.
Afraid to be different.Trueland J.
AbstractHomophobic bullying in schools leaves young people isolated, depressed and at risk of serious harm. School nurses can support individuals and encourage a culture that celebrates diversity. There are positive signs that the problem is being taken more seriously and attitudes are changing.
Microcontextual characteristics of peer victimization experiences and adolescents' daily well-being.Nishina A.
Source
Department of Human and Community Development, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. [email protected]
AbstractMicrocontextual factors (i.e., contextual characteristics of the specific victimization incident) may help to explain the association between adolescents' daily peer victimization experiences and well-being. In the present study, daily report methodology was used to assess sixth (N = 150; 53% girls) and ninth grade (N = 150; 50% girls) students' current well-being and peer victimization earlier in the day on 5 random school days within a 2-week period. Associations between peer victimization microcontextual factors (number of aggressors, presence of witnesses, and receipt of help) and fluctuations in adolescents' daily well-being (humiliation, worry, and physical symptoms) were examined in an ethnically diverse sample of White, Latino, Asian, African American, and multiethnic students. Humiliation increased on days in which students reported public victimization, multiple aggressors, and no help. Worry increased on days students experienced private victimization and when boys (but not girls) experienced private victimization, victimization by a single aggressor, and received peer help. Physical symptoms were higher on days that victimization occurred, regardless of context, but only for sixth graders and not ninth graders. These findings suggest that the victimization microcontext can offer insight about the types of peer victimization exposure that might produce the greatest daily risk for adolescents.
J Interpers Violence. 2012 May;27(8):1625-7.AbstractDespite much focus on school violence, there has been little research that explores the relationship between offending and victimization in various school climates. School climate theory suggests that the school's social system, culture, milieu, and ecological structure affect student outcomes including academic performance, delinquency, and more recently, victimization. Hierarchical analysis of data from 5,037 11th-grade students in 33 schools found that offending behavior was the strongest predictor for both minor and more serious forms of victimization. School climate, specifically the social cohesion of schools, reduced serious violent victimization risk. However, school climate did not affect the relationship between offending and victimization, and was not substantially modified when characteristics of the school environment were considered.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Feb;42(2):266-77. doi: 10.1007/s10803-011-1241-x.
Bullying experiences among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders.Cappadocia MC, Weiss JA, Pepler D.
Source
Psychology Department, LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractFew studies have investigated bullying experiences among children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD); however, preliminary research suggests that children with ASD are at greater risk for being bullied than typically developing peers. The aim of the current study was to build an understanding of bullying experiences among children with ASD based on parent reports by examining rates of various forms of bullying, exploring the association between victimization and mental health problems, and investigating individual and contextual variables as correlates of victimization. Victimization was related to child age, internalizing and externalizing mental health problems, communication difficulties, and number of friends at school, as well as parent mental health problems. Bullying prevention and intervention strategies are discussed.
Brief report: Emotional intelligence, victimisation and bullying in adolescents.Lomas J, Stough C, Hansen K, Downey LA.
Source
Brain Sciences Institute, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Victoria 3122, Australia.
AbstractIn order to better understand bullying behaviours we examined for the first time the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) of adolescents,bullying behaviours and peer victimisation. The sample consisted of 68 adolescents from a secondary college. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which assessed their EI, how frequently they engaged in bullying behaviours and how often they were the target of peer victimisation. Results of the study indicated that the EI dimensions of Emotions Direct Cognition and Emotional Management and Control, significantly predicted the propensity of adolescents to be subjected to peer victimisation. The EI dimension of Understanding the Emotions of Others was found to be negatively related with bullying behaviours. It was concluded that anti-bullying programs in schools could be improved by addressing deficits in EI in adolescents who bully others as well as those who are at a greater risk of being subjected to peer victimisation.
Stop bugging me: an examination of adolescents' protection behavior against online harassment.Lwin MO, Li B, Ang RP.
Source
Division of Public and Promotional Communication, Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. [email protected]
AbstractOnline harassment is a widespread phenomenon with consequential implications, especially for adolescents, who tend to engage in high-risk behavior online. Through the use of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), we examine the predictors motivating the intention of youths to adopt protection behavior against online harassment. A survey was conducted with 537 youths from a stratified sample in Singapore. Regression analyses showed that perceived severity of online harassment, response efficacy and self efficacy of online protective behavior were significant predictors of behavioral intention with varying weights. The sole exception was perceived susceptibility to online harassment, which did not significantly predict behavioral intention. Gender and age were also found to moderate adolescents' uptake of protective behavior. The results suggest that public service programs targeted at educating youths should aim to increase coping appraisals and emphasize the severity of online harassment. Targeted educational programs could include those aimed at specific age or gender groups.
Effects of the KiVa anti-bullying program on adolescents' depression, anxiety, and perception of peers.Williford A, Boulton A, Noland B, Little TD, Kärnä A, Salmivalli C.
Source
School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66044, USA. [email protected]
Erratum in
J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2012 Feb;40(2):301-2.AbstractThe present study investigated the effects of the KiVa antibullying program on students' anxiety, depression, and perception of peers in Grades 4-6. Furthermore, it was investigated whether reductions in peer-reported victimization predicted changes in these outcome variables. The study participants included 7,741 students from 78 schools who were randomly assigned to either intervention or control condition, and the program effects were tested with structural equation modeling. A cross-lagged panel model suggested that the KiVa program is effective for reducing students' internalizing problems and improving their peer-group perceptions. Finally, changes in anxiety, depression, and positive peer perceptions were found to be predicted by reductions in victimization. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are discussed.
Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and social and school adjustment: the moderating roles of age and parenting.Kawabata Y, Tseng WL, Gau SS.
Source
Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, NC, USA.
AbstractThis study examined the associations between symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social and school adjustment (academic performance, peer relationships, school social problems) and the moderating roles of children's age and maternal parenting (affection and overprotection) in these associations. The sample consisted of 2,463 students who were in the first to ninth grade in northern Taiwan. Results from the linear mixed models demonstrated that ADHD symptoms were inversely associated with academic performance and positively associated with social adjustment problems. Further, children's age and maternal parenting moderated the associations between ADHD symptoms and school and social adjustment. For example, maternal overprotection moderated the relation between hyperactivity and negative peer relationships (i.e., difficulty forming and maintaining friendships), such that this relation was stronger for children who experienced higher levels of overprotection than children who did not. Moreover, children's age moderated the association between attention problems and decreased academic performance, such that this association was stronger for older children and adolescents than for younger children. Furthermore, children's age and maternal affection interacted to influence the association between attention problems and school social problems (i.e., bullying, aggression, and peer rejection) with maternal affection acting as a buffer for older children (grades 4-6) only. These findings are discussed from a developmental psychopathology perspective.
Adolescent risk behaviours and mealtime routines: does family meal frequency alter the association between family structure and risk behaviour?Levin KA, Kirby J, Currie C.
Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, The Moray House School of Education, University of Edinburgh, St Leonard's Land, Edinburgh EH8 8AQ, UK. [email protected]
AbstractFamily structure is associated with a range of adolescent risk behaviours, with those living in both parent families generally faring best. This study describes the association between family structure and adolescent risk behaviours and assesses the role of the family meal. Data from the 2006 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were modelled using Multilevel Binomial modelling for six risk behaviour outcomes. Significantly more children from 'both parent' families ate a family meal every day and fewer 'hardly ever or never' did. Family structure was associated with boys' and girls' smoking, drinking, cannabis use and having sex and with girls' fighting. Frequency of eating a family meal was associated with a reduced likelihood of all risk behaviours among girls and all but fighting and having sex among boys. Eating a family meal regularly nullified the association between family structure and drinking alcohol for boys and girls and cannabis use for boys and reduced the effect size of alternative family structures on boys having sex and smoking. The family meal, associated with a reduced likelihood of many adolescent risk behaviours, reduces or eliminates the association with family structure and may therefore help to overcome inequalities in adolescent risk behaviours.
Eur J Public Health. 2012 Feb;22(1):126-30. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckr010. Epub 2011 Mar 7.
Overweight, body image and bullying--an epidemiological study of 11- to 15-years olds.Brixval CS, Rayce SL, Rasmussen M, Holstein BE, Due P.
Source
National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark.
AbstractBACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to examine the association between weight status and exposure to bullying among 11-, 13- and 15-year-old Danish school children. Furthermore, the purpose was to investigate the potentially mediating effect of body image.METHODS:Data from the Danish contribution to the international cross-sectional research project Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2002 was used. Data were assessed from questionnaires and 4781 students aged 11-, 13- and 15-years old were included in the analyses. Logistic regression was used for the analyses.
RESULTS:The regression analyses showed that overweight and obese students were more exposed to bullying than their normal weight peers. Among boys, odds ratios (ORs) for exposure to bullying were 1.75 (1.18-2.61) in overweight and 1.98 (0.79-4.95) in obese boys compared with normal weight. Among girls, the corresponding ORs were 1.89 (1.25-2.85) in overweight and 2.74 (0.96-7.82) in obese girls. The mediation analyses showed that body image fully mediated the associations between weight status and exposure to bullying in both boys and girls.CONCLUSIONS:This study shows that overweight and obese boys and girls are of higher odds of being exposed to bullying than their normal weight peers. Moreover, this study finds that body image may statistically
explain this association between overweight and exposure to bullying. However, the study is cross-sectional, and hypotheses of possibilities for opposite causality are possible.
Peer victimization in youth with Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders.Zinner SH, Conelea CA, Glew GM, Woods DW, Budman CL.
Source
Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, CHDD, Seattle, WA 98195-7920, USA. [email protected]
AbstractChronic tic disorders including Tourette syndrome have negative impact across multiple functional domains. We explored associations between peer victimization status and tic subtypes, premonitory urges, internalizing symptoms, explosive outbursts, and quality of life among youth with chronic tic disorders, as part of the internet-based omnibus Tourette Syndrome Impact Survey. A mixed methods design combined child self-report and parental proxy-report (i.e., parent reporting on the child) demographic and quantitative data for affected youth ages 10-17 years addressing gender, mean age, ethnicity and other socioeconomic features, and presence of tic disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Peer "Victim" versus "Non-victim" status was determined using a subset of four questions about being bullied. "Victim" status was identified for those youth who endorsed the frequency of the occurrence of being bullied in one or more of the four questions as "most of the time" or "all of the time". Data from 211 eligible youth respondents and their parents/guardians showed 26% reporting peer victimization. Victim status was associated with greater tic frequency, complexity and severity; explosive outbursts; internalizing symptoms; and lower quality of life. Peer victimization among youth with chronic tic disorders is common and appears associated with tic morbidity, anxiety, depression, explosive outbursts, and poorer psychosocial functioning. Anticipatory guidance, specific bullying screening and prevention, and further studies are indicated in this population.
The impact of schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports on bullying and peer rejection: a randomized controlled effectiveness trial.Waasdorp TE, Bradshaw CP, Leaf PJ.
Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To build on prior research documenting the impact of School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) on school climate and discipline problems to examine the extent to which it affects bullying and peer rejection during the transition into early adolescence.DESIGN:Three-level models were fit using hierarchical linear modeling to determine the effect of SWPBIS on children's involvement in bullying.SETTING:Thirty-seven Maryland public elementary schools.
PARTICIPANTS:Data involved 12 344 children (52.9% male, 45.1% African American, 46.1% white) followed up longitudinally across 4 school years.
INTERVENTION:A randomized controlled effectiveness trial of SWPBIS.
OUTCOME MEASURES:Reports from teachers on bully-related behaviors were assessed through the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist.
RESULTS:Analyses indicated that children in schools that implemented SWPBIS displayed lower rates of teacher-reported bullying and peer rejection than those in schools without SWPBIS. A significant interaction also emerged between grade level of first exposure to SWPBIS and intervention status, suggesting that the effects of SWPBIS on rejection were strongest among children who were first exposed to SWPBIS at a younger age.CONCLUSIONS:The results indicated that SWPBIS has a significant effect on teachers' reports of children's involvement in bullying as victims and perpetrators. The findings were considered in light of other outcomes for students, staff, and the school environment, and they suggest that SWPBIS may help address the increasing national concerns related to school bullying by improving school climate.
Anxiety Stress Coping. 2012 Feb 1. [Epub ahead of print]
Associations between adults' recalled childhood bullying victimization, current social anxiety, coping, and self-blame: evidence for moderation and indirect effects.Boulton MJ.
a Department of Psychology , University of Chester , Parkgate Road , Chester , CH1 4BJ , UK.
AbstractAbstract Prior studies have shown that bullying victimization is common during childhood and may have negative effects over the short term. Evidence is also emerging that childhood bullying victimization in the form of teasing may precipitate social anxiety in adulthood. The present study extended the field by testing for associations between adults' recall of four common subtypes of childhood bullying victimization and their current social anxiety. It also provided the first test of whether coping moderated those associations, if they were indirect effects through self-blame, and if sex differences existed. Data were collected from 582 students aged 23+ years at two universities in the UK. Collectively, and for social exclusion and relational victimization uniquely, the subtypes of bullying victimization did predict social anxiety. Evidence for hypothesized moderation and indirect effects was obtained but these varied by subtype of victimization (but not sex). The theoretical and practical implications of these results were discussed.
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2012 Feb 12;6:8. doi: 10.1186/1753-2000-6-8.
Bullying behaviour in schools, socioeconomic position and psychiatric morbidity: a cross-sectional study in late adolescents in Greece.Magklara K, Skapinakis P, Gkatsa T, Bellos S, Araya R, Stylianidis S, Mavreas V.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, University of Ioannina, School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece. [email protected].
AbstractBACKGROUND:Bullying is quite prevalent in the school setting and has been associated with the socioeconomic position and psychiatric morbidity of the pupils. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between bullying and socioeconomic status in a sample of Greek adolescents and to examine whether this is confounded by the presence of psychiatric morbidity, including sub-threshold forms of illness.METHODS:5,614 adolescents aged 16-18 years old and attending 25 senior high schools were screened and a stratified random sample of 2,427 were selected for a detailed interview. Psychiatric morbidity was assessed with a fully structured psychiatric interview, the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), while bullying was assessed with the revised Olweus bully/victim questionnaire. The following socio-economic variables were assessed: parental educational level and employment status, financial difficulties of the family and adolescents' school performance. The associations were investigated using multinomial logit models.RESULTS:26.4% of the pupils were involved in bullying-related behaviours at least once monthly either as victims, perpetrators or both, while more frequent involvement (at least once weekly) was reported by 4.1%. Psychiatric morbidity was associated with all types of bullying-related behaviours. No socioeconomic associations were reported for victimization. A lower school performance and unemployment of the father were significantly more likely among perpetrators, while economic inactivity of the mother was more likely in pupils who were both victims and perpetrators. These results were largely confirmed when we focused on high frequency behaviours only. In addition, being overweight increased the risk of frequent victimization.
CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of bullying among Greek pupils is substantial. Perpetration was associated with some dimensions of adolescents' socioeconomic status, while victimization showed no socioeconomic associations. Our findings may add to the understanding of possible risk factors for bullying behaviours in adolescence.
J Phys Act Health. 2012 Feb 29. [Epub ahead of print]
A Qualitative Exploration of the "Critical Window": factors affecting Australian children's after school physical activity.Stanley RM, Boshoff K, Dollman J.
Source
School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
AbstractBACKGROUND:The after school period is potentially a "critical window" for promoting physical activity in children. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore children's perceptions of the factors influencing their engagement in physical activity during the after school period as the first phase in the development of a questionnaire.
METHODS:Fifty four South Australian children aged 10-13 years participated in same gender focus groups. Transcripts, field notes and activity documents were analysed using content analysis. Through an inductive thematic approach, data were coded and categorised into perceived barriers and facilitators according to a social ecological model.
RESULTS:Children identified a number of factors, including: safety in the neighbourhood and home settings; distance to and from places; weather; availability of time; perceived competence; enjoyment of physical activity; peer influence; and parent influence. New insights into bullying and teasing by peers and fear of dangerous animals and objects were revealed by the children.CONCLUSIONS:In this study, hearing children's voices allowed the emergence of factors which may not be exposed using existing surveys. These findings are grounded in children's perceptions and therefore serve as a valuable contribution to the existing literature, potentially leading to improved intervention and questionnaire design.
Psychol Assess. 2012 Mar;24(1):156-65. doi: 10.1037/a0025178. Epub 2012 Jan 16.
Development of a measure of the experience of being bullied in youth.Hunt C, Peters L, Rapee RM.
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractThe Personal Experiences Checklist (PECK) was developed to provide a multidimensional assessment of a young person's personal experience of being bullied that covered the full range of bullying behaviors, including covert relational forms of bullying and cyber bullying. A sample of 647 school children were used to develop the scale, and a 2nd sample of 218 children completed the PECK and a battery of measures of bullying (including peer nomination), anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, to provide validity evidence. Test-retest reliability was assessed in a further sample of 78 students. Four factors emerged from a principal axis factoring consistent with the domains of relational-verbal bullying, cyber bullying, physical bullying, andbullying based on culture and were confirmed with confirmatory factor analysis. The data also supported a higher order bullying factor with direct effects on these 4 factors. All PECK scales showed good to excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α range = .78-.91) and adequate test-retest reliability (range r = .61-.86). Most, but not all, expected relations were found with alternative methods of assessing bullying and measures of psychopathology. Taken together, the PECK provides a promising comprehensive and behaviorally focused dimensional measure of bullying.
The interaction of social risk factors and HPA axis dysregulation in predicting emotional symptoms of five- and six-year-old children.von Klitzing K, Perren S, Klein AM, Stadelmann S, White LO, Groeben M, Holsboer-Trachsler E, Brand
S, Hatzinger M.
Source
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Leipzig, Liebigstr. 20a, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:We examined the links of social relational (family environment and peer victimization) and neuroendocrinological (HPA axis dysregulation) risk factors to children's emotional symptoms. We placed special emphasis on the joint effects of these risk factors with respect to the emergence and course of the emotional symptoms.
METHODS:One hundred and sixty-six children were interviewed (Berkeley Puppet Interview) at age 5 and 6. Teachers and parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Parents completed the Family Environment Scales. Peer victimization was assessed by teacher and child reports. Children's saliva cortisol was measured before and after a highly structured story completion task which targeted their cognitive emotional representations of family conflicts.
RESULTS:In the cross-sectional analyses, negative family environment, peer victimization, and cortisol increase during the story completion task independently contributed to the variance of emotional symptoms. There was a significant interaction effect between family environment and cortisol increase: those six-year-olds who had experienced an unfavorable family environment only showed high levels of emotional symptoms if they exhibited a cortisol increase during the story completion task. In the longitudinal analysis, peer
victimization at age 5 predicted an increase of emotional symptoms at age 6, but only for those children who exhibited a blunted cortisol response a year earlier.
CONCLUSIONS:Negative family environment and peer victimization proved to be independently associated with emotional symptoms. HPA axis reactivity differentially moderated these associations. Therapeutic strategies should take the interaction between negative relational experiences and biological susceptibility to stress into account.
J Intellect Dev Disabil. 2012 Mar;37(1):65-82. doi: 10.3109/13668250.2011.648610. Epub 2012 Feb 3.
Children of parents with intellectual disability: facing poor outcomes or faring okay?Collings S, Llewellyn G.
Source
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Children of parents with intellectual disability are assumed to be at risk of poor outcomes but a comprehensive review of the literature has not previously been undertaken.
METHOD:A database and reference search from March 2010 to March 2011 resulted in 26 studies for review.
RESULTS:Two groups of studies were identified. The first investigated an association between parental intellectual disability and child outcomes where there was significant disadvantage. Some findings suggest low parental intellectual capacity can negatively impact child outcomes, but others indicate child development approaches population norms. A second, small group of studies explored narrative accounts of childhood to find that social exclusion, bullying, and stigma are commonplace. Removal from parental care emerged as a significant risk for this group of children.CONCLUSIONS:Studies focusing on child development represent 85% of the literature but reach no consensus about likely developmental or behavioural outcomes. Children studied usually come from clinical populations or other high-risk groups, and are typically young children.
Doctoral Nursing Candidate, Certified Gang Specialist, Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. [email protected]
AbstractSchool violence has evolved into an identifiably pervasive public health problem. Adverse consequences of school violence vary from bullying to death. In 2007, 457,700 youth (ages 12-18) were victims of serious crimes with 34% occurring on school grounds or on the way to school. A concept analysis of school violence can expand and enhance awareness of the pervasive phenomenon of school violence. Rodgers and Knafl (1993) evolutionary concept analysis method was used to provide a guiding framework for examination of school violence. Related manuscripts from the extant interdisciplinary school violence literature were obtained from relevant health science databases, the Education Resources Information Center, and various governmental and specialty websites within the contemporary time frame of 2000-2010. Analysis revealed the enormous scope and complexity of the problem of school violence including bullying, physical fighting, weapon carrying, alcohol/substance use and street gang presence on school property, school-associated violent death, safe schools legislation, and violence prevention strategies. Forensic nurses across practice settings are uniquely positioned to intervene to improve health of these youth through identification, assessment, treatment, and referral.
Parenting styles and attachment in school-aged children who stutter.Lau SR, Beilby JM, Byrnes ML, Hennessey NW.
Source
School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia.
AbstractParental input has been described as influential in early childhood stuttering yet the exact nature of this influence remains equivocal. The present study aimed to examine whether quantitative measures of parenting styles, parent and peer attachment patterns, and parent- and self-reported child behaviour could differentiate between school-aged children who stutter (CWS) (n=10) and their fluent peers (n=10). In addition, qualitative individual semi-structured interviews with all CWS were conducted to gain insight into their life experiences and reflections in relation to stuttering. The interviews were classified into ancillary themes of school, peers and parents. Quantitative findings revealed that CWS perceived their parents with significantly lower attachment, particularly in relation to trust, and parents of CWS perceived their children with significantly higher maladjustments than fluent counterparts. Qualitative themes emerged pertaining to attitudes, perceptions and relationships with teachers, peers and parents, with consistent experiences of teasing and bullying reported as a consequence of the stutter. The majority of participants recounted frustration with the nature in which their parents attempted to remediate their stuttering. Collectively, these findings highlight imperative management considerations for school-aged CWS and their parents. The usefulness of quantitative and qualitative research paradigms is also emphasised. Learning outcomes: The reader will be able to: (1) identify themes associated with the impact a childhood stutter has on parent and peer relationships; (2) identify how the quality of the parent child relationship is influenced by parenting styles and attachment; and (3) discuss the clinical implications of the results for children who stutter and their families.
A prospective longitudinal study of children's theory of mind and adolescent involvement in bullying.Shakoor S, Jaffee SR, Bowes L, Ouellet-Morin I, Andreou P, Happé F, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.
Source
MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Theory of mind (ToM) allows the understanding and prediction of other people's behaviours based on their mental states (e.g. beliefs). It is important for healthy social relationships and thus may contribute towards children's involvement in bullying. The present study investigated whether children involved in bullying during early adolescence had poor ToM in childhood.METHOD:Participants were members of the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative sample of 2,232 children and their families. We visited families when children were 5, 7, 10 and 12 years. ToM was assessed when the children were 5 years using eight standardized tasks. Identification of those children who were involved in bullying as victims, bullies and bully-victims using mothers', teachers' and children's reports was carried out when they were 12 years' old.RESULTS:Poor ToM predicted becoming a victim (effect size, d = 0.26), bully (d = 0.25) or bully-victim (d = 0.44) in early adolescence. These associations remained for victims and bully-victims when child-specific (e.g. IQ) and family factors (e.g. child maltreatment) were controlled for. Emotional and behavioural problems during middle childhood did not modify the association between poor ToM and adolescent bullying experiences.CONCLUSION:Identifying and supporting children with poor ToM early in life could help reduce their vulnerability for involvement in bullying and thus limit its adverse effects on mental health.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To study the prospective link between involvement in bullying (bully, victim, bully/victim), and subsequent suicide ideation and suicidal/self-injurious behavior, in preadolescent children in the United Kingdom.METHOD:A total of 6,043 children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort were assessed to ascertain involvement in bullying between 4 and 10 years and suicide related behavior at 11.7 years.RESULTS:Peer victimization (victim, bully/victim) was significantly associated with suicide ideation and suicidal/self-injurious behavior after adjusting for confounders. Bully/victims were at heightened risk for suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR]; 95% confidence interval [CI]): child report at 8 years (OR = 2.84; CI = 1.81-4.45); child report at 10 years (OR = 3.20; CI = 2.07-4.95); mother report (OR = 2.71; CI = 1.81-4.05); teacher report (OR = 2.79; CI = 1.62-4.81), as were chronic victims: child report (OR = 3.26; CI = 2.24-4.75); mother report (OR = 2.49; CI = 1.64-3.79); teacher report (OR = 5.99; CI = 2.79-12.88). Similarly, bully/victims were at heightened risk for suicidal/self-injurious behavior: child report at 8 years (OR = 2.67; CI = 1.66-4.29); child report at 10 years (OR = 3.34; CI = 2.17-5.15); mother report (OR = 2.09; CI = CI = 1.36-3.20); teacher report (OR = 2.44, CI = 1.39-4.30); as were chronic victims: child report (OR = 4.10; CI = 2.76-6.08); mother report (OR = 1.91; 1.22-2.99); teacher report (OR = 3.26; CI = 1.38-7.68). Pure bullies had increased risk of suicide ideation according to child report at age 8 years (OR = 3.60; CI = 1.46-8.84), suicidal/self-injurious behavior according to child report at age 8 years (OR = 3.02; CI = 1.14-8.02), and teacher report (OR = 1.84; CI = 1.09-3.10).
CONCLUSIONS:Children involved in bullying, in any role, and especially bully/victims and chronic victims, are at increased risk for suicide ideation and suicidal/self-injurious behavior in preadolescence.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 Mar;9(3):985-94. doi: 10.3390/ijerph9030985. Epub 2012 Mar 19.
Social aspects of suicidal behavior and prevention in early life: a review.Amitai M, Apter A.
Source
Child and Adolescent Division, Geha Mental Health Center, PetachTikva, Israel. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:The present review summarizes the updated literature on the social aspects of suicidal behavior and prevention in adolescents.
RECENT FINDINGS:The predictive role of psychiatric disorders and past history are well recognized in adolescent suicide, but the role of social and cultural factors is less clear. Studies have focused on the importance of ethnicity, gender, family characteristics, and socioeconomic status. More recently, attention has been addressed to broader social risk factors, such as bullying in adolescents, suicide contagion, sexual orientation, and the popular media. Further empirical evidence is needed to advance our understanding of suicidal youth, develop better assessment tools, and formulate effective prevention and treatment programs.
SUMMARY:Suicidal behavior remains an important clinical problem and major cause of death in youth. Social factors may be at least as important as genetics. Advancing our understanding of underlying cultural and sociological issues in youth suicide will help clinicians achieve more efficient prediction, prevention and treatment.
Health Promot Int. 2012 Mar;27(1):5-14. doi: 10.1093/heapro/dar012. Epub 2011 Mar 7.
An evaluation of a drama program to enhance social relationships and anti-bullying at elementary school: a controlled study.Joronen K, Konu A, Rankin HS, Astedt-Kurki P.
Source
School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. [email protected]
AbstractDrama, theater and role-playing methods are commonly used in health promotion programs, but evidence of their effectiveness is limited. This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a school-based drama program to enhance social relationships and decrease bullying at school in children in grades 4-5 (mean age of 10.4 years). Students (n = 190) were recruited from two primary schools with similar demographics and socio-economics in the Southern Finland and purposively allocated either to an intervention group or a control group. The drama program included classroom drama sessions, follow-up activities at home and three parents' evenings concerning issues of social well being during the school year September 2007-May 2008. Data on social relationships in the class room and experiences of bullying were obtained before and after the program using self-completed questionnaire from the same students (n = 134). The response rate was 71%. No differences in socio-demographics existed between intervention group and control group at pretest. The positive effect on social relationships resulting from the intervention approached statistical significance (p = 0.065). Moreover, the positive effect was found to be statistically significant in the high-intensity intervention classes (p = 0.011). Bullying victimization decreased 20.7 percentage units from pretest (58.8%) to posttest (38.1%) in the intervention group (p < 0.05). The study indicates that using applied drama and theater methods in the classroom may improve children's social relationships at school.
Dev Psychol. 2012 Mar;48(2):575-88. doi: 10.1037/a0024888. Epub 2011 Aug 8.
Differential expression of social dominance as a function of age and maltreatment experience.Teisl M, Rogosch FA, Oshri A, Cicchetti D.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA. [email protected]
AbstractRecent perspectives on social dominance in normative populations have suggested a developmental progression from using primarily coercive strategies to incorporation of more socially competent strategies to attain material and social resources. Parental influences on the resource control strategies children use have been proposed but not investigated empirically. The present study examined age- and gender-related differences in dominance strategies in 470 children from high-risk neighborhoods who were between 6 and 13 years of age, approximately half of whom had experienced maltreatment. A Q-sort measure of social dominance was developed and received preliminary support. Consistent with predictions from resource control theory, age-related differences in dominance-related behavior were demonstrated in both nonmaltreated and maltreated children. Maltreated children were more likely than nonmaltreated children to be identified as dominant bullies at any age. Dominance and bullying were not more likely to be associated for children who had experienced physical and sexual abuse relative to those who were neglected or emotionally maltreated. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of maltreatment on the social development of children, and intervention approaches for limiting these deleterious effects are recommended.
Predicting undergraduates' self-reported engagement in traditional and cyberbullying from attitudes.Boulton M, Lloyd J, Down J, Marx H.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom. [email protected]
AbstractStudies indicate that attitudes predict traditional forms of bullying. Fewer studies have tested this for cyberbullying, in which the harassment is delivered via electronic communication technology. The current study represents the first direct comparison of attitudes toward the two forms ofbullying among undergraduates (N=405). It also tested the hypothesis that engagement in traditional and cyberbullying could be predicted from attitudes toward bullying behavior, bullies, and victims. Results indicated that participants held least favorable attitudes toward physicalbullying/bullies, more accepting attitudes toward verbal bullying/bullies, and attitudes toward forms of cyberbullying/bullies somewhere in between. Significant sex differences were also obtained; women expressed significantly less accepting attitudes toward bullying behavior and perpetrators, and more accepting attitudes toward victims, across all subtypes of bullying. The hypothesis that attitudes predict bullying behavior received some support. Some similarities and differences emerged for cyber and traditional forms. The implications for future research, theory building, and interventions are discussed.
Child Dev. 2012 Mar-Apr;83(2):405-12. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01718.x. Epub 2012 Jan 30.
Adolescent daily and general maladjustment: is there reactivity to daily repeated measures methodologies?Nishina A.
AbstractThe present study examined whether repeated exposure to daily surveys about negative social experiences predicts changes in adolescents' daily and general maladjustment, and whether question content moderates these changes. Across a 2-week period, 6th-grade students (N = 215; mode age = 11) completed 5 daily reports tapping experienced or experienced and witnessed negative events, or they completed no daily reports. General maladjustment was measured in 2-week intervals before, at the end of, and 2 weeks after the daily report study. Daily maladjustment either decreased or did not change across the 5 daily report exposures. General maladjustment decreased across the three 2-week intervals. Combined, results indicate that short-term daily report studies do not place youth at risk for increased maladjustment.
Am J Public Health. 2012 Mar;102(3):493-5. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300430. Epub 2012 Jan 19.
Adolescent health and harassment based on discriminatory bias.Russell ST, Sinclair KO, Poteat VP, Koenig BW.
Source
Division of Family Studies and Human Development and Frances McClelland Institute for Children, Youth, and Families, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0078, USA.
AbstractIs harassment based on personal characteristics such as race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, or disability more detrimental than general harassment? In 2 large population-based studies of adolescents, more than one third of those harassed reported bias-based school harassment. Both studies show that bias-based harassment is more strongly associated with compromised health than general harassment. Research on harassment among youths rarely examines the underlying cause. Attention to bias or prejudice in harassment and bullying should be incorporated into programs and policies for young people.
Acta Paediatr. 2012 Mar;101(3):324-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02518.x. Epub 2011 Nov 22.
Multiple psychosomatic symptoms can indicate child physical abuse - results from a study of Swedish schoolchildren.Jernbro C, Svensson B, Tindberg Y, Janson S.
Source
Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Health and Environment, Karlstad University, Sweden. [email protected]
AbstractAIM:To examine whether children with self-reported experiences of either physical abuse alone or combined with intimate partner violence report more psychosomatic symptoms than other children and to explore whether these possible associations are enhanced by school-related factors, chronic condition and demographic factors.
METHODS:A national cross-sectional study of 2771 pupils in grades 4, 6 and 9 from 44 schools in Sweden was carried out in 2006 (91% response rate). Data were analysed with univariate tests (chi-square), multiple logistic regression analyses and stratified logistic regression analyses, expressed as crude odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS:There was a strong association between reported physical abuse and multiple (three or more) psychosomatic symptoms among schoolchildren (AOR 2.12). Chronic condition was the only determinant that had an obvious enhancing effect on the association between physical abuse and psychosomatic symptoms in childhood.
CONCLUSION:This study shows that multiple psychosomatic symptoms are associated with child physical abuse. Health professionals therefore need to pay special attention to schoolchildren who complain about the co-occurrence of psychosomatic symptoms and pattern of symptoms, which could not be easily explained by other causes.
Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2012 Apr;42(2):217-33. doi: 10.1111/j.1943-278X.2012.00084.x. Epub 2012 Mar
1.
Perfectionistic self-presentation, socially prescribed perfectionism, and suicide in youth: a test of the perfectionism social disconnection model.Roxborough HM, Hewitt PL, Kaldas J, Flett GL, Caelian CM, Sherry S, Sherry DL.
Source
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
AbstractThe role of interpersonal components of perfectionism in suicide outcomes among youth was assessed and the Perfectionism Social Disconnection Model (PSDM) was tested by determining whether the links between socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) and perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) and suicide outcomes are mediated by experiences of social disconnection, as indicated by social hopelessness and being bullied. PSP, trait perfectionism, suicide outcomes, and experiences of being bullied and social hopelessness were measured in 152 psychiatric outpatient children and adolescents. Correlational tests confirmed that PSP and SPP were associated with suicide outcomes and these interpersonal perfectionism components were associated significantly with bullying and social hopelessness. Support was also obtained for the PSDM. The relationship between the PSP facets, particularly nondisplay of imperfections, and suicide outcomes were mediated by being bullied. Additionally, the relationship between all interpersonal components of perfectionism and suicide risk was mediated by social
hopelessness. Theoretical and clinical implications of interpersonal components of perfectionism and social disconnection in suicide outcomes for youth are discussed.
Cross-contextual stability of bullying victimization: a person-oriented analysis of cyber and traditional bullyingexperiences among adolescents.Erentaitė R, Bergman LR, Zukauskienė R.
Source
Department of Psychology, Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania. [email protected]
AbstractUsing a person-oriented approach the study examined whether bullying victimization at school continued into cyberspace victimization in a large sample of high school students in Lithuania (N = 1667, 58% girls), age 15-19 (M = 17.29, SD = 0.95). Three forms of traditional bullying (verbal, physical and relational) and seven forms of cyberbullying victimization through cell phones and computers were included in the analysis. The findings revealed that 35% of traditional bullying victims were also bullied in cyberspace. In particular, adolescents who experienced predominantly verbal and relational bullying at school, showed a higher risk of victimization in cyberspace a year later, while this was not observed for predominantly physical forms of traditional bullying. The findings point to the importance of a cross-contextual perspective in studies on stability of bullying victimization.
Observations of adolescent peer resistance skills following a classroom-based healthy relationship program: a post-intervention comparison.Wolfe DA, Crooks CV, Chiodo D, Hughes R, Ellis W.
Source
CAMH Centre for Prevention Science and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examines peer resistance skills following a 21-lesson classroom-based intervention to build healthy relationships and decrease abusive and health-risk behaviors among adolescents. The Fourth R instructs students in positive relationship skills, such as negotiation and delay, for navigating challenging peer and dating scenarios. Observational data from 196 grade 9 students participating in a larger cluster randomized controlled trial were used to evaluate post-intervention acquisition of peer resistance skills. Pairs of students engaged in a role play paradigm with older student actors, where they were subjected to increasing pressure to comply with peer requests related to drugs and alcohol, bullying, and sexual behavior. Specific and global measures of change in peer resistance responses were obtained from two independent sets of observers, blinded to condition. Specific peer resistance responses (negotiation, delay, yielding to pressure, refusal, and compliance) were coded by research assistants; global peer
resistance responses were rated by teachers from other schools (thinking / inquiry, application, communication, and perceived efficacy). Students who received the intervention were more likely to demonstrate negotiation skills and less likely to yield to negative pressure relative to controls. Intervention students were also more likely to use delay than controls; control girls were more likely to use refusal responses; the number of times students complied with peer requests did not differ. Teacher ratings demonstrated significant main effects favoring intervention youth on all measures. Program and research implications are highlighted.
Pediatrics. 2012 Apr;129(4):e882-91. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1556. Epub 2012 Mar 26.
Mental health difficulties in children with developmental coordination disorder.Lingam R, Jongmans MJ, Ellis M, Hunt LP, Golding J, Emond A.
Source
Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To explore the associations between probable developmental coordination disorder (DCD) defined at age 7 years and mental health difficulties at age 9 to 10 years.
METHODS:We analyzed of prospectively collected data (N = 6902) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. "Probable" DCD was defined by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria as those children below the 15th centile of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children Coordination Test, with functional limitations in activities of daily living or handwriting, excluding children with neurologic difficulties or an IQ <70. Mental health was measured by using the child-reported Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire and the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression models, with the use of multiple imputation to account for missing data, assessed the associations between probable DCD and mental health difficulties. Adjustments were made for environmental confounding factors, and potential mediating factors such as verbal IQ, associated developmental traits, bullying, self-esteem, and friendships.RESULTS:Children with probable DCD (N = 346) had an increased odds of self-reported depression, odds ratio: 2.08 (95% confidence interval: 1.36-3.19) and parent-reported mental health difficulties odds ratio: 4.23 (95% confidence interval: 3.10-5.77). The odds of mental health difficulties significantly decreased after accounting for verbal IQ, social communication, bullying, and self-esteem.CONCLUSIONS:Children with probable DCD had an increased risk of mental health difficulties that, in part, were mediated through associated developmental difficulties, low verbal IQ, poor self-esteem, and bullying. Prevention and treatment of mental health difficulties should be a key element of intervention for children with DCD.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):7-13. doi: 10.1002/yd.20003.
Bullying in schools: what is the problem, and how can educators solve it?Strohmeier D, Noam GG.
Source
School of Health/Social Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, Linz, Austria.
AbstractThis chapter reviews recent research on bullying from an educator's perspective. It is well known that bullying, a serious issue in schools, can be prevented when educators intervene. But research has shown that it is difficult for educators to detect bullying situations in their school and intervene competently and effectively. This chapter examines how educators can detect bullying, how they can best tackle serious cases of bullying, and how they can best prevent bullying in the long run.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):15-28. doi: 10.1002/yd.20004.
The Bernese Program against Victimization in Kindergarten and Elementary School.Alsaker FD, Valkanover S.
Source
University of Berne, Switzerland.
AbstractThe Bernese Program against Victimization in Kindergarten and Elementary School was designed to be adaptable to the very different situations and needs encountered by teachers in kindergarten and elementary school. The basic principle of the program is to enhance teachers' ability to addressbullying. The program consists of six modules, each corresponding to a specific topic. Teachers are urged to implement the tasks discussed during the meetings in their own classes during the time between the meetings. The program has been evaluated using a prevention-control pre- and posttest design. The informants were teachers as well as children. There was a significant interaction between time (pre- and posttest) and group (prevention and control) as to victimization. Changes in teachers' attitudes toward bullying and their ability to cope with such problems were also significant and in the expected direction.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):29-39. doi: 10.1002/yd.20005.
The Zero program.Roland E, Midthassel UV.
Source
Centre for Behaviour Research, University of Stavanger, Norway.
AbstractZero is a schoolwide antibullying program developed by the Centre for Behavioural Research at the University of Stavanger, Norway. It is based on three main principles: a zero vision of bullying, collective commitment among all employees at the school using the program, and continuing work. Based on these principles, the program aims to reduce student bullying by increasing the school's ability to uncover and stop bullying, and eventually to prevent it. The Zero program was launched in 2003, but the work that led to it goes back to the first national steps against bullying in 1983. The program extends over sixteen months as teachers develop their awareness of bullying and their competence in addressing it. Students and parents are involved in the program as well. The role of the school leadership is very important. More than 360 Norwegian schools have carried out the program.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):41-53. doi: 10.1002/yd.20006.
Making bullying prevention a priority in Finnish schools: the KiVa antibullying program.Salmivalli C, Poskiparta E.
Source
University of Turku.
AbstractThe KiVa antibullying program has been widely implemented in Finnish comprehensive schools since 2009. The program is predicated on the idea that a positive change in the behaviors of classmates can reduce the rewards gained by the perpetrators of bullying and consequently their motivation to bully in the first place. KiVa involves both universal and bullying specific actions to prevent the emergence of new cases of bullying, stop ongoingbullying, and reduce the negative consequences of victimization. The program has been evaluated in a randomized controlled trial involving 234 Finnish schools and during broad dissemination across Finnish schools (the evaluation involving almost one thousand schools) with positive findings. The program content and the implementation model are presented in this article, and the findings from the evaluation studies are summarized.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):55-70. doi: 10.1002/yd.20007.
School-based prevention of bullying and relational aggression in adolescence: the fairplayer.manual.Scheithauer H, Hess M, Schultze-Krumbholz A, Bull HD.
Division of Developmental Science andApplied Developmental Psychology, Freie Universität, Berlin.
AbstractThe fairplayer.manual is a school-based program to prevent bullying. The program consists of fifteen to seventeen consecutive ninety-minute lessons using cognitive-behavioral methods, methods targeting group norms and group dynamics, and discussions on moral dilemmas. Following a two-day training session, teachers, together with skilled fairplayer.teamers, implement fairplayer.manual in the classroom during regular school lessons. This chapter offers a summary of the program's conception and underlying prevention theory and summarizes the results from two evaluation studies. Standardized questionnaires showed a positive impact of the intervention program on several outcome variables.
New Dir Youth Dev. 2012 Spring;2012(133):85-98. doi: 10.1002/yd.20009.
Risk and protective factors, longitudinal research, and bullying prevention.Ttofi MM, Farrington DP.
Source
Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge.
AbstractThis chapter presents the results from two systematic/meta-analytic reviews of longitudinal studies on the association of school bullying (perpetration and victimization) with adverse health and criminal outcomes later in life. Significant associations between the two predictors and the outcomes are found even after controlling for other major childhood risk factors that are measured before school bullying. The results indicate that effective antibullying programs should be encouraged. They could be viewed as a form of early crime prevention as well as an early form of public health promotion. The findings from a systematic/meta-analytic review on the effectiveness of antibullying programs are also presented. Overall, school-based antibullying programs are effective, leading to an average decrease in bullying of 20 to 23 percent and in victimization of 17 to 20 percent. The chapter emphasizes the lack of prospective longitudinal research in the area of school bullying, which does not allow examination of whether any given factor (individual, family,. or social) is a correlate, a predictor, or a possible cause for bullying. This has important implications for future antibullying initiatives, as well as implications for the refinement of theories of school bullying. It is necessary to extend the framework of the traditional risk-focused approach by incorporating the notion of resiliency and investigating possible protective factors against school bullying and its negative consequences.
Matern Child Health J. 2012 Apr;16 Suppl 1:S158-69. doi: 10.1007/s10995-012-1005-z.
Impact of neighborhood social conditions and household socioeconomic status on behavioral problems among US children.Singh GK, Ghandour RM.
Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, USA. [email protected]
AbstractWe examine the impact of neighborhood social conditions and household socioeconomic status (SES) on the prevalence of parent-reported behavioral problems among US children aged 6-17 years. The 2007 National Survey of Children's Health was used to develop a factor analytic index and a dichotomous measure of serious behavioral problems (SBP) in children. The outcome measures were derived from 11 items capturing parents' ratings of their children on a set of behaviors, e.g., arguing, bullying, and feelings of worthlessness, depression, and detachment. Dichotomous measures of perceived safety, presence of garbage/litter, poor/dilapidated housing, and vandalism were used to assess neighborhood social conditions. Household SES was measured using parental education and household poverty status. Logistic and least squares regression models were used to analyze neighborhood and household socioeconomic effects on the continuous and binary outcome measures after controlling for sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, including behavioral risk factors, family cohesion, social participation, and geographic mobility. Higher levels of behavioral problems were associated with socially disadvantaged neighborhoods and lower household SES. Adjusted logistic models showed that children in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods (those characterized by safety concerns, poor housing, garbage/litter in streets, and vandalism) had 1.9 times higher odds, children in poverty had 3.7 times higher odds, and children of parents with less than high school education had 1.9 times higher odds of SBP than their more advantaged counterparts. Improvements in neighborhood conditions and household SES may both help to reduce childhood behavioral problems.
Bullying among adolescents in North Cyprus and Turkey: testing a multifactor model.Bayraktar F.
Source
Eastern Mediteranean University, North Cyprus, Turkey. [email protected]
AbstractPeer bullying has been studied since the 1970s. Therefore, a vast literature has accumulated about the various predictors of bullying. However, to date there has been no study which has combined individual-, peer-, parental-, teacher-, and school-related predictors of bullying within a model. In this sense, the main aim of this study was to test a multifactor model of bullying among adolescents in North Cyprus and Turkey. A total of 1,052 adolescents (554 girls, 498 boys) aged between 13 and 18 (M = 14.7, SD = 1.17) were recruited from North Cyprus and Turkey. Before testing the multifactor models, the measurement models were tested according to structural equation modeling propositions. Both models indicated that the psychological climate of the school, teacher attitudes within classroom, peer relationships, parental acceptance-rejection, and individual social competence factors had significant direct effects on bullying behaviors. Goodness-of-fit indexes indicated that the proposed multifactor model fitted both data well. The strongest predictors of bullying were the psychological climate of the school following individual social competence factors and teacher attitudes within classroom in both samples. All of the latent variables explained 44% and 51% of the variance in bullying in North Cyprus and Turkey, respectively.
AbstractAIM:This article is a report on a descriptive qualitative case study of the dietary change experiences of overweight children and their families.
BACKGROUND:Obese children are at risk of experiencing a complicated childhood and becoming obese adults with associated ill health and premature death. The prevalence of obesity among children appears to be rising rapidly. In Europe, prevalence rates for overweight children are 10-40%, and generally this prevalence has tripled during the past 30 years.
METHOD:The study was conducted as a qualitative longitudinal case study on the basis of 2-3 annual interviews with four overweight Danish children, six parents and four siblings from April 2006 to September 2008. Altogether 61 interviews were conducted. In the data analysis process, a thematic, phenomenological approach was used.
FINDINGS:The following themes were identified: the reactions and attitudes of children with the sub-themes taking ownership of dietary changes and vulnerability reactions; and the reactions and attitudes of parents with the sub-themes personal acceptance and support, indulgence and protection, setting limits and barriers to successful dietary change. The children were under pressure, showed signs of stigmatization and marginalization, and developed self-protecting strategies. The parents tried to cope to the best of their ability, needed help, but felt rejected by professional key persons and authorities.
CONCLUSIONS:On the basis of the study, it was hypothesised that a prejudice-free, individually accepting and supporting intervention must be provided for each family over time to ensure successful weight loss.
Int J Public Health. 2012 Apr;57(2):325-31. doi: 10.1007/s00038-010-0221-9. Epub 2010 Nov 26.
Screen time and physical violence in 10 to 16-year-old Canadian youth.Janssen I, Boyce WF, Pickett W.
School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To examine the independent associations between television, computer, and video game use with physical violence in youth.
METHODS:The study population consisted of a representative cross-sectional sample of 9,672 Canadian youth in grades 6-10 and a 1-year longitudinal sample of 1,861 youth in grades 9-10. The number of weekly hours watching television, playing video games, and using a computer was determined. Violence was defined as engagement in ≥2 physical fights in the previous year and/or perpetration of ≥2-3 monthly episodes of physicalbullying. Logistic regression was used to examine associations.RESULTS:In the cross-sectional sample, computer use was associated with violence independent of television and video game use. Video game use was associated with violence in girls but not boys. Television use was not associated with violence after controlling for the other screen time measures. In the longitudinal sample, video game use was a significant predictor of violence after controlling for the other screen time measures.
CONCLUSIONS:Computer and video game use were the screen time measures most strongly related to violence in this large sample of youth.
Indian J Public Health. 2012 Apr-Jun;56(2):155-8. doi: 10.4103/0019-557X.99916.
Mental health, protective factors and violence among male adolescents: a comparison between urban and rural school students in West Bengal.Samanta A, Mukherjee S, Ghosh S, Dasgupta A.
Source
Department of Community Medicine, NRS Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. [email protected]
AbstractA cross-sectional study was conducted among 199 (104 urban, 95 rural) male students of classes VIII and IX, of two schools, in urban and rural areas of West Bengal to compare the prevalence of protective factors, mental health issues, and violence among the urban and rural adolescents using a self-administered questionnaire. Higher proportion of urban students than rural (67.3% vs. 62.5%) reported that their guardians understood their problems. Mental health issues like loneliness (17.3% vs. 9.8%), worry (17.3% vs. 10.7%), and suicidal thoughts (19.2% vs. 14.1%) were higher among urban students. Physical fight (53.8% vs. 11.6%), bullying (46.4% vs. 17%), physical attack by family members (46% vs. 17%), and by teachers (53% vs. 10.7%) were all more in urban adolescents. Mental health- and violence-related issues were prevalent more among urban students than those among rural students in spite of having more protective factors suggesting the need of frequent supervision, monitoring, and support of adolescents.
Health Educ Res. 2012 Apr;27(2):269-80. doi: 10.1093/her/cyr049. Epub 2011 Jun 28.
Using interviews and peer pairs to better understand how school environments affect young children's playground physical activity levels: a qualitative study.Parrish AM, Yeatman H, Iverson D, Russell K.
Source
School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractSchool break times provide a daily opportunity for children to be active; however, research indicates this time is underutilized. Reasons for low children's playground activity levels have primarily focused on physical barriers. This research aimed to contribute to physical environmental findings affecting children's playground physical activity levels by identifying additional variables through the interview process. Thirteen public schools were included in the sample (total 2946 children). Physical activity and environmental data were collected over 3 days. Environmental variables were manually assessed at each of the 13 schools. Observational data were used to determine which three schools were the most and least active. The principal, three teachers and 20 students in Grades 4-6 from these six schools (four lower and two average socioeconomic status) were invited to participate in the interview process. Student interviews involved the paired interview technique. The main themes generated from the school interviews included the effect of non-fixed equipment (including balls), playground markings, playground aesthetics, activity preference, clothing, the amount of break time available for play, teacher playground involvement, gender, bullying, school policies, student confidence in break-time activity and fundamental movement skills. The effect of bullying on playground physical activity levels was concerning.
Bullying and peer victimisation in adolescent girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.Sciberras E, Ohan J, Anderson V.
Source
Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractEmerging evidence suggests that adolescent girls with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more socially impaired compared with their peers; however, research has yet to elucidate the nature of this impairment. We investigated overt (e.g., physical, such as hitting or kicking or verbal, such as teasing and taunting) and relational (e.g., social manipulation, such as social exclusion) bullying and victimisation in adolescent girls with and without ADHD. Adolescent girls (mean age = 15.11) with (n = 22) and without (n = 20) ADHD and their primary caregivers completed measures of overt/relational bullying and victimisation and social impairment. Adolescent girls with ADHD experienced more social problems and more relational and overt victimisation than adolescent girls without ADHD. Although adolescent girls with ADHD engaged in more overt and relational bullying than adolescent girls without ADHD, this difference was not statistically significant. Oppositional Defiant Disorder symptoms
appeared to be more strongly related to bullying behaviour, while victimisation appeared to be more strongly related to ADHD.
Addict Behav. 2012 Apr;37(4):569-72. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.01.001. Epub 2012 Jan 11.
Illuminating the relationship between bullying and substance use among middle and high school youth.Radliff KM, Wheaton JE, Robinson K, Morris J.
Source
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-1224, United States. [email protected]
AbstractThe increased prevalence and negative impact of bullying and substance use among youth has been established independently in the literature; however, few researchers have examined the association between involvement in bullying and substance use across middle and high school youth. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the self-reported prevalence of bullying and substance use (alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) among youth in middle and high school. Middle and high school students from 16 school districts across a large metropolitan area (N=78,333) completed a school-based survey. Scales were created to examine involvement in bullying, victimization, and substance use. A link between involvement inbullying and substance use was evident. Youth involved in bullying were more likely than students not involved in bullying to use substances, with bully-victims reporting the greatest levels of substance use. Differences at the school level and across status (i.e., bullies, victims, and bully-victims) are discussed. Implications for practice and prevention and intervention programs are offered. Findings support the need for continued research into risky behaviors, such as substance use, that are correlated with bullying behavior and may contribute to an increase in negative outcomes.
Exposure to violence during childhood is associated with telomere erosion from 5 to 10 years of age: a longitudinal study.Shalev I, Moffitt TE, Sugden K, Williams B, Houts RM, Danese A, Mill J, Arseneault L, Caspi A.
Source
1] Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA [2] Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
AbstractThere is increasing interest in discovering mechanisms that mediate the effects of childhood stress on late-life disease morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have suggested one potential mechanism linking stress to cellular aging, disease and mortality in humans: telomere erosion. We examined telomere erosion in relation to children's exposure to violence, a salient early-life stressor, which has known long-term consequences for well-being and is a major public-health and social-welfare problem. In the first prospective-longitudinal study with repeated telomere measurements in children while they experienced stress, we tested the hypothesis that childhood violence exposure would accelerate telomere erosion from age 5 to age 10 years. Violence was assessed as exposure to maternal domestic violence, frequent bullying victimization and physical maltreatment by an adult. Participants were 236 children (49%
females; 42% with one or more violence exposures) recruited from the Environmental-Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 birth cohort. Each child's mean relative telomere length was measured simultaneously in baseline and follow-up DNA samples, using the quantitative PCR method for T/S ratio (the ratio of telomere repeat copy numbers to single-copy gene numbers). Compared with their counterparts, the children who experienced two or more kinds of violence exposure showed significantly more telomere erosion between age-5 baseline and age-10 follow-up measurements, even after adjusting for sex, socioeconomic status and body mass index (B=-0.052, s.e.=0.021, P=0.015). This finding provides support for a mechanism linking cumulative childhood stress to telomere maintenance, observed already at a young age, with potential impact for life-long health.Molecular Psychiatry advance online publication, 24 April 2012; doi:10.1038/mp.2012.32.
Bullying victimisation and risk of self harm in early adolescence: longitudinal cohort study.Fisher HL, Moffitt TE, Houts RM, Belsky DW, Arseneault L, Caspi A.
Source
MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To test whether frequent bullying victimisation in childhood increases the likelihood of self harming in early adolescence, and to identify which bullied children are at highest risk of self harm.DESIGN:The Environmental Risk (E-Risk) longitudinal study of a nationally representative UK cohort of 1116 twin pairs born in 1994-95 (2232 children).
SETTING:England and Wales, United Kingdom.
PARTICIPANTS:Children assessed at 5, 7, 10, and 12 years of age.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Relative risks of children's self harming behaviour in the six months before their 12th birthday.
RESULTS:Self harm data were available for 2141 children. Among children aged 12 who had self harmed (2.9%; n=62), more than half were victims of frequent bullying (56%; n=35). Exposure to frequent bullying predicted higher rates of self harm even after children's pre-morbid emotional and behavioural problems, low IQ, and family environmental risks were taken into account (bullying victimisation reported by mother: adjusted relative risk 1.92, 95% confidence interval 1.18 to 3.12; bullying victimisation reported by child: 2.44, 1.36 to 4.40). Victimised twins were more likely to self harm than were their non-victimised twin sibling (bullying victimisation reported by mother: 13/162 v 3/162, ratio=4.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 14.0;bullying victimisation reported by child: 12/144 v 7/144, ratio=1.7, 0.71 to 4.1). Compared with bullied children who did not self harm, bullied children who self harmed were distinguished by a family history of attempted/completed suicide, concurrent mental health problems, and a history of physical maltreatment by an adult.
CONCLUSIONS:Prevention of non-suicidal self injury in young adolescents should focus on helping bullied children to cope more appropriately with their distress. Programmes should target children who have additional mental health problems, have a family history of attempted/completed suicide, or have been maltreated by an adult.
Risk and protective factors for psychological distress among adolescents: a family study in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study.Myklestad I, Røysamb E, Tambs K.
Source
Division of Mental Health, Department of Children and Adolescents, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404, Nydalen, 0403, Oslo, Norway. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:The study aimed to investigate potential adolescent and parental psychosocial risk and protective factors for psychological distress among adolescents and, in addition, to examine potential gender and age differences in the effects of risk factors on adolescent psychological distress.
METHODS:Data were collected among 8,984 Norwegian adolescents (13-19 years) and their parents in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). The outcome measure was psychological distress (SCL-5).
RESULTS:Bivariate regression analysis with generalized estimating equation (GEE) model showed that all parental self-reported variables (mental distress, substance use, social network, economic problems, unemployment and family structure) and adolescents' self-reported variables (leisure activities, social support from friends, school-related problems and substance use) were significantly associated with psychological distress among adolescents. Results revealed that in a multiple regression analysis with a GEE model, adolescent psychosocial variables, specifically academic-related problems and being bullied at school, emerged as the strongest predictors of psychological distress among adolescents after controlling for age, gender, and all parental and adolescent variables. The following psychosocial risk factors were significantly more important for girl's psychological distress compared to boys: problems with academic achievement, conduct problems in school, frequency of being drunk, smoking, dissatisfaction in school, living alone and seen parents being drunk.
CONCLUSION:Academic achievement and being bullied at school were the psychosocial factors most strongly associated with psychological distress among adolescents. Parental factors had an indirect effect on adolescent psychological distress, through adolescents' psychosocial factors.
Psicothema. 2012 May;24(2):236-42.
Tolerance towards dating violence in Spanish adolescents.
AbstractThe study of intimate partner violence among adolescent and young couples in Spain remains unattended, although such abuses are well known and more frequent than in adulthood. The aim of this study is, on the one hand, to provide epidemiological information on dating relationships, and on the other hand, to identify attitudes towards violence. 2205 women enrolled in schools in diverse provinces of Spain, participated in the study. Average age was near 19 years (SD= 2.25). The Dating Violence Questionnaire (DVQ, in Spanish, CUVINO), a questionnaire that assesses both frequency and distress associated with violent behavior, was used. The DVQ allowed differentiating between groups of women self-labeled as abused and not abused on the basis of the frequency of sustained violence, although the levels of distress in the face of violence were statistically similar in both groups. Implications for future research and prevention programs are discussed.
Increasing meaning in measurement: a Rasch analysis of the Child-Adolescent Teasing Scale.Vessey JA, DiFazio RL, Strout TD.
Source
William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:In today's increasingly violent society, many childhood incidents that begin as simple teasing deteriorate into persistent bullying. The Child-Adolescent Teasing Scale (CATS) was developed to measure self-perceived teasing in youths aged 11-15 years. It was validated initially using the principles of classical test theory and deemed to be a reliable and valid measure of teasing; it has been responsive to change in intervention studies.OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to evaluate further the psychometric properties of the CATS by evaluating the degree to which the CATS items are congruent with the primary assumptions of the Rasch measurement model.
METHODS:A methodological study design using a Rasch Rating Scale Model was utilized to examine the psychometric properties of the 32-item CATS. The sample of the CATS consisted of 666 youths aged 11-15 years from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds and geographic regions. Unidimensionality, hierarchical ordering, and stretching of the variable's responses along a continuum were examined.
RESULTS:The current CATS subscales do not fit the criteria for the Rasch model. The subscales are not unidimensional or hierarchical and do not exist on upon a continuum upon which items can be ordered and children can be placed.
DISCUSSION:The divergent results between the classical test theory and Rasch analyses, although not completely surprising, underscore the need for continued refinement of an instrument's psychometric properties to ensure it is measuring the concept of interest in the way it was intended.
Longitudinal associations between teasing and health-related quality of life among treatment-seeking overweight and obese youth.Jensen CD, Steele RG.
Source
Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To examine concurrent and prospective associations between perceptions of teasing and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over the course of a behavioral/educational intervention and the subsequent year in a sample of overweight and obese children and adolescents.
METHOD:A clinical sample of 93 overweight or obese youths (ages 7-17 years) and 1 parent/guardian completed measures of teasing and HRQOL at pre- and posttreatment and follow-up assessments. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the factor structure of the measures and to assess prospective associations over a 15-month period.
RESULTS:Results indicate that, concurrently, weight-related teasing is inversely associated with HRQOL and that, prospectively, HRQOL is inversely associated with subsequent teasing.
CONCLUSIONS:Study findings are suggestive of a directional relationship with lower quality of life predicting subsequent higher levels of teasing. Results suggest the potential for interventions designed to improve HRQOL to reduce teasing experiences for overweight and obese youth.
Although a limited number of studies have focused on bullying in nursing education to date, all of those studies demonstrate the existence of bullyingin clinical settings, where nursing students undertake a significant amount of their nursing education. The purpose of this study was to examine the state of bullying in clinical nursing education among Canadian undergraduate nursing students (N = 674) in all 4 years of their nursing program. Results suggest that nursing students experience and witness bullying behaviors at various frequencies, most notably by clinical instructors and staff nurses. Third-year and fourth-year students experience more bullying behaviors than first-year and second-year students. Implications for practice include ensuring that clinical instructors are well prepared for their role as educators. Policies must be developed that address the issue of bullyingwithin nursing programs and within health care facilities where nursing students undertake their clinical nursing education.
Differences in the impact of the frequency and enjoyment of joint family activities on adolescent substance use and violence.Windlin B, Kuntsche E.
Source
Addiction Info Switzerland, Lausanne, Switzerland. [email protected]
AbstractPrevious research has concentrated exclusively on the association between the frequency of joint family activities (JFA) and adolescent problem behaviours. In this study, multiple linear regressions based on a national sample of 3467 13- to 16-year-olds in Switzerland revealed that JFA enjoyment rather than JFA frequency is consistently related to low adolescent substance use and violence. By choosing JFA that their children enjoy, parents might provide opportunities for disclosure, strengthen family bonds and reduce the likelihood of adolescent problem behaviours. In terms of prevention, a shift in focus towards the quality rather than the quantity of JFA could prove more effective.
Subjective well-being in Finnish adolescents experiencing family violence.Lepistö S, Joronen K, Åstedt-Kurki P, Luukkaala T, Paavilainen E.
Source
School of Health Sciences, Nursing Science, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. [email protected]
AbstractThis article describes the relationship between adolescent subjective well-being and experiences of family violence reported by a sample of 14- to 17-year-old adolescents living in one Finnish municipality (N = 1,393). Survey results found that experiences of family violence were common. The logistic regression model showed that experiences of violence were associated with adolescents' feeling of inner disequilibrium and markedly strong relationships with friends. In additional, adolescents who experienced family violence rated their health as poorer than adolescents from nonviolent homes. They also surprisingly reported being satisfied with their life and did not necessarily identify their need for help. Although adolescents are resilient and have some resources to cope with violence, nurses and other
professionals should attend more carefully to adolescents' reports of health and behavioral problems and assess for the presence of family violence and school bullying.
Temperamental Differences in Children's Reactions to Peer Victimization.Sugimura N, Rudolph KD.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, 603 E. Daniel Street, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis research examined the hypothesis that temperament and sex moderate the contribution of peer victimization to children's subsequent adjustment (aggression and depressive symptoms). Children (125 boys, 158 girls; M age = 7.95 years, SD = 0.32; 77.7% White, 22.3% minority) and teachers reported on overt and relational victimization. Parents rated children's temperament (inhibitory control and negative emotionality) and depressive symptoms, and teachers reported on children's overt and relational aggression. Across a 1-year period, (a) overt victimization predicted overt aggression in girls with poor inhibitory control, (b) overt and relational victimization predicted depressive symptoms in girls with high negative emotionality, and (c) relational victimization predicted depressive symptoms in boys with low negative emotionality. This research helps to explain individual variation in children's reactions to peer victimization and has implications for Person × Environment models of development. Moreover, this research informs the development of targeted intervention programs for victimized youth that bolster specific resources depending on their temperament.
Testing reciprocal longitudinal relations between peer victimization and depressive symptoms in young adolescents.Tran CV, Cole DA, Weiss B.
Source
Department of Psychology and Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203-5721, USA.
AbstractA 2-wave longitudinal study of young adolescents was used to test whether peer victimization predicts depressive symptoms, depressive symptoms predict peer victimization, or the 2 constructs show reciprocal relations. Participants were 598 youths in Grades 3 through 6, ages 8 to 14 (M = 10.9, SD = 1.2) at Wave 1. The sample was 50.7% female and 90.3% Caucasian. Participants completed self-reports of depressive symptoms, and self-reports and peer nomination measures of physical and relational peer victimization at 2 time points separated by 1 year. The results were as follows: (a)
depressive symptoms predicted change in both physical and relational victimization, but neither type of peer victimization predicted change in depressive symptoms; (b) depressive symptoms were more predictive of physical victimization for boys than for girls; and (c) boys experienced more physical victimization, and girls experienced more relational victimization. Expression of some depressive symptoms may represent signs of vulnerability. For boys, they may also represent a violation of gender stereotypes. Both factors could be responsible for these effects. Implications for intervention include the possibility that treatment of depression in young adolescents may reduce the likelihood of peer victimization.
Ir Med J. 2012 May;105(5):151-2.
Social networking patterns/hazards among teenagers.Machold C, Judge G, Mavrinac A, Elliott J, Murphy AM, Roche E.
Source
Department of Paediatrics, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, AMNCH, Tallaght, Dublin 24. [email protected]
AbstractSocial Networking Sites (SNSs) have grown substantially, posing new hazards to teenagers. This study aimed to determine general patterns of Internet usage among Irish teenagers aged 11-16 years, and to identify potential hazards, including; bullying, inappropriate contact, overuse, addiction and invasion of users' privacy. A cross-sectional study design was employed to survey students at three Irish secondary schools, with a sample of 474 completing a questionnaire. 202 (44%) (n = 460) accessed the Internet using a shared home computer. Two hours or less were spent online daily by 285(62%), of whom 450 (98%) were unsupervised. 306 (72%) (n = 425) reported frequent usage of SNSs, 403 (95%) of whom were Facebook users. 42 (10%) males and 51 (12%) females experienced bullying online, while 114 (27%) reported inappropriate contact from others. Concerning overuse and the risk of addiction, 140 (33%) felt they accessed SNSs too often. These patterns among Irish teenagers suggest that SNS usage poses significant dangers, which are going largely unaddressed.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012 May;85(4):381-7. doi: 10.1007/s00420-011-0680-1. Epub 2011 Jul 19.
Acts of offensive behaviour and risk of long-term sickness absence in the Danish elder-care services: a prospective analysis of register-based outcomes.Clausen T, Hogh A, Borg V.
Source
National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersoe Parkalle 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:To investigate associations between acts of offensive behaviour (threats, violence, bullying, and unwanted sexual attention) and risk of long-term sickness absence for eight or more consecutive weeks among female staff in the Danish elder-care services.
METHODS:These associations were investigated using Cox regression analysis. Data consisted of a merger between Danish survey data collected among 9,520 female employees in the Danish elder-care services and register data on sickness absence compensation.
RESULTS:Compared to unexposed employees, employees frequently exposed to threats (HR = 1.52, 95% CI:1.11-2.07), violence (HR = 1.54, 95% CI:1.06-2.25), and bullying (HR = 2.33, 95% CI:1.55-3.51) had significantly increased risk of long-term sickness absence when adjusting for age, job function, tenure, BMI, smoking status, and psychosocial work conditions. When mutually adjusting for the four types of offensive behaviours, onlybullying remained significantly associated with risk of long-term sickness absence (HR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.50-3.42). No significant associations were found between unwanted sexual attention and risk for long-term sickness absence.CONCLUSIONS:Results indicate that prevention of threats, violence, and bullying may contribute to reduced sickness absence among elder-care staff. The results furthermore suggest that work organizations must be attentive on how to handle and prevent acts of offensive behaviour and support targets of offensive behaviours.
Dev Psychopathol. 2012 May;24(2):637-50. doi: 10.1017/S0954579412000211.
Physiological correlates of peer victimization and aggression in African American urban adolescents.Kliewer W, Dibble AE, Goodman KL, Sullivan TN.
Source
Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 842018, Richmond, VA 23284-2018, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined physiological correlates (cortisol and α-amylase [AA]) of peer victimization and aggression in a sample of 228 adolescents (45% male, 55% female; 90% African American; M age = 14 years, SD = 1.6 years) who participated in a longitudinal study of stress, physiology, and adjustment. Adolescents were classified into victimization/aggression groups based on patterns with three waves of data. At Wave 3, youth completed the Social Competence Interview (SCI), and four saliva samples were collected prior to, during, and following the SCI. Repeated-measures analyses of variance with victimization/aggression group as the predictor, and physiological measures as outcomes, controlling for time of day, pubertal status, and medication use revealed significant Group × SCI Phase interactions for salivary AA (sAA), but not for cortisol. The results did not differ by sex. For analyses with physical victimization/aggression, aggressive and nonaggressive victims showed increases in sAA during the SCI, nonvictimized aggressors showed a decrease, and the normative contrast group did not show any change. For analyses with relational victimization/aggression, nonaggressive victims were the only group who demonstrated sAA reactivity. Incorporating physiological measures into peer victimization studies may give researchers and clinicians insight into youth's behavior regulation, and help shape prevention or intervention efforts.
Dev Psychol. 2012 May;48(3):598-623. doi: 10.1037/a0026220. Epub 2011 Nov 28.
The evolutionary basis of risky adolescent behavior: implications for science, policy, and practice.Ellis BJ, Del Giudice M, Dishion TJ, Figueredo AJ, Gray P, Griskevicius V, Hawley PH, Jacobs WJ, James J, Volk
AA, Wilson DS.
Source
John and Doris Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721-0078, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis article proposes an evolutionary model of risky behavior in adolescence and contrasts it with the prevailing developmental psychopathology model. The evolutionary model contends that understanding the evolutionary functions of adolescence is critical to explaining why adolescents engage in risky behavior and that successful intervention depends on working with, instead of against, adolescent goals and motivations. The current article articulates 5 key evolutionary insights into risky adolescent behavior: (a) The adolescent transition is an inflection point in development of social status and reproductive trajectories; (b) interventions need to address the adaptive functions of risky and aggressive behaviors like bullying; (c) risky adolescent behavior adaptively calibrates over development to match both harsh and unpredictable environmental conditions; (d) understanding evolved sex differences is critical for understanding the psychology of risky behavior; and (e) mismatches between current and past environments can dysregulate adolescent behavior, as demonstrated by age-segregated social groupings. The evolutionary model has broad implications for designing interventions for high-risk youth and suggests new directions for research that have not been forthcoming from other perspectives.
Aggress Behav. 2012 May-Jun;38(3):222-38. doi: 10.1002/ab.21418. Epub 2012 Feb 13.
Is adolescent bullying an evolutionary adaptation?Volk AA, Camilleri JA, Dane AV, Marini ZA.
Source
Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, Ontario, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractBullying appears to be ubiquitous across cultures, involving hundreds of millions of adolescents worldwide, and has potentially serious negative consequences for its participants (particularly victims). We challenge the traditionally held belief that bullying results from maladaptive development by reviewing evidence that bullying may be, in part, an evolved, facultative, adaptive strategy that offers some benefits to its practitioners. In support of this view, we draw from research that suggests bullying serves to promote adolescent bullies' evolutionarily-relevant somatic, sexual, and dominance goals, has a genetic basis, and is widespread among nonhuman animals. We identify and explain differences in the bullying behavior of the two sexes, as well as when and why bullying is adaptive and when it may not be. We offer commentary on both the failures and successes of current anti-bullying interventions from an evolutionary perspective and suggest future directions for both research and anti-bullying interventions.
Department of Educational Psychology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. [email protected]
AbstractThe relation between school students' belief in a just world (BJW) and their bullying behavior was investigated in a questionnaire study. The mediating role of teacher justice was also examined. Data were obtained from a total of N = 458 German and Indian high school students. Regression analyses revealed that the more strongly students believed in a personal just world and the more they evaluated their teachers' behavior toward them personally to be just, the less bullying behavior they reported. Moreover, students with a strong BJW tended to evaluate their teachers' behavior toward them personally to be more just, and the experience of teacher justice mediated the relation between BJW and less bullying perpetration. This pattern of results was as expected and consistent across different cultural contexts. It persisted when neuroticism, sex, and country were controlled. The adaptive functions of BJW and implications for future school research are discussed.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2012 May 14. [Epub ahead of print]
Living with Difference: Experiences of Adolescent Girls with Cleft Lip and Palate.Tiemens K, Nicholas DB, Forrest CR.
Source
a Hospital for Sick Children, Social Work/Craniofacial Program.
AbstractAbstract Objective: This study explored the experiences of adolescent girls with cleft lip and palate who were preparing for orthognathic surgery. Design: A qualitative study, based on a phenomenological approach, explored adolescents' experiences. Two one hour long semi-structured interviews were conducted before surgery, and member checking was employed to verify findings with each participant. Setting: A tertiary care pediatric hospital in central Canada. Participants: A criterion sampling technique was used to recruit a sample of seven participants with cleft lip and palate ranging in age from 15 to 20 years who were scheduled for cleft orthognathic surgery. Results: Participants described experiencing teasing,bullying and stares. In many cases, participants sought to resist and dismiss negative social attitudes about their visible difference while working to combat this with a positive view of who they really are. To varying degrees, participants felt constricted in engaging in the community as they were worried what others thought of their visible difference. They worked at finding ways to reduce the impact of social stigma through coping strategies, social supports and reconstructive surgery. Conclusions: Adolescent girls can experience strain associated with living with a facial difference; however, they find strategies to cope with the perception of difference. Reconstructive surgery is viewed as a means to increase confidence. Further intervention is needed in understanding and addressing stigma and fostering resiliency related to female adolescents living with a facial difference. Key Words: craniofacial, cleft lip and palate, adolescents, qualitative research, orthognathic surgery, social stigma.
A multi-informant longitudinal study on the relationship between aggression, peer victimization, and dating status in adolescence.Arnocky S, Vaillancourt T.
Source
Department of Psychology, Nipissing University, North Bay, Canada.
AbstractAdolescent peer-aggression has recently been considered from the evolutionary perspective of intrasexual competition for mates. We tested the hypothesis that peer-nominated physical aggression, indirect aggression, along with self-reported bullying behaviors at Time 1 would predict Time 2 dating status (one year later), and that Time 1 peer- and self-reported peer victimization would negatively predict Time 2 dating status. Participants were 310 adolescents who were in grades 6 through 9 (ages 11-14) at Time 1. Results showed that for both boys and girls, peer-nominated indirect aggression was predictive of dating one year later even when controlling for age, peer-rated attractiveness, and peer-perceived popularity, as well as initial dating status. For both sexes, self-reported peer victimization was negatively related to having a dating partner at Time 2. Findings are discussed within the framework of intrasexual competition.
Encephale. 2012 May 28. pii: S0013-7006(12)00009-7. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2012.01.008. [Epub ahead of
print]
[Cyber-bullying in adolescents: Associated psychosocial problems and comparison with school bullying.][Article in French]
Kubiszewski V, Fontaine R, Huré K, Rusch E.
Source
EA 2114, laboratoire de psychologie des âges de la vie, université François-Rabelais, 3, rue des Tanneurs, BP 4103, 37041 Tours cedex 1, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractAIM:The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of adolescents engaged in cyber-bullying and then to identify whether students involved in cyber- and school bullying present the same characteristics of internalizing problems (insomnia, perceived social disintegration, psychological distress) and externalizing problems (general aggressiveness, antisocial behavior).METHOD:Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 738 adolescents from a high-school and a middle-school (mean age=14.8±2.7). The Electronic Bullying Questionnaire and the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire were used to identify profiles of cyber-bullying (cyber-victim, cyber-bully, cyber-bully/victim and cyber-neutral) and school bullying (victim, bully, bully/victim and neutral). Internalizing problems were investigated using the Athens Insomnia Scale, a Perceived Social Disintegration Scale and a Psychological Distress Scale. Externalizing problems were assessed using a General Aggressiveness Scale and an Antisocial Behavior Scale.
RESULTS:Almost one student in four was involved in cyber-bullying (16.4% as cyber-victim, 4.9% as cyber-bully and 5.6% as cyber-bully/victim); 14% of our sample was engaged in school bullying as a victim, 7.2% as a bully and 2.8% as a bully/victim. The majority of adolescents involved in cyber-bullying were not involved in school bullying. With regard to the problems associated with school bullying, internalizing problems were more prevalent in victims and bully/victims, whereas externalizing problems were more common in bullies and bully/victims. A similar pattern was found in cyber-bullying where internalizing problems were characteristic of cyber-victims and cyber-bully/victims. Insomnia was elevated in the cyber-bully group which is specific to cyberbullying. General aggressiveness and antisocial behavior were more prevalent in cyber-bullies and cyber-bully/victims. Looking at the differences between types of bullying, victims of "school only" and "school and cyber" bullying had higher scores for insomnia and perceived social disintegration than victims of "cyber only" bullying or students "non-involved". Higher general aggressiveness scores were observed for "school only" bullies and "school and cyber" bullies than for bullies in "cyber only" bullying or students "non-involved". Regarding antisocial behavior, "school only" bullies, "cyber only" bullies, "school and cyber" bullies had higher scores than students "non-involved".DISCUSSION:This study highlights the importance of investigating both school and cyber-bullying as many psychosocial problems are linked to these two specific and highly prevalent forms of bullying.
Schizophr Bull. 2012 Jun;38(4):661-71. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbs050. Epub 2012 Mar 29.
Childhood adversities increase the risk of psychosis: a meta-analysis of patient-control, prospective- and cross-sectional cohort studies.Varese F, Smeets F, Drukker M, Lieverse R, Lataster T, Viechtbauer W, Read J, van Os J, Bentall RP.
Source
Institute of Psychology, Health and Society; University of Liverpool, UK.
AbstractEvidence suggests that adverse experiences in childhood are associated with psychosis. To examine the association between childhood adversity and trauma (sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional/psychological abuse, neglect, parental death, and bullying) and psychosis outcome, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and Web of Science were searched from January 1980 through November 2011. We included prospective cohort studies, large-scale cross-sectional studies investigating the association between childhood adversity and psychotic symptoms or illness, case-control studies comparing the prevalence of adverse events between psychotic patients and controls using dichotomous or continuous measures, and case-control studies comparing the prevalence of psychotic symptoms between exposed and nonexposed subjects using dichotomous or continuous measures of adversity and psychosis. The analysis included 18 case-control studies (n = 2048 psychotic patients and 1856 nonpsychiatric controls), 10 prospective and quasi-prospective studies (n = 41,803) and 8 population-based cross-sectional studies (n = 35,546). There were significant associations between adversity and psychosis across all research designs, with an overall effect of OR = 2.78 (95% CI = 2.34-3.31). The integration of the case-control studies indicated that patients with psychosis were 2.72 times more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversity than controls (95% CI = 1.90-3.88). The association between childhood adversity and psychosis was also significant in population-based cross-sectional studies (OR = 2.99 [95% CI = 2.12-4.20]) as well as in prospective and quasi-prospective studies (OR = 2.75 [95% CI = 2.17-3.47]). The
estimated population attributable risk was 33% (16%-47%). These findings indicate that childhood adversity is strongly associated with increased risk for psychosis.
Do specific early-life adversities lead to specific symptoms of psychosis? A study from the 2007 the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.Bentall RP, Wickham S, Shevlin M, Varese F.
Source
Institute for Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Waterhouse Building Block B, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK. [email protected]
AbstractPrevious studies have reported associations between childhood adversities, eg, loss of a parent, being raised in institutional care, sexual and other kinds of abuse by adults and bullying by peers, and psychosis in adulthood. However, the mechanisms by which these adversities lead to psychotic experiences are poorly understood. From models of the psychological processes involved in positive symptoms, it was predicted that childhood sexual abuse would be specifically associated with auditory hallucinations in adulthood, and that disruption of early attachment relations and more chronic forms of victimization such as bullying would be specifically associated with paranoid ideation. We therefore examined the associations between sexual trauma, physical abuse, bullying, and being brought up in institutional or local authority care and reports of auditory hallucinations and paranoid beliefs in the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. All simple associations between childhood adversities and the two symptom types were significant. Childhood rape was associated only with hallucinations (OR 8.9, CI = 1.86-42.44) once co-occurring paranoia was controlled for. Being brought up in institutional care (OR = 11.08, CI = 3.26-37.62) was specifically associated with paranoia once comorbid hallucinations had been controlled for. For each symptom, dose-response relationships were observed between the number of childhood traumas and the risk of the symptom. The specific associations observed are consistent with current psychological theories about the origins of hallucinations and paranoia. Further research is required to study the psychological and biological mediators of these associations.
Res Q Exerc Sport. 2012 Jun;83(2):308-17.
The nature, occurring contexts, and psychological implications of weight-related teasing in urban physical education programs.Li W, Rukavina P.
Source
School of Physical Activity and Educational Services, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1224, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined the nature, occurring contexts, and psychological implications of weight-related teasing in urban physical education programs. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 47 participants from a large urban school district. Data were analyzed using inductive analysis and constant
comparisons. Most overweight adolescents experienced many different types of teasing in physical education. Victims of teasing felt hurt and experienced uncomfortable feelings due to social comparisons. Overweight students who were not teased reported a variety of reasons. Teachers lacked awareness of and strategies to handle teasing of overweight students. There is a need to implement preventive policies and rules to eliminate weight-related teasing and create inclusive physical education environments.
Pediatr Clin North Am. 2012 Jun;59(3):601-12, vii. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2012.03.023. Epub 2012 Apr 18.
Social networking sites and adolescent health.Moreno MA, Kolb J.
Source
Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2870 University Avenue, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53705, USA. [email protected]
AbstractSocial networking sites are popular among and consistently used by adolescents. These sites present benefits as well as risks to adolescent health. Recently, pediatric providers have also considered the benefits and risks of using social networking sites in their own practices.
Pediatr Clin North Am. 2012 Jun;59(3):623-33, viii. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2012.03.019.
Internet bullying.Donnerstein E.
Source
Department of Communication, University of Arizona, 1103 East University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThere is substantial literature on the impact of the mass media on children's and adolescents' health and development. The question of what role new technology plays in the media's influence is now a subject of both review and discussion, particularly regarding health risks and intervention. This article takes a brief look at online usage and the theoretical mechanisms that might make Internet access more problematic in terms of risks, compared with more traditional media such as television and film. One of these risks, known today as cyberbullying or Internet harassment, is scrutinized in detail.
Association of pupil vandalism, bullying and truancy with teachers' absence due to illness: a multilevel analysis.Ervasti J, Kivimäki M, Puusniekka R, Luopa P, Pentti J, Suominen S, Vahtera J, Virtanen M.
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. [email protected]
AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine whether vandalism, bullying, and truancy among pupils at school are associated with absence due to illness among teachers. Data on such problem behaviour of 17,033 pupils in 90 schools were linked to absence records of 2364 teachers. Pupil reported vandalism and bullying at the school-level were associated with teachers' short-term (1- to 3-day) absences. Cumulative exposure to various forms of pupils' problem behaviour was associated with even higher rates of short-term absences among teachers. No association was found between pupils' problem behaviour and teachers' long-term (>3-day) absences. In conclusion, there seems to be a link between pupils' problem behaviour and teachers' short-term absence due to illness. Further work should determine whether problem behaviour is a cause or a consequence of absences or whether the association is noncausal.
Peer victimization as a risk factor for schizotypal personality in childhood and adolescence.Fung AL, Raine A.
Source
Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. [email protected]
AbstractThere has been no prior research on peer victimization and child or adolescent schizotypal personality. This study tests the hypothesis that increased peer victimization is associated with increased schizotypal personality. Schizotypy was assessed using the SPQ-C (Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire-Child) in 3,508 male and female schoolchildren aged 8 to 16 years. All forms of peer victimization (physical, verbal, social manipulation, attack on property) were associated with schizotypal personality in both males and females across all age groups. Significant victimization more than doubled schizotypy scores. It is hypothesized that peer victimization may predispose to paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and lack of close friends, and consequently heightened schizotypal personality.
J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2012 Jun;33(5):416-22. doi: 10.1097/DBP.0b013e31825609f0.
Prenatal drug exposure and peer victimization in early adolescence: testing childhood anxiety/depression and aggression as possible mediators.Buckingham-Howes S, Oberlander SE, Kim EM, Black MM.
Division of Growth & Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:Children who are prenatally exposed to drugs may be at risk for emotion dysregulation, including childhood anxiety/depression and aggression, potentially increasing their risk for peer victimization. The objectives of this study were to investigate how prenatal drug exposure relates to adolescent peer victimization and the mediating effects of childhood anxiety/depression and aggression.
METHODS:Seventy-six prenatally drug exposed (PDE) and 38 nonexposed (NE) adolescent-caregiver dyads followed since birth and middle childhood, respectively, participated in an evaluation during adolescence. In middle childhood, caregivers reported on their child's anxiety/depression and aggression, and children reported on violence exposure. In adolescence, caregivers and adolescents responded to a parallel single-item measure of peer victimization. Analyses were conducted using multivariate linear and logistic regression models, adjusting for covariates, including violence exposure.
RESULTS:One-third (33.3%, n = 35) of the sample endorsed peer victimization: 40.8% PDE and 17.6% NE, p = .01. In middle childhood, PDE youth had more aggressive behaviors (11.92 vs 7.45, p < .01) and anxiety/depression symptoms (3.43 vs 1.76, p < .01) than NE youth. Anxious/depressed behavior during childhood mediated the association between prenatal drug exposure and adolescent peer victimization. Aggression was not a significant mediator.
CONCLUSIONS:The consequences of prenatal drug exposure extend into adolescence. Prenatal drug exposure may interfere with emotion regulation, resulting in anxious/depressed behavior during childhood and significantly increasing the risk for peer victimization during adolescence, even in the presence of violence exposure. Strategies to reduce anxious/depressed behavior among children with a history of prenatal drug exposure may reduce adolescent peer victimization.
Developmental trajectories of peer victimization: off-line and online experiences during adolescence.Sumter SR, Baumgartner SE, Valkenburg PM, Peter J.
Source
Amsterdam School of Communication Research, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:This study investigated the development and consequences of off-line and online victimization during adolescence. We examined the number and shapes of off-line and online victimization trajectories, the relationship between trajectories of off-line and online victimization, and their effect on life satisfaction.
METHODS:A four-wave panel study with 6-month time intervals was conducted among a representative sample of Dutch adolescents aged 12-17 years (N = 1,762). We used group-based modeling to investigate the victimization trajectories.
RESULTS:Three off-line victimization trajectories could be distinguished. One group followed a trajectory of low to no victimization experiences across adolescence. A second group followed a pathway of moderate and decreasing victimization. A third group followed a pathway of high and decreasing victimization. Two groups in online victimization could be distinguished. One group followed a trajectory of low to no victimization experiences. A second group followed a pathway of moderate victimization that peaked at age 14. Dual-trajectory analyses revealed a substantial overlap between off-line and online victimization trajectories. Finally, victimization and life satisfaction were longitudinally related; moderate and high victimization trajectories resulted in lower levels of life satisfaction during wave 4.
CONCLUSIONS:The overlap between the off-line and online victimization trajectories and their negative consequences on life satisfaction suggests that prevention of victimization should focus on both types of victimization. The results suggest that peer victimization should not be studied without considering adolescent peer relationships on the Internet.
Int J Public Health. 2012 Jun;57(3):505-12. doi: 10.1007/s00038-011-0329-6. Epub 2012 Jan 11.
Bullying as a mediator of relationships between adiposity status and weapon carrying.Kukaswadia A, Craig W, Janssen I, Pickett W.
Source
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVES:Although evidence links increased adiposity status with bullying involvement, it is unknown whether this leads to behaviors such as weapon carrying. The purpose of this study was to: (1) analyze relationships between adiposity status and risks for weapon carrying among Canadian school children, and (2) whether this relationship was mediated by reports of bullying.METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the health experiences of 7,877 Canadian children. Relationships between adiposity status and weapon carrying were evaluated. Evidence of mediation by bullying involvement was assessed.RESULTS:Overweight (OR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.04-2.02) and obese (OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.43-3.35) males reported higher odds of weapon carrying relative to normal weight males. There was partial mediation of this relationship by physical and relational bullying, both as a perpetrator or a victim. No evidence of a relationship was identified for female students.CONCLUSIONS:Overweight and obese male students appear to be more likely to carry weapons for defensive and offensive purposes, a behavior mediated partially by bullying involvement. However, other factors may play a role as mediators in these etiological relationships.
Methodology and Early Findings of the Third Survey of CASPIAN Study: A National School-based Surveillance of Students' High Risk Behaviors.Kelishadi R, Heshmat R, Motlagh ME, Majdzadeh R, Keramatian K, Qorbani M, Taslimi M, Aminaee T, Ardalan
G, Poursafa P, Larijani B.
Source
Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
AbstractBACKGROUND:A school-based surveillance system entitled the childhood and adolescence surveillance and prevention of Adult Noncommunicable disease (CASPIAN) Study is implemented at national level in Iran. This paper presents the methods and primary findings of the third survey of this surveillance system.
METHODS:This national survey was performed in 2009-2010 in 27 provinces of Iran among 5570 students and one of their parents. In addition to physical examination, fasting serum was obtained. Body mass index was categorized based on the World Health Organization growth charts.
FINDINGS:Data of 5528 students (2726 girls, 69.37% urban, mean age 14.7 ± 2.4 years) were complete and are reported. Overall, 17.3% (17.3% of girls and 17.5% of boys) were underweight, and 17.7% (15.5% of girls and 19.9% of boys) were overweight or obese. Abdominal obesity was documented in 16.3% of students (17.8% of girls and 15% of boys). 57.6% of families consumed breads, the staple food for Iranians, prepared with white flour. Most families (43.8% in urban areas and 58.6% in rural areas) used solid hydrogenated fats. 22.7% of students did not add salt to the table food. 14.2% of students reported to have a regular daily physical activity for at least 30 min a day. Overall, 10.4% of students (11.7% in urban areas and 7.3% in rural areas) reported that they used tobacco products, often waterpipe. 32.8% of students experienced at least three times ofbullying in the previous 3 months. During the year prior to the survey, 14.46% of students had an injury needing the interference by school health providers.CONCLUSION:This survey is confirmatory evidence on the importance of establishing surveillance systems for risk behaviors to implement action-oriented interventions.
Centre for Regulation and Market Analysis, and School of Law, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractCyberbullying is a reality of the digital age. To address this phenomenon, it becomes imperative to understand exactly what cyberbullying is. Thus, establishing a workable and theoretically sound definition is essential. This article contributes to the existing literature in relation to the definition of cyberbullying. The specific elements of repetition, power imbalance, intention, and aggression, regarded as essential criteria of traditional face-to-facebullying, are considered in the cyber context. It is posited that the core bullying elements retain their importance and applicability in relation to cyberbullying. The element of repetition is in need of redefining, given the public nature of material in the online environment. In this article, a clear distinction between direct and indirect cyberbullying is made and a model definition of cyberbullying is offered. Overall, the analysis provided lends insight into how the essential bullying elements have evolved and should apply in our parallel cyber universe.
Croat Med J. 2012 Jun;53(3):244-53.
Parental involvement in the war in Croatia 1991-1995 and suicidality in Croatian male adolescents.Franić T, Kardum G, Marin Prižmić I, Pavletić N, Marčinko D.
Source
University of Split School of Medicine, University Hospital Split, Department of Psychiatry, Split, Croatia. [email protected]
AbstractAIM:To investigate the association between parental war involvement and different indicators of psychosocial distress in a community sample of early adolescents ten years after the war in Croatia 1991-1995.
METHODS:A total of 695 adolescents were screened with a self-report questionnaire assessing parental war involvement, sociodemographic characteristics, and alcohol and drug consumption. Personality traits were assessed with the Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire; depressive symptoms with the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI); and unintentional injuries, physical fighting, and bullying with the World Health Organization survey Health Behavior in School-aged Children. Suicidal ideation was assessed with three dichotomous items. Suicidal attempts were assessed with one dichotomous item.RESULTS:Out of 348 boys and 347 girls who were included in the analysis, 57.7% had at least one veteran parent. Male children of war veterans had higher rates of unintentional injuries (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 2.63) and more frequent affirmative responses across the full suicidal spectrum (thoughts about death - OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.02 to 4.3; thoughts about suicide - OR, 5; 95% CI, 1.72 to 14.66; suicide attempts - OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.03 to 12.67). In boys, thoughts about suicide and unintentional injuries were associated with parental war involvement even after logistic regression. However, girls were less likely to be affected by parental war involvement, and only exhibited signs of psychopathology on the CDI total score.
CONCLUSION:Parental war involvement was associated with negative psychosocial sequels for male children. This relationship is possibly mediated by some kind of identification or secondary traumatization. Suicidality
and unintentional injuries are nonspecific markers for a broad range of psychosocial distresses, which is why the suggested target group for preventive interventions should be veteran parents as vectors of this distress.
Individual and social network predictors of the short-term stability of bullying victimization in the United Kingdom and Germany.Sapouna M, Wolke D, Vannini N, Watson S, Woods S, Schneider W, Enz S, Aylett R.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
AbstractBACKGROUND:There is still relatively little research on the social context within which bullying develops and remains stable.AIM:This study examined the short-term stability of bullying victimization among primary school students in the United Kingdom and Germany (mean age, 8.9 years) and the individual and social network factors that contributed to remaining a victim of bullying.SAMPLE:The sample consisted of 454 children (247 males and 207 females).
METHODS:Participants completed questionnaires on bullying victimization at three assessment points over a 9-week period. Other measures consisted of self-reported demographic, peer, and family relationship characteristics. Social network indices of density, reciprocity, and hierarchy were constructed using friendship and peer acceptance nominations.RESULTS:Relative risk analyses indicated a six-fold increased risk of remaining a victim at consequent follow-ups, compared to a child not victimized at baseline becoming a victim over the follow-up period. Individual characteristics explained substantially more variance in the stability ofbullying victimization than class-level factors. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses revealed that being victimized by siblings and being rejected by peers predicted remaining a victim over a 9-week period.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying victimization among primary school students proved moderately stable over a 9-week period. Individual characteristics were more influential in predicting the stable victim role than class-level factors. Our findings have implications for the identification of stable victims in primary school and early preventative bullying programs.
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Wales, UK. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Research on bullying increasingly focuses on social processes, showing that group membership affects children's responses tobullying scenarios. Additionally, correlational research has shown links between norms of cooperation and prosocial behaviour, and between competition and more aggressive forms of behaviour.AIMS:This paper focuses on how children's peer group membership affects their group-based emotions in response to an intergroup bullying incident, and the action tendencies that these emotions predict, in the context of different background norms (for competitive or cooperative behaviour).SAMPLE:Italian schoolchildren, 10-13 years old (N= 128, 65 males) took part in this study.
METHODS:Participants were randomly assigned to the group of a perpetrator, target, or third-party group member described in a scenario. Next, they played a game designed to induce a cooperative, competitive, or neutral norm, and read the scenario. They then answered a questionnaire measuring their group-based emotions.
RESULTS:Results underscored the role of norms and group processes in responses to bullying. In particular, children exposed to a cooperative norm expressed less pride and more regret and anger about the bullying than those in other conditions.CONCLUSIONS:This study indicates that the influence peer groups have on bullying may be tempered by the introduction of a cooperative normative context to the school setting.
Am J Community Psychol. 2012 Jun;49(3-4):332-46. doi: 10.1007/s10464-011-9461-y.
Preliminary examination of a cartoon-based hostile attributional bias measure for urban African American boys.Leff SS, Lefler EK, Khera GS, Paskewich B, Jawad AF.
Source
Department of Pediatric Psychology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe current study illustrates how researchers developed and validated a cartoon-based adaptation of a written hostile attributional bias measure for a sample of urban, low-income, African American boys. A series of studies were conducted to develop cartoon illustrations to accompany a standard written hostile attributional bias vignette measure (Study 1), to determine initial psychometric properties (Study 2) and acceptability (Study 3), and to conduct a test-retest reliability trial of the adapted measure in a separate sample (Study 4). These studies utilize a participatory action research approach to measurement design and adaptation, and suggest that collaborations between researchers and key school stakeholders can lead to measures that are psychometrically strong, developmentally appropriate, and culturally sensitive. In addition, the cartoon-based hostile attributional bias measure appears to have promise as an
assessment and/or outcome measure for aggression and bullying prevention programs conducted with urban African American boys.
Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2012 Jun 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Trends in Risk and Protective Factors for Child Bullying Perpetration in the United States.Shetgiri R, Lin H, Flores G.
Source
Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75390-9063, USA, [email protected].
AbstractThis study examines trends in prevalence and factors associated with bullying perpetration among children 10-17 years old, using the 2003 and 2007 National Survey of Children's Health. A parent-reported bullying measure and NSCH-designed questions were used to measure factors associated with bullying. The 2003 (n = 48,639) and 2007 (n = 44,152) samples were 51 % male, with mean age of 13.5 (standard deviation 2.3). 23 % of children bullied at least sometimes in 2003 and 15 % bullied in 2007. Parental anger with their child, a child emotional/developmental/behavioral problem, and suboptimal maternal mental health were associated with higher bullying odds in 2003 and 2007, whereas parents talking with their child very/somewhat well, and meeting their child's friends were associated with lower odds. Between 2003 and 2007, parental anger with their child was associated with increasing bullying odds and parents' meeting their child's friends was associated with decreasing odds. Targeting these persistent factors may result in effective bullying-prevention interventions.
Int J Public Health. 2012 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]
School bullying, homicide and income inequality: a cross-national pooled time series analysis.Elgar FJ, Pickett KE, Pickett W, Craig W, Molcho M, Hurrelmann K, Lenzi M.
Source
Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, [email protected].
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To examine the relation between income inequality and school bullying (perpetration, victimisation and bully/victims) and explore whether the relation is attributable to international differences in violent crime.METHODS:Between 1994 and 2006, the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study surveyed 117 nationally representative samples of adolescents about their involvement in school bullying over the previous 2 months. Country prevalence rates of bullying were matched to data on income inequality and homicides.RESULTS:With time and country differences held constant, income inequality positively related to the prevalence of bullying others at least twice (b = 0.25), victimisation by bullying at least twice (b = 0.29) and both
bullied and victimisation at least twice (b = 0.40). The relation between income inequality and victimisation was partially mediated by country differences in homicides.CONCLUSIONS:Understanding the social determinants of school bullying facilitates anti-bullying policy by identifying groups at risk and exposing its cultural and economic influences. This study found that cross-national differences in income inequality related to the prevalence of school bullying in most age and gender groups due, in part, to a social milieu of interpersonal violence.
Multiple risk behaviors and suicidal ideation and behavior among Israeli and Palestinian adolescents.Harel-Fisch Y, Abdeen Z, Walsh SD, Radwan Q, Fogel-Grinvald H.
Source
International Research Program on Adolescent Well-being and Health, School of Education, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel.
AbstractBased conceptually on Problem Behavior Theory, Normalization Theory and theories of adolescent ethnic identity formation this study explores relationships between individual and cumulative multiple risk behaviors and suicidal ideation and behavior among mid-adolescents in three different populations in the Middle East. Data from the 2004 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children in the Middle-East (HBSC-ME) study included 8345 10th-grade pupils in three populations: Jewish Israelis (1770), Arab Israelis (2185), and Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank (4390). We considered risk behaviors and factors including tobacco use, bullying, medically-attended injuries, excessive time with friends, parental disconnectedness, negative school experience, truancy and poor academic performance. Substantial population differences for suicidal tendency and risk behaviors were observed, with notably high levels of suicidal ideation and behavior among Arab-Israeli youth and higher levels of risk behaviors among the Jewish and Arab-Israeli youth. For all populations suicidal tendency was at least 4 times higher among adolescents reporting 4+ risk behaviors, suggesting that similar psychosocial determinants affect patterns of risk behaviors and suicidal tendency. Results highlight the importance of understanding cultural contexts of risk behaviors and suicidal ideation and behavior.
AbstractOnline learning has created another potential avenue for incivility. Cyber-bullying, a form of incivility that occurs in an electronic environment, includes posting rumors or misinformation, gossiping, or publishing materials that defame and humiliate others. This is the first of 2 articles detailing a study to empirically measure nursing faculty and student perceptions of incivility in an online learning environment (OLE). In this article, the authors discuss the quantitative results including the types and frequency of uncivil behaviors and the extent to which they are perceived to be a problem in online courses. Part 2 in the September/October issue will describe challenges and advantages of the OLE, discuss specific ways to foster civility, and present strategies to promote student success and retention.
Leg Med (Tokyo). 2012 Jul;14(4):183-7. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2012.02.004. Epub 2012 Apr 20.
Suicidal ideation among students of a medical college in Western Nepal: a cross-sectional study.Menezes RG, Subba SH, Sathian B, Kharoshah MA, Senthilkumaran S, Pant S, Arun M, Kundapur R, Jain A, Lobo
SW, Ravi Shankar P.
Source
Department of Forensic Medicine, Srinivas Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Mangalore, India. [email protected]
AbstractMany studies have been conducted in the developed countries to know the magnitude and factors influencing suicidal ideation among medical students, but such data are sparse in developing countries. This cross-sectional study was therefore conducted to find out the prevalence of suicidal ideation and factors influencing such ideation among students of a medical college in Western Nepal. A total of 206 students were selected using random sampling and questioned about their socio-demographic factors, other risk factors and suicidal ideation using a preformed validated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows Version 16.0 and the EPI Info 3.5.1 Windows Version. Descriptive statistics and testing of hypothesis were applied for the statistical methodology. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to examine the association between different variables. Suicidal ideation in the last one year was present in nearly one tenth of the study population and in almost one fifth of them life-time suicidal ideation was present. Factors that were associated with suicidal ideation were primarily dissatisfaction with academic performance, being in the clinical semesters, having history of drug abuse and feeling neglected by parents. Most common reason reported for suicidal ideation was family related followed by self-related. Recognition of suicidal ideation among students and their associated factors can help in detecting it on time, making the right interventions and controlling the problem. Understanding the magnitude of the problem and their epidemiology via scientific study like this would be the first step in this process.
Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch. 2012 Jul;43(3):344-58. doi: 10.1044/0161-1461(2012/11-0031). Epub 2012 May
4.
A stuttering education and bullying awareness and prevention resource: a feasibility study.Langevin M, Prasad NG.
AbstractPURPOSE:This pretest-posttest study examined the feasibility of using a curriculum-level stuttering education and bullying awareness and prevention program to improve peer attitudes toward children who stutter and attitudes toward bullying. Knowledge about potential responses to bullying and students' liking of the program also were examined.METHOD:Data were obtained from 608 children who participated in the stuttering education and bullying prevention initiative that used the Teasing and Bullying: Unacceptable Behaviour (TAB; Langevin, 2000) Program. Participants completed the Peer Attitudes Toward Children Who Stutter (PATCS; Langevin, 2009; Langevin & Hagler, 2004; Langevin, Kleitman, Packman, & Onslow, 2009) scale, the Provictim scale (Rigby & Slee, 1991, 1993), and bullying involvement and knowledge questionnaires.RESULTS:Statistically and practically significant improvements were found for both questionnaires. Children who did not know someone who stutters had higher change scores on the PATCS than children who knew someone who stutters. In general, children who were uninvolved in bullying had the most positive changes in attitudes and liked the TAB program the most. Victims liked the program significantly more often than children who were perpetrators of bullying or were dually involved in bullying.CONCLUSION:Findings suggest that the TAB program may have the potential to effect positive changes in peer attitudes toward children who stutter and toward bullying. Further research using a randomized experimental design is warranted.
Life history interviews with 11 boys diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder who had sexually offended: a sad storyline.Tidefors I, Strand J.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. [email protected]
AbstractLittle is known of the possible relationship between a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sexually offensive behavior in adolescents. Our aim was to understand how adolescents with ADHD who had sexually offended described their childhood experiences and spoke about their diagnostic symptoms. The boys' early lives and relations were unpredictable, and emotional, physical, and sexual limits had been crossed. However, many boys saw themselves or their diagnosis, rather than their parents, school, or "society," as the underlying cause of their behavior. They used different strategies, for example repressing memories or regarding traumatic experiences as normal, to manage their lives. Most boys had difficulty with emotions and expressed sadness or frustration through anger. They spoke of being inattentive and restless in school and impulsive before and during their sexual offenses. The psychiatric assessment was described as a "messy" experience that strengthened their belief that something was wrong with them. Some had incorporated neuropsychiatric language into otherwise limited
vocabularies and tended to use their diagnostic symptoms to excuse their offenses. The focus in the assessment on the boys themselves and their behaviors may darken their understandings of themselves, their experiences of abuse, and the offenses they have committed. Further research is needed into the possible consequences of a diagnosis of ADHD on adolescents' self-image and sense of self-control.
Repetition, power imbalance, and intentionality: do these criteria conform to teenagers' perception of bullying? A role-based analysis.Cuadrado-Gordillo I.
Source
University of Extremadura, Faculty of Education, Badajoz, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractThe criteria that researchers use to classify aggressive behaviour as bullying are 'repetition', 'power imbalance', and 'intent to hurt'. However, studies that have analyzed adolescents' perceptions of bullying find that most adolescents do not simultaneously consider these three criteria. This paper examines adolescents' perceptions of bullying and of the different forms it takes, and whether these perceptions vary according to the teen's role of victim, aggressor, or witness in a bullying situation. The data acquisition instrument was a questionnaire applied to a sample of 2295 teenagers. The results show that none of these three groups considered the criterion of repetition to be important to define bullying. A further conclusion was that both aggressors and witnesses used the criteria of 'power imbalance' and 'intent to hurt' to identify a situation of bullying, although the aggressors placed especial emphasis on the superiority of power over the victim, while the witnesses emphasized the intent to hurt the victim. One noteworthy finding was that victims do not consider the factor 'power imbalance'. The factor that determined their perceptions was the 'intent to hurt'. Finally, some modes of bullying were seen as forms of typical teen social interactions, and the perception depended significantly on the adolescent's role as aggressor, victim, or witness.
Defining and measuring cyberbullying within the larger context of bullying victimization.Ybarra ML, Boyd D, Korchmaros JD, Oppenheim JK.
Source
Center for Innovative Public Health Research, Irvine, CA, USA. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:To inform the scientific debate about bullying, including cyberbullying, measurement.METHODS:Two split-form surveys were conducted online among 6-17-year-olds (n = 1,200 each) to inform recommendations for cyberbullying measurement.
RESULTS:Measures that use the word "bully" result in prevalence rates similar to each other, irrespective of whether a definition is included, whereas measures not using the word "bully" are similar to each other, irrespective of whether a definition is included. A behavioral list of bullyingexperiences without either a definition or the word "bully" results in higher prevalence rates and likely measures experiences that are beyond the definition of "bullying." Follow-up questions querying differential power, repetition, and bullying over time were used to examine misclassification. The measure using a definition but not the word "bully" appeared to have the highest rate of false positives and, therefore, the highest rate of misclassification. Across two studies, an average of 25% reported being bullied at least monthly in person compared with an average of 10% bullied online, 7% via telephone (cell or landline), and 8% via text messaging.CONCLUSIONS:Measures of bullying among English-speaking individuals in the United States should include the word "bully" when possible. The definition may be a useful tool for researchers, but results suggest that it does not necessarily yield a more rigorous measure of bullying victimization. Directly measuring aspects of bullying (i.e., differential power, repetition, over time) reduces misclassification. To prevent double counting across domains, we suggest the following distinctions: mode (e.g., online, in-person), type (e.g., verbal, relational), and environment (e.g., school, home). We conceptualize cyberbullying as bullying communicated through the online mode.
Longitudinal predictors of cyber and traditional bullying perpetration in Australian secondary school students.Hemphill SA, Kotevski A, Tollit M, Smith R, Herrenkohl TI, Toumbourou JW, Catalano RF.
Source
School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractPURPOSE:Cyberbullying perpetration (using communication technology to engage in bullying) is a recent phenomenon that has generated much concern. There are few prospective longitudinal studies of cyberbullying. The current article examines the individual, peer, family, and school risk factors for both cyber and traditional bullying (the latter is bullying that does not use technology) in adolescents.METHODS:This article draws on a rich data set from the International Youth Development Study, a longitudinal study of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States, which began in 2002. In this article, data from almost 700 Victorian students recruited in grade 5 are analyzed to examine grade 7 (aged 12-13 years) predictors of traditional and cyberbullying perpetration in grade 9 (aged 14-15 years).
RESULTS:Fifteen per cent of students engaged in cyberbullying, 21% in traditional bullying, and 7% in both. There are similarities and important differences in the predictors of cyber and traditional bullying. In the fully adjusted model, only prior engagement in relational aggression (a covert form of bullying, such as spreading rumors about another student) predicted cyberbullying perpetration. For traditional bullying, previous relational aggression was also predictive, as was having been a victim and perpetrator of traditional bullying, family conflict, and academic failure.
CONCLUSIONS:The use of evidence-based bullying prevention programs is supported to reduce experiences of all forms of bullying perpetration (cyber, traditional, and relational aggression). In addition, for traditional bullying perpetration, addressing family conflict and student academic support are also important.
Bullying and suicidal behaviors among urban high school youth.Hepburn L, Azrael D, Molnar B, Miller M.
Source
Harvard Youth Violence Prevention Center, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
AbstractPURPOSE:To determine whether involvement in bullying as a perpetrator, victim, or both victim and perpetrator (victim-perpetrator) was associated with a higher risk of suicidal ideation or suicide attempts among a multiethnic urban high school population in the United States.METHODS:In 2008, a total of 1,838 youth in 9th-12th grades attending public high school in Boston, MA, completed an in-school, self-reported survey of health-related behaviors. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between bullying behaviors and self-reported suicidal ideation and suicide attempts within the 12 months preceding the survey.RESULTS:Students who reported having been involved in bullying as a perpetrator, victim, or victim-perpetrator were more likely than those who had not been involved in bullying to report having seriously considered or attempted suicide within the past year. When age, race/ethnicity, and gender were controlled, students who were victim-perpetrators of bullying were at highest risk for both suicidal ideation and suicide attempt.CONCLUSIONS:Urban youth who have been bullied as well as those who have bullied others are at increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
METHODS:A cross-sectional sample of adolescents (n = 1,427) in the Seychelles was drawn from the Global School-based Student Health Survey. Bullied adolescents were compared with non-bullied adolescents with respect to several sociodemographic factors. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.
RESULTS:Within a 30 day period, 38.8% of adolescents reported being bullied. Bullied youths were more likely to be depressed (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.63; confidence intervals [CI] = 1.27-1.07) and socially deprived (aOR = 1.85; CI = 1.30-2.61). Being older (aOR = .83; CI = .77-.90) and having close friends (aOR = .53; CI = .31-.91) were protective factors.
CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of bullying in the Seychelles is high, and social correlates are similar to those in industrialized settings. More research is needed to examine bullying patterns outside the school environment.
Health Promot Pract. 2012 Jul;13(4):489-95. doi: 10.1177/1524839910386887. Epub 2011 Mar 21.
The implementation of a statewide bullying prevention program: preliminary findings from the field and the importance of coalitions.Schroeder BA, Messina A, Schroeder D, Good K, Barto S, Saylor J, Masiello M.
Source
Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Windber Research Institute, Windber, Pennsylvania, USA.
AbstractBullying in schools has become recognized as a significant public health problem. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) has been identified as an effective means to reduce bullying behavior in schools. The goal of this large population-based initiative was to reduce bullying by producing a quantifiable change in school climate using an established program and standardized measurement tool. Program participants over a 2-year period included 56,137 students and more than 2,400 teachers from 107 schools in 49 counties across Pennsylvania. An age cohorts design was used, and data from two equivalent age cohorts of students were compared at two or more points in time. After 1 to 2 years of program implementation, across cohorts, there were reductions in student self-reports of bullying others, and improvements in student perceptions of adults' responsiveness, and students' attitudes about bullying. This study is the largest bullying prevention initiative to date in the United States. This initiative reaffirms the efficacy of the OBPP, emphasizes the importance of an identified coalition, and highlights several positive outcomes. It is recommended that the OBPP be implemented through the establishment of community partnerships and coalitions as consistent with the public health model.
Institut für Schulpädagogik und Grundschulpädagogik, Fakultät für Erziehungswissenschaften, Technische Universität Dresden, Mommsenstraße 13, Dresden. [email protected]
AbstractThe purpose of this study was to undertake an assessment and differentiated examination of the development of bullying and violence in schools between 2002 and 2010 in Germany.We examined the national German data of Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002, 2006 and 2010. A paper-pencil questionnaire was distributed to a representative sample (N=17 929) of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old school children. The evaluation of the data was done by descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses, controlled by age, gender, family affluence, school type and survey year.A clear positive trend could be identified: from 2002 to 2010 the number of bullies and bully victims decreased whereas the group of the uninvolved pupils increased. There was a delay in this trend for children with low family affluence.The obvious success in the prevention of violence is shown by the decreasing rate of bullies. The paper discusses whether future prevention should focus more on victims and children with educationally deprived background.
Child physical abuse and concurrence of other types of child abuse in Sweden-Associations with health and risk behaviors.Annerbäck EM, Sahlqvist L, Svedin CG, Wingren G, Gustafsson PA.
Source
Linköping University, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To examine the associations between child physical abuse executed by a parent or caretaker and self-rated health problems/risk-taking behaviors among teenagers. Further to evaluate concurrence of other types of abuse and how these alone and in addition to child physical abuse were associated with bad health status and risk-taking behaviors.
METHODS:A population-based survey was carried out in 2008 among all the pupils in 2 different grades (15 respectively 17 years old) in Södermanland County, Sweden (n=7,262). The response rate was 81.8%. The pupils were asked among other things about their exposure to child physical abuse, exposure to parental intimate violence, bullying, and exposure to being forced to engage in sexual acts. Adjusted analyses were conducted to estimate associations between exposure and ill-health/risk-taking behaviors.RESULTS:Child physical abuse was associated with poor health and risk-taking behaviors with adjusted odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.6 to 6.2. The associations were stronger when the pupils reported repeated abuse with OR ranging from 2.0 to 13.2. Also experiencing parental intimate partner violence, bullying and being forced to engage in sexual acts was associated with poor health and risk-taking behaviors with the same graded relationship to repeated abuse. Finally there was a cumulative effect of multiple abuse in the form
of being exposed to child physical abuse plus other types of abuse and the associations increased with the number of concurrent abuse.CONCLUSIONS:This study provides strong indications that child abuse is a serious public health problem based on the clear links seen between abuse and poor health and behavioral problems. Consistent with other studies showing a graded relationship between experiences of abuse and poor health/risk-taking behaviors our study shows poorer outcomes for repeated and multiple abuse. Thus, our study calls for improvement of methods of comprehensive assessments, interventions and treatment in all settings where professionals meet young people.
BMC Public Health. 2012 Jul 2;12(1):494. [Epub ahead of print]
Prevalence of bullying and victimization among children in early elementary school: Do family and school neighbourhood socioeconomic status matter?Jansen PW, Verlinden M, Dommisse-van Berkel A, Mieloo C, van der Ende J, Veenstra R, Verhulst FC, Jansen
W, Tiemeier H.
AbstractABSTRACT:BACKGROUND: Bullying and victimization are widespread phenomena in childhood and can have a serious impact on well-being. Children from families with a low socioeconomic background have an increased risk of this behaviour, but it is unknown whether socioeconomic status (SES) of school neighbourhoods is also related to bullying behaviour. Furthermore, as previous bullying research mainly focused on older children and adolescents, it remains unclear to what extent bullying and victimization affects the lives of younger children. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and socioeconomic disparities in bullying behaviour among young elementary school children.METHODS:The study was part of a population-based survey in the Netherlands. Teacher reports of bullying behaviour and indicators of SES of families and schools were available for 6379 children aged 5-6 years.RESULTS:One-third of the children were involved in bullying, most of them as bullies (17%) or bully-victims (13%), and less as pure victims (4%). All indicators of low family SES and poor school neighbourhood SES were associated with an increased risk of being a bully or bully-victim. Parental educational level was the only indicator of SES related with victimization. The influence of school neighbourhood SES on bullying attenuated to statistical non-significance once adjusted for family SES.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying and victimization are already common problems in early elementary school. Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families, rather than children visiting schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, have a particularly high risk of involvement in bullying. These findings suggest the need of timely bullying preventions and interventions that should have a special focus on children of families with a low socioeconomic background. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs.
Nord J Psychiatry. 2012 Jul 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Bullying and victimization among 8-year-old children: A 16-year population-based time-trend study.Ilola AM, Sourander A.
Source
Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku , Finland.
AbstractBackground: Bullying has been recognized as a major social and health problem among children. There are only few studies about changes in the prevalence of bullying behaviour, especially among younger children. Aims: To examine changes in the prevalence of bullying behaviour at three time-points, 1989, 1999 and 2005, among 8-year-old children living in south-western Finland. Methods: Three representative cross-sectional samples of 8-year-old children from south-western Finland were compared. All children born in 1981 (n = 1038), 1991 (n = 1035) and 1997 (n = 1030) and living in selected school districts were included in the study samples. The sampling, procedure and methods were similar at all three time-points. The participation rate varied from 84% to 96%. Children, parents and teachers filled in questionnaires asking about bullying and victimization. Results: In 2005, statistically significantly fewer boys were victimized than in 1989. Among girls, there was a decreasing trend of victimization but this was statistically significant only in parental reports. More girls were frequent victims in 2005 than in 1989. Among boys, the number of bullies also decreased. However, teachers found more bullies among girls in 2005 than in 1989. Conclusion: There was a slight decrease in bullying behaviour among boys from 1989 to 2005. The main finding among girls was an almost twofold increase in teacher-reported bullies (from 5% to 9%). Bullyingand its prevention are major challenges for educational and school health services. Peer relationships and a non-violent school environment are major challenges of children's lives; therefore, continuous monitoring of bullying behaviour is important.
Eur J Orthod. 2012 Jul 28. [Epub ahead of print]
Interceptive orthodontic treatment in bullied adolescents and its impact on self-esteem and oral-health-related quality of life.Seehra J, Newton JT, Dibiase AT.
Source
* Department of Orthodontics, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Tower Wing London.
AbstractSUMMARYThe aim of this follow-up study was to measure the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying in orthodontic patients previously identified as being bullied, who have commenced interceptive
orthodontic treatment, and to investigate the effect on an individual's self-esteem and oral-health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Forty-three adolescents previously identified as being bullied due to the presence of a malocclusion were invited to take part in a follow-up study following commencement of orthodontic treatment at three UK Hospitals. Validated questionnaires were used to assess the self-reported frequency and severity of bullying, self-esteem and OHRQoL. The participation rate at follow-up was 63 per cent. Following commencement of orthodontic treatment, 21 (78 per cent) participants reported they were currently no longer being bullied due to the presence of their malocclusion. In comparison to their pre-treatment scores, participants reported fewer functional limitations (P = 0.013), decreased emotional (P < 0.001) and social impact (P < 0.001), and improved overall oral health (P = 0.03) and OHRQoL (P = 0.002). In addition, an improvement in functional limitations (P = 0.021), emotional (P = 0.008), social impact (P = 0.008) and OHRQoL (P = 0.02) was reported by participants who were no longer being bullied in comparison to those who continued to report bullying. There appears to be no effect on an individual's self-esteem. Orthodontic treatment may have a positive effect on adolescents experiencing bullying related to their malocclusion and their OHRQoL.
Crisis. 2012 Jul 30:1-10. [Epub ahead of print]
Suicidal Ideation, Risk Factors, and Communication With Parents.Mark L, Samm A, Tooding LM, Sisask M, Aasvee K, Zaborskis A, Zemaitiene N, Värnik A.
Source
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute, Estonian Centre of Behavioural and Health Sciences, <location>Tallinn, Estonia</location> Tallinn University, Institute of Social Work, <location>Estonia</location>
AbstractBackground: Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth. In the year 2002, Lithuania had the 2nd, Luxembourg the 5th, and Estonia the 9th highest suicide rates among 15- to 19-year-olds across 90 countries worldwide. Suicidal ideation is a significant precursor to suicide. Aims: To report on the prevalence of and associations between suicidal ideation, smoking, alcohol consumption, physical fighting, bullying, and communication with parents among 15-year-old schoolchildren. Methods: The survey analyzes data from the 2005/2006 HBSC study from Estonia, Lithuania, and Luxembourg (N = 4,954). The risk factors were calculated through multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results: The overall prevalence of suicidal ideation in the preceding year was 17%. Suicidal thoughts were associated with communication difficulties with parents (OR from 2.0 to 4.6) and other risk factors, especially multiple risks (OR for 4-5 concurrent risk factors from 4.5 to 13.6). Parent-child communication had a significant mediating effect by decreasing the odds for suicidality and multiple risks. Limitations: The prevalence estimates were obtained by self-reports. The causal relationships need further investigation. Conclusion: The risk factors studied, particularly multiple risks, were associated with higher odds for suicidal ideation. Good parent-child communication is a significant resource for decreasing suicidal ideation among adolescents.
West J Emerg Med. 2012 Aug;13(3):247-52. doi: 10.5811/westjem.2012.3.11792.
Bystander motivation in bullying incidents: to intervene or not to intervene?Thornberg R, Tenenbaum L, Varjas K, Meyers J, Jungert T, Vanegas G.
AbstractINTRODUCTION:This research sought to extend knowledge about bystanders in bullying situations with a focus on the motivations that lead them to different responses. The 2 primary goals of this study were to investigate the reasons for children's decisions to help or not to help a victim when witnessing bullying, and to generate a grounded theory (or conceptual framework) of bystander motivation in bullying situations.METHODS:Thirty students ranging in age from 9 to 15 years (M = 11.9; SD = 1.7) from an elementary and middle school in the southeastern United States participated in this study. Open- ended, semi-structured interviews were used, and sessions ranged from 30 to 45 minutes. We conducted qualitative methodology and analyses to gain an in-depth understanding of children's perspectives and concerns when witnessing bullying.RESULTS:A key finding was a conceptual framework of bystander motivation to intervene in bullying situations suggesting that deciding whether to help or not help the victim in a bullying situation depends on how bystanders define and evaluate the situation, the social context, and their own agency. Qualitative analysis revealed 5 themes related to bystander motives and included: interpretation of harm in the bullying situation, emotional reactions, social evaluating, moral evaluating, and intervention self-efficacy.CONCLUSION:Given the themes that emerged surrounding bystanders' motives to intervene or abstain from intervening, respondents reported 3 key elements that need to be confirmed in future research and that may have implications for future work on bullying prevention. These included: first, the potential importance of clear communication to children that adults expect bystanders to intervene when witnessing bullying; second, the potential of direct education about how bystanders can intervene to increase children's self-efficacy as defenders of those who are victims of bullying; and third, the assumption that it may be effective to encourage children's belief that bullying is morally wrong.
Intervention for aggressive victims of school bullying in Hong Kong: a longitudinal mixed-methods study.Fung AL.
Source
Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. [email protected]
AbstractThe distinction between aggressive and passive victims of school bullying is well documented. Aggressive victims exhibit restlessness and hot-temperedness, are easily provoked, and take revenge when irritated,
whereas passive victims are quiet and timid when attacked or insulted and withdraw rather than retaliate. To date, there has been no evidence-based evaluative study examining interventions designed specifically to reduce aggressive victimization, and neither has there been an inclusive assessment screening of high-risk aggressive victims prior to intervention. This study addressed these research gaps by employing multi-stage assessment procedures and a mixed-mode methodology in a one-year longitudinal design. Data were collected from student self-reports, parent and teacher rating scales, and individual structured interviews with students, parents and teachers. A total of 269 potential high-risk aggressive victims were identified from among 5,089 schoolchildren, 68 of whom were screened out and randomly assigned to 10 treatment groups, with 39 completing a one-year follow-up study. Multivariate analysis of variance identified significant improvements in physical and verbal victimization (F(2,47, 93.99) = 10.73, p < 0.01), verbal victimization (F(2.74, 104.14) = 12.80, p < 0.01) and social exclusion scores at the three follow-up assessments compared to the pre-treatment scores, and the qualitative results were consistent, showing participants' cognition, emotion, and behavior to have been positively reconstructed by the group intervention. The consistent quantitative and qualitative results confirm that the cognitive-behavioral group therapy program reported herein is effective in reducing aggressive victims' anxious and depressed emotions and reactive cognition.
Percept Mot Skills. 2012 Aug;115(1):319-24.
Peer-victimization during physical education and enjoyment of physical activity.Scarpa S, Carraro A, Gobbi E, Nart A.
Source
Department FISPPA (Philosophy, Sociology, Education, and Applied Psychology), University of Padua, Italy. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined the relations between peer-victimization during sport practice and physical activity enjoyment. 395 students (219 boys, 176 girls) from a middle school, ages 12 to 13 years (M = 12.2), were surveyed. Few correlations between peer-victimization during sport practice and physical activity enjoyment variables were negative. Linear regression analysis was also conducted, highlighting a subtle influence of peer-victimization during practice of sports on enjoyment of physical activity. Peer-victimization during practice of sports seems to be a poor predictor of low enjoyment of physical activity.
Department of Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588–0345, USA. [email protected]
AbstractStudents in general and special education experience bullying. However, few empirical investigations have examined involvement in bullying along the bully/victim continuum (i.e., as a bully, victim, or bully-victim) among students with disabilities. A total of 816 students, ages 9 to 16, participated in the present study. From this total sample 686 were not receiving special education services (categorized as "no disability"), and 130 were receiving special education services (categorized as "observable disability," "non-observable disability," and "behavioral disability"). Data on students' involvement in bullying, office referrals, and prosocial behavior were collected. Results indicated that students with behavioral disorders and those with observable disabilities reported bullying others more and being victimized more than their general education counterparts. Students with behavioral disorders also had significantly more office referrals than students in general education. Seventh graders in general education reported more bullyingbehavior than sixth graders and ninth grades in general education. Fifth graders in general education reported more victimization than students in all other grades in general education. However, the grade differences were not significant for students in special education. No gender differences onbullying and victimization were found. Students with disabilities reported less engagement in prosocial behaviors than their general education peers. Implications for bullying prevention and intervention across both general and special education are discussed.
AbstractPatterns of engagement in cyber bullying and four types of traditional bullying were examined using latent class analysis (LCA). Demographic differences and externalizing problems were evaluated across latent class membership. Data were obtained from the 2005-2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Survey and the analytic sample included 7,508 U.S. adolescents in grades 6 through 10. LCA models were tested on physical bullying, verbal bullying, social exclusion, spreading rumors, and cyber bullying behaviors. Three latent classes were identified for each gender: All-Types Bullies (10.5% for boys and 4.0% for girls), Verbal/Social Bullies (29.3% for boys and 29.4% for girls), and a Non-Involved class (60.2% for boys and 66.6% for girls). Boys were more likely to be All-Types Bullies than girls. The prevalence rates of All-Types and Verbal/Social Bullies peaked during grades 6 to 8 and grades 7 and 8, respectively. Pairwise comparisons across the three latent classes on externalizing problems were conducted. Overall, the All-Types Bullies were at highest risk of using substances and carrying weapons, the Non-Involved were at lowest risk, and the Verbal/Social Bullies were in the middle. Results also suggest that most cyber bullies belong to a group of highly aggressive adolescents who conduct all types of bullying. This finding does not only improve our understanding of the relation between cyber bullying and traditional bullying, but it also suggests that prevention and intervention efforts could target cyber bullies as a high-risk group for elevated externalizing problems.
AbstractAdolescent suicide is a preventable tragedy yet is still the third leading cause of death in young people of age 10-24. Contrary to the idea that childhood bullying is a normal part of growing up or a rite of passage, it is now correlated with adolescent suicidality. An integrative review of the contemporary, extant literature was conducted to examine the following question: Are adolescents who have been involved in childhood bullying or cyberbullying as victim, offender, or victim/offender at greater risk for suicidality than those who have not. It is important to empower school nurses with current and evidence-based information regarding childhood bullying and examine empirical science and tools to effectively address the current serious problem of adolescent suicide risk assessment and intervention.
Functions of parental involvement and effects of school climate on bullying behaviors among South Korean middle school students.Lee CH, Song J.
Source
Department of Police Administration, Hannam University, 133 Ojeong-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon 306-791, South Korea. [email protected]
AbstractThis study uses an ecological systems theory to understand bullying behavior. Emphasis is given to overcome limitations found in the literature, such as very little empirical research on functions of parental involvement and the impacts of school climate on bullying as an outcome variable. Two functions of parental involvement investigated are (a) bridging the negative experiences within the family with bullying behaviors at schools, and (b) influencing school climate. Bullying behaviors were measured by a modified Korean version of Olweus' bully/victim questionnaire (reliability range: .78-.84) from 1,238 randomly selected Korean middle school students in 2007. Findings from structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses showed that (a) individual traits are one of the most important influence on bullying, (b) negative experiences in the family do not have direct influence onbullying behaviors at school, (c) parental involvement influences school climate, and (d) positive school climate was negatively related to bullyingbehaviors.
Bullied by peers in childhood and borderline personality symptoms at 11 years of age: a prospective study.Wolke D, Schreier A, Zanarini MC, Winsper C.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Abuse by adults has been reported as a potent predictor of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Unclear is whether victimisation by peers increases the risk of borderline personality symptoms.
METHOD:The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) prospective, longitudinal observation study of 6050 mothers and their children. Child bullying was measured by self-report and mother and teacher report between 4 and 10 years. Family adversity was assessed from pregnancy to 4 years; parenting behaviours from 2 to 7 years, sexual abuse from 1.5 to 9 years, and IQ and DSM-IV axis I diagnoses at 7 to 8 years. Trained psychologists interviewed children at 11.8 years to ascertain DSM-IV BPD symptoms (five or more).RESULTS:Accounting for known confounders, victims of peer bullying had an increased risk of BPD symptoms according to self-report (OR, 2.82; 95% CI, 2.13-3.72); mother report (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.86-3.16); and teacher report (OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.34-2.83). Children who reported being chronically bullied (OR, 5.44; 95% CI, 3.86-7.66) or experienced combined relational and overt victimisation (OR, 7.10; 95% CI, 4.79-10.51) had highly increased odds of developing BPD symptoms. Children exposed to chronic victimisation according to mother report were also at heightened risk of developing BPD symptoms (OR, 3.24; 95% CI, 2.24-4.68).CONCLUSIONS:Intentional harm inflicted by peers is a precursor or marker on the trajectory towards the development of BPD symptoms in childhood. Clinicians should be adequately trained to deal with, and ask users of mental health services routinely about, adverse experiences with peers.
J Adolesc. 2012 Aug;35(4):1001-11. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.02.006. Epub 2012 Mar 6.
Sexual minority status, peer harassment, and adolescent depression.Martin-Storey A, Crosnoe R.
Source
Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe well-documented higher rates of depression among sexual minority youth are increasingly viewed by developmentalists as a byproduct of the stigmatization of sexual minority status in American society and of the negative impact this stigma has on the processes associated with depression. This study attempted to spur future research by testing Hatzenbuehler's (2009) psychological mediation framework to
investigate the ways in which peer harassment related to sexuality puts young people at risk by influencing the cognitive, social, and regulatory factors associated with depression. Analyses of 15 year olds in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that sexual minority status was largely associated with depressive outcomes via harassment, which was subsequently associated with depression via cognitive and social factors. Results point to various avenues for exploring the importance of the social world and self-concept for the outcomes of sexual minority adolescents in the future.
J Adolesc. 2012 Aug;35(4):1053-9. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.02.011. Epub 2012 Mar 28.
The relation between bullying, victimization, and adolescents' level of hopelessness.Siyahhan S, Aricak OT, Cayirdag-Acar N.
Source
Arizona State University, School of Social and Family Dynamics, Tempe, AZ 85287-3701, USA. [email protected]
AbstractIn this study, 419 Turkish middle school students (203 girls, 216 boys) were surveyed on their exposure to and engagement in bullying, and their level of hopelessness. Our findings suggest that girls were victims of indirect (e.g. gossiping) bullying more than boys. Boys reported being victims of physical (e.g. damaging property) and verbal (e.g. teasing) bullying more than girls. While the level of hopelessness among victims of physical and verbal bullying was higher than non-victims, no difference was found between the victims of indirect bullying and non-victims. Students who never talked to their teachers and parents about bullying reported higher levels of hopelessness than others. The implications of the study for intervention and prevention programs are discussed.
J Adolesc. 2012 Aug;35(4):1069-80. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.02.014. Epub 2012 Mar 29.
The protective role of supportive friends against bullying perpetration and victimization.Kendrick K, Jutengren G, Stattin H.
Source
School of Social Work, University of British Columbia, 2080 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z2. [email protected]
AbstractA crossed-lagged regression model was tested to investigate relationships between friendship support, bullying involvement, and its consequences during adolescence. Students, 12-16 years (N = 880), were administered questionnaires twice, one year apart. Using structural equation modeling, a
model was specified and higher levels of support from friends were related to lower levels of bullying and victimization one year later. Additionally, a bidirectional relationship between victimization and depression was found, and greater property crimes commission was related to higher levels of future bullying. These findings support the 'friendship protection hypothesis' and suggest the quality of support in friendships can protect againstbullying victimization and perpetration. Prior research has shown that friendships can protect against victimization; however this is one of the few longitudinal studies to focus on the quality of friendship, rather than other characteristics of the friends. It is suggested that interventions should focus on increasing perceptions of support within existing friendships.
What actually makes bullying stop? Reports from former victims.Frisén A, Hasselblad T, Holmqvist K.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Box 500, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. [email protected]
AbstractSchool bullying is a serious, worldwide problem which is not easily counteracted. The present study focuses on the perspective of former victims, asking them what it was that made the bullying stop in their case. Participants were 273 18-year-old former victims in Sweden, a country in which schools are doing extensive work against bullying and the bullying prevalence is relatively low. Results showed that although support from school personnel was the most common reason that the former victims gave to why the bullying had ended, it was only mentioned by a fourth of them. In fact, it was almost equally as common that the bullying had ended in that the victims transitioned to a new school level or changed their way of coping with the bullying. Very few of the adolescents reported that the bullying had stopped due to support from peers.
Bullying and PTSD symptoms.Idsoe T, Dyregrov A, Idsoe EC.
Source
Centre for Behavioural Research, University of Stavanger, 4036, Stavanger, Norway. [email protected]
AbstractPTSD symptoms related to school bullying have rarely been investigated, and never in national samples. We used data from a national survey to investigate this among students from grades 8 and 9 (n = 963). The prevalence estimates of exposure to bullying were within the range of earlier research findings. Multinomial logistic regression showed that boys were 2.27 times more likely to be exposed to frequent bullying than girls. A latent variable second-order model demonstrated an association between
frequency of bullying exposure and PTSD symptoms (beta = 0.49). This relationship was not moderated by gender. However, the average levels of PTSD symptoms as well as clinical range symptoms were higher for girls. For all bullied students, 27.6% of the boys and 40.5% of the girls had scores within the clinical range. A mimic model showed that youth who identify as being both a bully and a victim of bullying were more troubled than those who were victims only. Our findings support the idea that exposure tobullying is a potential risk factor for PTSD symptoms among students. Future research could investigate whether the same holds for PTSD through diagnostic procedures, but this will depend on whether or not bullying is decided to comply with the DSM-IV classification of trauma required for diagnosis. Results are discussed with regard to their implications for school interventions.
Int J Psychol. 2012 Aug 1. [Epub ahead of print]
The social and emotional skills of bullies, victims, and bully-victims of Egyptian primary school children.Habashy Hussein M.
Source
a Department of Educational Psychology , Alexandria University , Alexandria , Egypt.
AbstractThis study examined whether bullies, victims, bully-victims (who are both bullies and victims), and students who reported no or low levels of bullyingand victimization differed in their levels of social and emotional skills. Data were collected from 623 children in fifth and sixth grades from four Egyptian elementary schools; their ages ranged from 10 to 12 years. K-means cluster analysis revealed four groups: bullies (n = 138), victims (n = 178), bully-victims (n = 59), and children who were not involved in bullying behaviour (n = 248). Data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. The findings indicated that boys were more involved in bullying behaviour than girls, and both bullies and bully-victims were less likely to adhere to social rules and politeness than children who were not involved in bullying. Both bullies and victims were less aware of the physiological reactions of their emotions than uninvolved children, and were less able to apply social rules in social interaction. Both victims and bully-victims reported less likeability than children not involved in bullying. Verbal sharing, attending to others' emotions, and analysis of emotions did not have a statistically significant relationship with the probabilities of classifying children to any bullying group versus children not involved in bullying. Social skills were more important than emotional awareness in predicting the likelihood of classifying children in one of the three bullying groups versus children who not involved inbullying. The main conclusion is that social and emotional skills together may provide an effective means of intervention for bullying problems.
AbstractIn recent years, the phenomenon of cyberbullying has been gaining scholars' growing interest under various aspects, including its overlap with face-to-face bullying. Nevertheless, its relationships with cognitive and affective empathy, proactive and reactive aggression, and moral disengagement, constructs that proved to be crucial in distinguishing aggressive subjects from their targets and nonaggressive peers in traditional bullying, still represent, to some extent, an unexplored domain. The main purpose of the present exploratory study was to investigate the associations between cyberbullying and the mentioned constructs among Italian adolescents. 819 high-school students (mean age 16.08) were administered a battery of standardized tools, along with Cyberties, a new instrument created to assess the prevalence of (and the type of involvement in) different forms of electronic assaults. Analyses of variance were conducted to compare four roles ("pure" bullies, "pure" victims, bully victims, and noninvolved subjects). Participants who identified themselves as cyberbullies or cyberbully victims showed significantly higher levels of overall moral disengagement and of both types of aggression. Cyberbullies also displayed a lack of affective empathy. Our findings are in line with the ones in extant literature about correlates of traditional and electronic forms of bullying. Implications for prevention strategies are discussed.
Experiences of school bullying among internationally adopted children: results from the Finnish Adoption (FINADO) Study.Raaska H, Lapinleimu H, Sinkkonen J, Salmivalli C, Matomäki J, Mäkipää S, Elovainio M.
Source
Department of Child Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. [email protected]
AbstractThis study investigated the prevalence of and factors associated with school bullying and victimization among Finnish international adoptees. The Olweus bully/victim questionnaire was sent to all 9-15-year-old children adopted in Finland between 1985 and 2007 through the mediating organizations officially approved by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The children were identified through official adoption organizations. The response rate in the target sample was 49.4%: the study sample consisted of 364 children (190 girls, 52.2%). The children's background factors and symptoms of reactive attachment disorder (RAD) were evaluated using a FINADO questionnaire. Their learning difficulties and social and language skills were assessed using a standardized parental questionnaire (Five to Fifteen). Of the participants, 19.8% reported victimization by peers while 8% had bullied others. Both victimization and bullying were associated with severe symptoms of RAD at the time of adoption (RR 2.68, 95%CI 1.50-4.77 and RR 2.08, 95%CI 1.17-3.69 for victimization and bullying, respectively). Lack of social skills was associated with victimization (RR 1.74, 95%CI 1.06-2.85) but not independently with being a bully (RR 1.50, 95%CI 0.91-2.45). In a multivariate analysis the child's learning difficulties and language difficulties were not associated with either bullying others or victimization.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2012 Aug 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Bullying in childhood and religious/spiritual status in adulthood among internal medicine outpatients.Sansone RA, Kelley AR, Forbis JS.
Wright State University, School of Medicine, Dayton, USA.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Bullying in childhood is ubiquitous and associated with a number of identified negative outcomes in both childhood and adulthood. However, the relationship between being bullied in childhood and religious/spiritual status in adulthood has never been explored.METHOD:Using a cross-sectional sample of 324 consecutive internal medicine outpatients and a survey methodology, we examined relationships between 'When you were growing up, were you ever a victim of bullying?' and (1) self-perceived extent of religiosity/spirituality and (2) religiosity/spirituality as assessed by scores on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12).RESULTS:While bullying status in childhood was not related to either the self-perceived extent of religiosity or spirituality, it did evidence negative statistically significant relationships with seven of 12 FACIT-Sp-12 scales, as well as the overall composite score.CONCLUSIONS:According to these data, bullying in childhood is associated with lower religious/spiritual well-being in adulthood; however, this study was not designed to examine a causal relationship.
Child Care Health Dev. 2012 Aug 8. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2012.01401.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Body esteem, peer difficulties and perceptions of physical health in overweight and obese urban children aged 5 to 7 years.Williams NA, Fournier J, Coday M, Richey PA, Tylavsky FA, Hare ME.
Source
School of Public Health, University of Memphis.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To determine whether there is an association between body mass index (BMI) and body esteem in young overweight and obese urban children, and to test peer relationship difficulties and perceived physical health as mediators of this relationship.
METHODS:Child self-reported body esteem, and parent-reported child peer relationship difficulties (being bullied by peers and peer rejection) and physical health perceptions were obtained from 218 overweight and obese children aged 5-7 years (81% racial/ethnic minority, M BMI = 25.3) and their primary caregivers.
RESULTS:Higher BMI was associated with lower body esteem for both girls and boys. This relation was mediated by poor physical health for boys but not for girls. Peer relationship difficulties did not mediate the observed association between BMI and body esteem in either group; however, girls with higher BMI experienced more bullying and being bullied by peers was associated with lower body esteem in girls.
CONCLUSIONS:Intervening with perceptions of physical health may buffer overweight and obese boys from developing low body esteem in early childhood.
Matern Child Health J. 2012 Aug 11. [Epub ahead of print]
Dating Violence and Associated Health Risks Among High School Students with Disabilities.Mitra M, Mouradian VE, McKenna M.
Source
Center for Health Policy and Research/Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 333 South Street, Shrewsbury, MA, 01545, USA, [email protected].
AbstractChildren with disabilities are at a higher risk for various forms of violence including sexual violence, bullying, and physical violence compared to those without disabilities. However there are no studies documenting the prevalence of dating violence amongst a population-based sample of adolescents with disabilities. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of dating violence victimization against high schools students with and without disabilities and to examine associations of dating violence with health risks by disability status among high school girls. Data from the 2009 Massachusetts Youth Health Survey were analyzed in 2011 using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Among high school students who had ever been on a date, girls (25.9 %, 95 % CI 19.9-31.5) and boys (9.1 %, 95 % CI 5.8-12.4) with disabilities were more likely than girls (8.8 %, 95 % CI 6.8-10.8) and boys (4.5 %, 95 % CI 3.1-5.8) without disabilities to report dating violence. Multivariate analyses indicated that high school girls with disabilities who experienced dating violence were more likely to report feeling sad or hopeless for 2 weeks or more in the past year, suicide ideation in the past 12 months, and drug use in the past 30 days compared to those with disabilities who did not report dating violence and those without disabilities who reported and did not report dating violence. High school students with disabilities are at a greater risk for dating violence victimization compared to those without disabilities and high school girls with disabilities who experience dating violence are at increased risk for experiencing poor mental health outcomes and substance abuse.
Prevalence and clinical features of Thought-Perception-Sensitivity Symptoms: Results from a community survey of Korean high school students.Kang NI, Park TW, Yang JC, Oh KY, Shim SH, Chung YC.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Chonbuk National University Hospital & Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
AbstractEpidemiologic research indicates that psychosis and depression most frequently develop during adolescence. Hence, an efficient strategy for improving youth mental health would be to focus on detection of early-stage psychosis and depression in adolescence. In this study, 1461 high school students were surveyed using self-report scales. Students who scored equal to or above the cut-off value on any of the scales and who agreed to a further examination proceeded to a second assessment, using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia and Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States along with self-reporting scales. The estimated prevalence of adolescents at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and of depression-spectrum disorders was 1.26 and 3.69% respectively. Compared with the normal group, experiences of bullying, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts were significantly higher in these two groups; the subjects at UHR for psychosis were found to have significantly lower academic performance and lower ratings on SCRS; and submissive behavior was more prevalent in the depression-spectrum group. Our results reveal several clinical features of adolescents at UHR for psychosis and with depression-spectrum disorder and underscore the importance of accurate assessment of and early appropriate care for these adolescents.
Psychol Med. 2012 Aug 16:1-7. [Epub ahead of print]
Self-perception but not peer reputation of bullying victimization is associated with non-clinical psychotic experiences in adolescents.Gromann PM, Goossens FA, Olthof T, Pronk J, Krabbendam L.
Source
Department of Educational Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Education, VU University Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Bullying victimization may be linked to psychosis but only self-report measures of victimization have been used so far. This study aimed (a) to investigate the differential associations of peer-nominated versus self-reported victim status with non-clinical psychotic experiences in a sample of young adolescents, and (b) to examine whether different types of self-reported victimization predict non-clinical psychotic experiences in these adolescents. Method A combination of standard self-report and peer nomination procedures was used to assess victimization. The sample (n=724) was divided into four groups (exclusively self-reported victims, self- and peer-reported victims, exclusively peer-reported victims, and non-victims) to test for a group effect on non-clinical psychotic experiences. The relationship between types of victimization and non-clinical psychotic experiences was examined by a regression analysis.RESULTS:Self-reported victims, along with self- and peer-reported victims, scored higher than peer-reported victims and non-victims on non-clinical psychotic experiences. Self-reports of direct relational, indirect relational and physical victimization significantly improved the prediction of non-clinical psychotic experiences whereas verbal and possession-directed victimization had no significant predictive value.
CONCLUSIONS:The relationship between victimization and non-clinical psychotic experiences is only present for self-reported victimization, possibly indicative of an interpretation bias. The observed discrepancy between
self-report and peer-report highlights the importance of implementing a combination of both measures for future research.
N Engl J Med. 2012 Aug 23;367(8):735-45. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsa1114353.
Racial and ethnic health disparities among fifth-graders in three cities.Schuster MA, Elliott MN, Kanouse DE, Wallander JL, Tortolero SR, Ratner JA, Klein DJ, Cuccaro PM, Davies
SL, Banspach SW.
Source
Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:For many health-related behaviors and outcomes, racial and ethnic disparities among adolescents are well documented, but less is known about health-related disparities during preadolescence.
METHODS:We studied 5119 randomly selected public-school fifth-graders and their parents in three metropolitan areas in the United States. We examined differences among black, Latino, and white children on 16 measures, including witnessing of violence, peer victimization, perpetration of aggression, seat-belt use, bike-helmet use, substance use, discrimination, terrorism worries, vigorous exercise, obesity, and self-rated health status and psychological and physical quality of life. We tested potential mediators of racial and ethnic disparities (i.e., sociodemographic characteristics and the child's school) using partially adjusted models.
RESULTS:There were significant differences between black children and white children for all 16 measures and between Latino children and white children for 12 of 16 measures, although adjusted analyses reduced many of these disparities. For example, in unadjusted analysis, the rate of witnessing a threat or injury with a gun was higher among blacks (20%) and Latinos (11%) than among whites (5%), and the number of days per week on which the student performed vigorous exercise was lower among blacks (3.56 days) and Latinos (3.77 days) than among whites (4.33 days) (P<0.001 for all comparisons). After statistical adjustment, these differences were reduced by about half between blacks and whites and were eliminated between Latinos and whites. Household income, household highest education level, and the child's school were the most substantial mediators of racial and ethnic disparities.
CONCLUSIONS:We found that harmful health behaviors, experiences, and outcomes were more common among black children and Latino children than among white children. Adjustment for socioeconomic status and the child's school substantially reduced most of these differences. Interventions that address potentially detrimental consequences of low socioeconomic status and adverse school environments may help reduce racial and ethnic differences in child health. (Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.).
Eur J Public Health. 2012 Aug 28. [Epub ahead of print]
Peer victimization and subjective health among students reporting disability or chronic illness in 11 Western countries.Sentenac M, Gavin A, Nic Gabhainn S, Molcho M, Due P, Ravens-Sieberer U, Matos MG, Malkowska-Szkutnik
A, Gobina I, Vollebergh W, Arnaud C, Godeau E.
Source
1 INSERM, UMR 1027, Research Unit on Perinatal Epidemiology and Childhood Disabilities, Adolescent Health, Toulouse, F-31073, France.
AbstractBACKGROUND:To compare the strength of the association between peer victimization at school and subjective health according to the disability or chronic illness (D/CI) status of students across countries.
METHODS:This study used data from 55 030 students aged 11, 13 and 15 years from 11 countries participating in the 2005-06 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. Self-completed questionnaires were administered in classrooms. Multivariate models of logistic regression (controlled for confounding factors and countries) were used to investigate differences in the association between peer victimization and poor subjective health according to the D/CI status.
RESULTS:Overall, 13.5% of the students reported having been bullied at least two or three times a month. The percentage of victims was significantly higher among those reporting D/CI than among others in all countries studied. Victims of bullying were more likely to report poor self-rated health, low life satisfaction and multiple health complaints. However, there were no differences in the associations between peer victimization and subjective health indicators according to the D/CI status.CONCLUSIONS:In all countries studied, students reporting D/CI were more likely to report being victims of bullying. Victims of bullying reported more negative subjective health outcomes regardless of their D/CI status. Although inclusive education is currently a major topic of educational policies in most countries, additional efforts should be made to improve the quality of the integration of students with D/CI.
Child Dev. 2012 Aug 29. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01839.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Children's Physiological and Emotional Reactions to Witnessing Bullying Predict Bystander Intervention.Barhight LR, Hubbard JA, Hyde CT.
Study goals were to explore whether children clustered into groups based on reactions to witnessing bullying and to examine whether these reactions predicted bullying intervention. Seventy-nine children (M = 10.80 years) watched bullying videos in the laboratory while their heart rate (HR) was measured, and they self-reported on negative emotion after each video. Bullying intervention was assessed by school peers. Two groups emerged based on reactions to the bullying videos: The Emotional group (43% of children) displayed HR acceleration and reported high negative emotion, whereas the Unemotional group (57% of children) showed HR deceleration and reported low negative emotion. Group membership predicted bullyingintervention, with peers reporting that Emotional children were more likely to stop a bully than Unemotional children.
Schizophr Bull. 2012 Sep 1. [Epub ahead of print]
Pathways Between Childhood Victimization and Psychosis-like Symptoms in the ALSPAC Birth Cohort.Fisher HL, Schreier A, Zammit S, Maughan B, Munafò MR, Lewis G, Wolke D.
Source
MRC Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK;
AbstractBackground:Several large population-based studies have demonstrated associations between adverse childhood experiences and later development of psychotic symptoms. However, little attention has been paid to the mechanisms involved in this pathway and the few existing studies have relied on cross-sectional assessments. Methods: Prospective data on 6692 children from the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were used to address this issue. Mothers reported on children's exposure to harsh parenting and domestic violence in early childhood, and children self-reported on bullying victimization prior to 8.5 years. Presence of children's anxiety at 10 years and their depressive symptoms at 9 and 11 years were ascertained from mothers, and children completed assessments of self-esteem and locus of control at 8.5 years. Children were interviewed regarding psychotic symptoms at a mean age of 12.9 years. Multiple mediation analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect effects of each childhood adversity on psychotic symptoms. Results: The association between harsh parenting and psychotic symptoms was fully mediated by anxiety, depressive symptoms, external locus of control, and low self-esteem. Bullying victimization and exposure to domestic violence had their associations with psychotic symptoms partially mediated by anxiety, depression, locus of control, and self-esteem. Similar results were obtained following adjustment for a range of confounders and when analyses were conducted for boys and girls separately. Conclusions: These findings tentatively suggest that specific cognitive and affective difficulties in childhood could be targeted to minimize the likelihood of adolescents exposed to early trauma from developing psychotic symptoms.
Clinical and School Psychology, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4270, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined whether characteristics of a positive school climate were associated with lower student risk behavior in a sample of 3,687 high school students who completed the School Climate Bullying Survey and questions about risk behavior from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS). Confirmatory factor analyses established fit for 20 items with three hypothesized school climate scales measuring (1) prevalence ofbullying and teasing; (2) aggressive attitudes; and (3) student willingness to seek help. Structural equation modeling established the relationship of these measures with student reports of risk behavior. Multigroup analyses identified differential effects across gender and race. A positive school climate could be an important protective factor in preventing student risk behavior.
Public Health. 2012 Sep;126(9):782-9. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2012.05.001. Epub 2012 Jul 21.
Presentation and management of school bullying and the impact of anti-bullying strategies for pupils: a self-report survey in London schools.Raynor S, Wylie A.
AbstractOBJECTIVES:To investigate differences in the presentation and management of bullying in two London boroughs, one with high levels of deprivation and the other with low levels of deprivation; and to explore pupils' views on successful approaches to tackle bullying.STUDY DESIGN:Problems associated with bullying in childhood can manifest with mental disorders, depression and poorer perceived health in adulthood. However, despite the recent development of anti-bullying policies within schools, bullying remains a significant issue for many pupils. An original self-report survey was undertaken to investigate this important area.METHOD:A web-based questionnaire was undertaken with pupils from year 8 (aged 12-13 years) at four secondary schools in London. The study was approved by King's College London Research Ethics Committee.
RESULTS:In total, 304 pupils completed the questionnaire, 55% of whom were affected by bullying at their school. Deprivation had no impact on the prevalence of pupils involved in a bullying culture. School membership is the most important independent factor for determining bullying.CONCLUSIONS:Policy could be aimed at changing pupils' views on dealing with bullying, and it is vital that policies and practices around bullyingare active and alive and do not become 'file fodder'.
Cyber-bullying and incivility in an online learning environment, part 2: promoting student success in the virtual classroom.Clark CM, Ahten S, Werth L.
Source
School of Nursing, Boise State University, 1910 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThe appeal of online learning has increased dramatically among nurses who are pursuing higher-education opportunities. However, online learning has created potential avenues for uncivil behaviors that can affect student satisfaction, performance, and retention. This is the second of 2 articles detailing a study to empirically measure nursing faculty and student perceptions of an online learning environment (OLE). Part 1, in the July/August 2012 issue, described the quantitative results including the types and frequency of uncivil behaviors and the extent to which they are perceived to be a problem in online courses. In this portion of the study, the authors discuss the qualitative findings, including the challenges and advantages of the OLE, specific ways to foster civility, and strategies to promote student success and retention.
Factor structure, reliability, and validity of the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire.Yen CF, Kim YS, Tang TC, Wu YY, Cheng CP.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
AbstractThe aims of this study were to examine the factor structure, internal consistency, 1-month test-retest reliability, and congruent validity of the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire (C-SBEQ). Study 1, in which 5751 Taiwanese adolescents in Southern Taiwan participated, examined the adequacy of the original four-factor structure of the C-SBEQ using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and internal-consistency reliability using Cronbach α. Study 2, in which 108 adolescents in Southern Taiwan participated, examined the 1-month test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). We examined the congruent validity of the C-SBEQ by examining the consistency between self-reported and teacher- and classmate-nominated experiences of bullying involvement in Study 2. The results of CFA supported the four-factor structure of the C-SBEQ in Taiwanese adolescents. The test-retest and internal reliability values of all subscales of the C-SBEQ were at acceptable to satisfactory levels. Nominated adolescents had significantly higher self-reported scores on three C-SBEQ subscales than non-nominated ones, and the levels of agreement between self-reported and nominated victims were moderate. The results of this study indicate that the C-SBEQ is appropriate for assessing bullying experiences in Taiwanese adolescents.
Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Research version (YQOL-R): psychometric properties in a community sample.[Article in English, Portuguese]
Salum GA, Patrick DL, Isolan LR, Manfro GG, Fleck MP.
Source
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. [email protected]
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To test some psychometric properties of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Youth Quality of Life Instrument-Research (YQOL-R) in a community sample of Brazilian adolescents.
METHODS:This is a cross-sectional community study conducted in six schools of the catchment area of a family health unit. From an original population of 2,754 students from 10 to 17 years old, we randomly selected 419 to answer the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the YQOL-R. We tested reliability, known group differences (using anxiety symptoms and bullying involvement), and factor structure.RESULTS:The YQOL-R showed a good internal consistency and had an adequate and expected known group differences with both bullying and anxiety. The factor structure of the conceptual model was partially supported by our analysis.CONCLUSIONS:The Brazilian-Portuguese version of the YQOL-R showed sufficiently good psychometric properties. Further studies are needed in order to better investigate alternative configurations of the factor structure.
AbstractPatient-centered care requires pediatricians to address parents' health concerns, but their willingness to solicit parental concerns may be limited by uncertainty about which topics will be raised. The authors conducted surveys of parents to identify current health-related issues of concern.
METHODS:Participants rated 30 items as health problems for children in their community (large, medium, small, or no problem) and volunteered concerns for their own children.
RESULTS:A total of 1119 parents completed the survey. Allergies (69%), lack of exercise (68%), asthma (65%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (65%), Internet safety (63%), obesity (59%), smoking (58%),
and bullying (57%) were identified as important problems (large or medium) with variation among demographic subgroups. Concerns for their own children included healthy nutrition; obesity; lack of exercise, healthy growth and development; safety and injury prevention; and mental health issues.CONCLUSION:Parents' health concerns for children are varied and may differ from those routinely addressed during well-child care.
Cad Saude Publica. 2012 Sep;28(9):1725-36.
[Association between physical violence, consumption of alcohol and other drugs, and bullying among Brazilian adolescents].[Article in Portuguese]
Andrade SS, Yokota RT, Sá NN, Silva MM, Araújo WN, Mascarenhas MD, Malta DC.
Source
Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil. [email protected]
AbstractThis study aimed to identify the association between alcohol and drug consumption and bullying on the one hand and involvement in situations of physical violence among adolescents 13 to 15 years in public and private schools in State capitals and the Federal District of Brazil. The study analyzed data from the National School Health Survey (PeNSE) for the year 2009. Data analysis used logistic regression. Prevalence of involvement in physical violence was 12.9% more common in boys than girls. Both genders showed associations between physical violence or being a victim ofbullying and use of illegal drugs, plus the heightened effect of the combined consumption of alcohol and other drugs. In boys, alcohol consumption showed a significant association with physical violence. Having the father or both parents living at home was inversely associated with physical violence in girls. Knowledge of factors associated with physical violence among adolescents is important for supporting health promotion strategies and a culture of peace, thereby counteracting the idea of taking teenage violence for granted.
Individual and class moral disengagement in bullying among elementary school children.Pozzoli T, Gini G, Vieno A.
Source
Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of Padua, Padova, Italy. [email protected]
AbstractA cross-sectional study from a sample of 663 elementary school children assessed the four sets of moral disengagement mechanisms conceptualized by Bandura (i.e., cognitive restructuring, minimizing one's agentive role, disregarding/distorting the consequences, blaming/dehumanizing the victim) at both the
individual and the class level. Additionally, an analysis of the relations of these mechanisms to pro-bullying behavior was conducted. Multilevel analysis showed a significant relationship between cognitive restructuring and individual pro-bullyingbehavior. Moreover, between-class variability of pro-bullying behavior was positively related to minimizing one's agentive role and blaming/dehumanizing the victim at the class level. Conversely, class disregarding/distorting the consequences was negatively associated with between-class variation in the outcome behavior. Implications for understanding the role of morality in children's bullying are discussed.
The emotional impact of bullying and cyberbullying on victims: a European cross-national study.Ortega R, Elipe P, Mora-Merchán JA, Genta ML, Brighi A, Guarini A, Smith PK, Thompson F, Tippett N.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractPast research has demonstrated the effects of bullying can be severe and long term for the individuals involved. The main aim of this study is to analyze the emotional impact on victims of traditional bullying, both direct and indirect forms, and of cyberbullying through mobile phones and the Internet. A sample of 5,862 adolescents from three different countries, Italy (N = 1,964), Spain (N = 1,671), and England (N = 2,227), responded to a questionnaire that asked if they had experience of various forms of bullying, and the consequent emotional impact. The results show that both traditional bullying and cyberbullying have a significant prevalence in the samples. Emotional responses are linked to types of bullying. Analysis of answers identified specific emotional profiles for the different types of bullying and cyberbullying. Direct bullying and cyberbullying via mobile phone showed similar profiles, and also indirect bullying and cyberbullying using the Internet. Similarities and differences between profiles are discussed and some hypotheses are presented to explain the results. In addition, school grade, gender, country, and severity of bullying episodes were related to the specific emotional profiles of each type of bullying.
Bullying Involvement and Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence and Correlates of Bullying Involvement Among Adolescents With an Autism Spectrum Disorder.Sterzing PR, Shattuck PT, Narendorf SC, Wagner M, Cooper BP.
AbstractOBJECTIVES To produce nationally representative estimates for rates of bullying involvement among adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), to compare population estimates with adolescents who have other developmental disabilities, and to identify social ecological correlates ofbullying involvement. DESIGN Nationally representative surveys from 2001. SETTING United States. PARTICIPANTS Parents of adolescents with an ASD, principals of the schools they attended, and staff
members most familiar with their school programs. MAIN EXPOSURE Autism spectrum disorders. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Parent report of victimization, perpetration, and victimization/perpetration within the past school year. RESULTS The prevalence rates of bullying involvement for adolescents with an ASD were 46.3% for victimization, 14.8% for perpetration, and 8.9% for victimization/perpetration. Victimization was related to having a non-Hispanic ethnicity, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, lower social skills, some form of conversational ability, and more classes in general education. Correlates of perpetration included being white, having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and getting together with friends at least once a week. Victimization/perpetration was associated with being white non-Hispanic, having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and getting together with friends at least once a week. CONCLUSIONS School-based bullyinginterventions need to target the core deficits of ASD (conversational ability and social skills) and comorbid conditions (eg, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Future bullying interventions also need to address the higher rates of victimization that occur in general education settings by increasing social integration into protective peer groups and increasing the empathy and social skills of typically developing students toward their peers with an ASD.
Peer Victimization in Childhood and Internalizing Problems in Adolescence: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.Zwierzynska K, Wolke D, Lereya TS.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.
AbstractTraumatic childhood experiences have been found to predict later internalizing problems. This prospective longitudinal study investigated whether repeated and intentional harm doing by peers (peer victimization) in childhood predicts internalizing symptoms in early adolescence. 3,692 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), as well as their mothers and teachers, reported on bullying in childhood (7-10 years) and internalizing problems in early adolescence (11-14 years). Controlling for prior psychopathology, family adversity, gender and IQ, being a victim of bullying was associated with higher overall scores, as well as increased odds of scoring in the severe range (>90(th) percentile) for emotional and depression symptoms. Victims were also more likely to show persistent depression symptoms over a 2-year period. These associations were found independent of whether mothers, teachers or the children reported on bullying. It is concluded that peer victimization in childhood is a precursor of both short-lived and persistent internalizing symptoms, underlining the importance of environmental factors such as peer relationships in the etiology of internalizing problems.
Psychol Med. 2012 Sep 7:1-12. [Epub ahead of print]
Adolescent bullying, cannabis use and emerging psychotic experiences: a longitudinal general population study.Mackie CJ, O'Leary-Barrett M, Al-Khudhairy N, Castellanos-Ryan N, Struve M, Topper L, Conrod P.
Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Using longitudinal and prospective measures of psychotic experiences during adolescence, we assessed the risk of developing psychosis in three groups showing low, increasing and elevated psychotic experiences associated with bullying by peers and cannabis use in a UK sample of adolescents. Method Data were collected by self-report from 1098 adolescents (mean age 13.6 years; 60.9% boys) at five separate time points, equally separated by 6 months, across a 24-month period. General growth mixture modelling identified three distinct trajectories of adolescents reporting psychotic experiences: elevated, increasing and low.RESULTS:Controlling for cannabis use, bullying by peers significantly predicted change in psychotic experiences between Time 2 and Time 5 in adolescents belonging to the increasing group. No effect was found for the elevated or low groups. Controlling for bullying, an earlier age of cannabis use and cannabis use more than twice significantly predicted change in psychotic experiences in adolescents belonging to the increasing group. Cannabis use at any age was significantly associated with subsequent change in psychotic experiences in the low group. Reverse causal associations were examined and there was no evidence for psychotic experiences at Time 1 predicting a subsequent change in cannabis use between Times 2 and 5 in any trajectory group.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying by peers and cannabis use are associated with adolescents' reports of increasing psychotic experiences over time. Further research into the longitudinal development of psychosis in adolescence and the associated risk factors would allow for early intervention programmes to be targeted more precisely.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Sep 7. [Epub ahead of print]
Predicting Homophobic Behavior Among Heterosexual Youth: Domain General and Sexual Orientation-Specific Factors at the Individual and Contextual Level.Paul Poteat V, Digiovanni CD, Scheer JR.
AbstractAs a form of bias-based harassment, homophobic behavior remains prominent in schools. Yet, little attention has been given to factors that underlie it, aside from bullying and sexual prejudice. Thus, we examined multiple domain general (empathy, perspective-taking, classroom respect norms) and sexual orientation-specific factors (sexual orientation identity importance, number of sexual minority friends, parents' sexual minority attitudes, media messages). We documented support for a model in which these sets of factors converged to predict homophobic behavior, mediated through bullyingand prejudice, among 581 students in grades 9-12 (55 % female). The structural equation model indicated that, with the exception of media messages, these additional factors predicted levels of prejudice and bullying, which in turn predicted the likelihood of students to engage in homophobic behavior. These findings highlight the importance of addressing multiple interrelated factors in efforts to reduce bullying, prejudice, and discrimination among youth.
Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2012 Sep 12. [Epub ahead of print]
Having been bullied in childhood: Relationship to aggressive behaviour in adulthood.Sansone RA, Leung JS, Wiederman MW.
Source
University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, USA and Department of Psychiatry Education, Kettering Medical Center, Ohio, USA.
AbstractAIMS:Victimization through being bullied in childhood is traditionally associated with subsequent internalizing symptoms, but some literature suggests otherwise. In this study, we examined a history of being bullied in relationship to 21 externalized aggressive behaviours in adulthood.
METHODS:Using a cross-sectional approach and a self-report survey methodology, we examined a history of being bullied in childhood in relation to 21 aggression variables in a consecutive sample of 342 internal medicine outpatients.
RESULTS:In comparison with the not bullied, participants who reported having been bullied in childhood had a statistically significantly greater overall number of self-reported aggressive behaviours. Longer duration of being bullied was statistically significantly correlated with a greater number of reported aggressive behaviours. With regard to individual behaviours, four were statistically significantly associated with being bullied: hitting walls; intentionally breaking things; getting into fist fights; and pushing/shoving a partner.
CONCLUSIONS:While relationships between bullying in childhood and subsequent internalizing symptoms have been well established, the present study indicates that bullying in childhood is also associated with externalizing/aggressive behaviours in adulthood.
Involvement in bullying and suicidal ideation in middle adolescence: a 2-year follow-up study.Heikkilä HK, Väänänen J, Helminen M, Fröjd S, Marttunen M, Kaltiala-Heino R.
Source
University of Tampere, Medical School, 33014, Tampere, Finland.
The objective of the study was to ascertain whether involvement in bullying increases the risk for subsequent suicidal ideation. A total of 2,070 Finnish girls and boys aged 15 were surveyed in the ninth grade (age 15) in schools, and followed up 2 years later in the Adolescent Mental Health Cohort Study. Involvement in bullying was elicited at age 15 by two questions focusing on being a bully and being a victim of bullying. Suicidal ideation was elicited by one item of the short Beck Depression Inventory at age 17. Baseline depressive symptoms and externalizing symptoms, age and sex were controlled for. Statistical analyses were carried out using cross-tabulations with Chi-square/Fisher's exact test and logistic regression. Suicidal ideation at age 17 was 3-4 times more prevalent among those who had been involved in bullying at age 15 than among those not involved. Suicidal ideation at age 17 was most prevalent among former victims of bullying. Being a victim of bullying at age 15 continued to predict subsequent suicidal ideation when depressive and externalizing symptoms were controlled for. Being a bully at age 15 also persisted as borderline significantly predictive of suicidal ideation when baseline symptoms were controlled for. Findings indicate adolescent victims and perpetrators of bullying alike are at long-term risk for suicidal ideation.
Examining school-based bullying interventions using multilevel discrete time hazard modeling.Ayers SL, Wagaman MA, Geiger JM, Bermudez-Parsai M, Hedberg EC.
Source
Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, College of Public Programs, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA. [email protected]
AbstractAlthough schools have been trying to address bullying by utilizing different approaches that stop or reduce the incidence of bullying, little remains known about what specific intervention strategies are most successful in reducing bullying in the school setting. Using the social-ecological framework, this paper examines school-based disciplinary interventions often used to deliver consequences to deter the reoccurrence of bullying and aggressive behaviors among school-aged children. Data for this study are drawn from the School-Wide Information System (SWIS) with the final analytic sample consisting of 1,221 students in grades K - 12 who received an office disciplinary referral for bullying during the first semester. Using Kaplan-Meier Failure Functions and Multi-level discrete time hazard models, determinants of the probability of a student receiving a second referral over time were examined. Of the seven interventions tested, only Parent-Teacher Conference (AOR = 0.65, p < .01) and Loss of Privileges (AOR = 0.71, p < .10) were significant in reducing the rate of the reoccurrence of bullying and aggressive behaviors. By using a social-ecological framework, schools can develop strategies that deter the reoccurrence of bullying by identifying key factors that enhance a sense of connection between the students' mesosystems as well as utilizing disciplinary strategies that take into consideration student's microsystem roles.
J Adolesc. 2012 Oct;35(5):1215-23. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.04.004. Epub 2012 May 19.
The potential of forgiveness as a response for coping with negative peer experiences.
Psychology Department, Wheaton College, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187, USA. [email protected]
AbstractCoping strategies employed by adolescents in response to negative peer experiences are related to their adjustment. This study examines the potential of forgiveness as a coping response for negative peer experiences in early adolescence. Participants were 616 6th through 8th grade students at a middle school (46% girls) who completed self-report measures of bullying and victimization experiences, general coping strategies in response to bullying, social anxiety, self-esteem, and a measure of forgiveness to a self-identified experience of being bullied or hurt by a peer. Forgiveness was positively associated with conflict resolution, advice and support seeking strategies, and negatively associated with revenge seeking. Forgiveness was also positively associated with concurrent self-esteem and negatively associated with social anxiety. Further, forgiveness was related to social anxiety and self-esteem after accounting for bullying behavior and victimization experiences, general coping responses, and gender. Developmental considerations of forgiveness and implications for this response are considered.
J Adolesc. 2012 Oct;35(5):1285-94. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.04.013. Epub 2012 May 24.
Individualism and socioeconomic diversity at school as related to perceptions of the frequency of peer aggression in fifteen countries.Menzer MM, Torney-Purta J.
AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine two aspects of context for peer aggression: national individualism and distributions of socioeconomic status in the school. School administrators for each school reported on their perceptions of the frequency of bullying and violence in their school. The sample comprised 990 school principals/headmasters from nationally representative samples of schools in 15 countries surveyed as part of the larger IEA Civic Education Study (Torney-Purta, Lehmann, Oswald, & Schulz, 2001). A national context of individualism was associated with violence but not bullying. Schools with high socioeconomic diversity had more bullying than homogeneously low or high socioeconomic status schools. In addition, diverse schools had more violence than affluent schools. Results suggest that bullying and violence should be investigated as separate constructs. Furthermore, contexts, such as national culture and school socioeconomic diversity, are important in understanding the prevalence ofbullying and violence in schools internationally.
J Adolesc. 2012 Oct;35(5):1351-60. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.05.003. Epub 2012 Jun 13.
The co-occurrence of substance use and bullying behaviors among U.S. adolescents: understanding demographic characteristics and social influences.Luk JW, Wang J, Simons-Morton BG.
Source
Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, Seattle, WA 98195-1525, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis study examined the co-occurrence of subtypes of substance use and bullying behaviors using latent class analysis and evaluated latent class differences in demographic characteristics, peer and parental influences. Self-reported questionnaire data were collected from a nationally representative sample (N = 7508) of 6-10th grade adolescents in the United States. Four latent classes were identified: the non-involved (57.7%), substance users (19.4%), bullies (17.5%), and substance-using bullies (5.4%). Older and Hispanic adolescents were more likely to be substance users and substance-using bullies, whereas younger and African American adolescents were more likely to be bullies. Females were more likely to be substance users, whereas males were more likely to be bullies and substance-using bullies. Spending more evenings with peers posed greater risks for substance use, bullying, and the co-occurrence of both problem behaviors. Paternal knowledge exerted protective effects over-and-above the effects of maternal knowledge. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts are discussed.
Emotion dysregulation as a mechanism linking stress exposure to adolescent aggressive behavior.Herts KL, McLaughlin KA, Hatzenbuehler ML.
Source
Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 667 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA. [email protected]
AbstractExposure to stress is associated with a wide range of internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents, including aggressive behavior. Extant research examining mechanisms underlying the associations between stress and youth aggression has consistently identified social information processing pathways that are disrupted by exposure to violence and increase risk of aggressive behavior. In the current study, we use longitudinal data to examine emotion dysregulation as a potential mechanism linking a broader range of stressful experiences to aggressive behavior in a diverse sample of early adolescents (N = 1065). Specifically, we examined the longitudinal associations of peer victimization and stressful life events with emotion dysregulation and aggressive behavior. Structural equation modeling was used to create latent constructs of emotion dysregulation and aggression. Both stressful life events and peer victimization predicted subsequent increases in emotion dysregulation over a 4-month period. These increases in emotion dysregulation, in turn, were associated with increases in aggression over the subsequent 3 months. Longitudinal mediation models showed that emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship of both peer victimization (z = 2.35, p = 0.019) and stressful life events (z = 2.32, p = 0.020)
with aggressive behavior. Increasing the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies is an important target for interventions aimed at preventing the onset of adolescent aggressive behavior.
Children's sympathy for peers who are the targets of peer aggression.Macevoy JP, Leff SS.
Source
Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Campion 320, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA. [email protected]
AbstractAlthough a goal of many aggression intervention programs is to increase children's concern (often termed sympathy or empathy) for their peers as a means of ultimately reducing aggressive behavior, there are no measures specifically of children's concern for peers who are the targets of peer aggression. A participatory action research (PAR) model was used to create a culturally-sensitive measure of urban African American children's sympathy for peers who are the targets of physical aggression, relational or social aggression, verbal aggression, and property damage. In Study 1, 40 children (M (age) = 9.71 years; 47.5 % female) were interviewed about the types of incidents that lead them to feel sympathy for a peer. Based upon these findings, the 15-item Peer Sympathy Scale (PSS) was developed. In Study 2, the PSS was administered to 517 children (M (age) = 9.82 years; 47.4 % female) to examine the psychometric properties of the measure and to explore the association between children's sympathy for their peers and their social behavior. Greater sympathy was associated with less overt and relational aggression according to both peer and teacher reports as well as with less oppositional-defiant behavior according to teacher reports. The clinical utility of the PSS as an outcome assessment tool for social skills intervention programs is discussed.
Health Educ Res. 2012 Oct;27(5):780-93. doi: 10.1093/her/cys089. Epub 2012 Aug 20.
Children's perceptions about their health-related quality of life: effects of a health education-social skills program.Karasimopoulou S, Derri V, Zervoudaki E.
Source
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Saggariou 21, Xanthi, 67100, Greece. [email protected]
AbstractThe perception about one's health includes feelings about physical and psychological characteristics as well as ways of managing interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Health Education Program 'Skills for primary school children' (KE.TH.E.A.-Ministry of Education of Greece. 1998. Educational Program of Prevention: Skills for Elementary Students [Eκπαιδευτικό υλικό
πρόληψης: Δεξιότητες για Παιδιά του Δημοτικού]. Athens: KE.TH.E.A, 1998) on children's perceptions about certain dimensions of their quality of life: physical well-being, mental well-being, moods and emotions, self-concept, leisure-autonomy, family life, financial resources, friends, school environment and social acceptance (bullying). Two hundred and eighty-six students of fifth and sixth grade, from schools of Northern and Southern Greece participated. One hundred and twenty-eight (n = 128) formed the experimental group and 158 the control group (n = 158). The experimental group followed the skills program for 23 weeks (one 45 min lesson/week), whereas the control group did not. The Kidscreen Questionnaire (Kim S, Laird M. An Outcome Evaluation of Lions Quest 'Skills for growing' Grades K-5, 1993. Available at: http://www.Lions-quest.org. Accessed: 2 April 2009) was applied to assess health-related quality of life. Results from multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that children in the experimental group significantly improved their perceptions of physical well-being, family life, financial aspects, friends, school life and social acceptance. On the other hand, children in the control group significantly improved their perceptions for physical well-being, whereas they deteriorated them significantly for family life, mood and feelings and social acceptance. Also, children as a whole improved their self-concept. Furthermore, analysis of covariance showed that the experimental group had better perceptions of autonomy than the control group in the final measurement. It can be concluded that such a program could lead to the improvement of (i) physical well-being, (ii) family life, (iii) financial resources, (iv) friends, (v) school environment, (vi) social acceptance and (vi) Leisure-Autonomy and to stable perceptions about mood and feelings, dimensions of health-related quality of life.
Eur J Pediatr. 2012 Oct;171(10):1549-57. Epub 2012 Jun 27.
Bullying and victimization among Turkish children and adolescents: examining prevalence and associated health symptoms.Arslan S, Hallett V, Akkas E, Akkas OA.
Source
Child Study Center, Yale University, 40 Temple Street, Suite 6B, New Haven, CT 06510-2715, USA. [email protected]
AbstractOver the past decade, concerns about bullying and its effects on school health have grown. However, few studies in Turkey have examined the prevalence of bullying in childhood and adolescence and its association with health problems. The current study aimed to examine the prevalence and manifestation of bullying and victimization among male and female students aged 11-15 years. A second goal was to examine the physical and psychological symptoms associated with being a bully, victim and both a bully and a victim ('bully-victim'). Participants were 1,315 students from grades 5, 7, and 9, selected from three schools in Western Turkey. Twenty percent of the students were found to be involved in the cycle of bullying(5 % as a bully, 8 % as a victim, and 7 % as bully-victims). Bullies (although not victims) were found to show decreased levels of school satisfaction and school attendance. Being a victim or a bully-victim was associated with a significantly increased risk of experiencing a wide range of physical and psychological health symptoms (victims OR, 1.67-3.38; p < 0.01; bully-victims OR, 2.13-3.15; p < 0.01). Being a bully, in contrast, was associated with high levels of irritability (OR, 2.82; p < 0.01), but no other health concerns. Children that were bullies and victims were almost as vulnerable to health symptoms as children that were purely victims. Conclusion: These findings contribute to a better understanding of bullying in Turkish schools, emphasizing the negative effects of bullying involvement on health and well-being.
Mediating suicide: print journalism and the categorization of queer youth suicide discourses.Cover R.
Source
School of Social and Cultural Studies, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. [email protected]
AbstractThis article undertakes textual analysis to examine some of the ways in which knowledge around sexuality-related youth suicide and its causes are produced and made available through news media discourses and news-making processes. Four categories of sexuality-related suicide discourses were identified in news stories and features over the past 20 years: statistical research that makes non-heterosexuality implicit as a cause of suicide; stories about deviancy,guilt, and shame; suicide survivor stories; and bullying/harassment of non-heterosexual persons by individuals in schools and other institutions as suicide cause. Through processes of news production and meaning-making, use of expert opinions of primary definers, experiential accounts, reliance on citations of quantitative data, private accounts given as entertainment, and the newsworthiness of suicide as drama, public knowledge on queer youth suicide is guided by contemporary journalism. In all cases, the underlying relationship between heteronormativity, mental health, depression, and despair were frequently excluded in news journalism on queer youth suicide.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2012 Oct 2. [Epub ahead of print]
The Perspectives of Children and Young People Living With Cleft Lip and Palate: A Review of Qualitative Literature.Sharif MO, Callery P, Tierney S.
AbstractObjective : To explore the experiences of children and young people with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in relation to being treated for and living with this condition. Design : A systematic review of qualitative research. Electronic databases and hand-searching were employed to identify relevant studies. The review centered on studies examining the views or experiences of young patients first-hand. Any study using a qualitative/mixed method design was eligible for inclusion. Results : From 184 potential references, 38 papers were read in full, from which only two studies of young people met all the review's inclusion criteria. Common reasons for exclusion were not being a qualitative study, not focusing on CL/P, or data coming from parents only. A further two papers provided a retrospective account of childhood with CL/P from interviews with adults. Their suitability for the review's aims was limited, but they were discussed. Conclusions : This review demonstrates that there is a paucity of evidence about the experiences of young people living with CL/P. No studies of children and only two studies of young people met all inclusion criteria. Identified papers implied that more attention is needed within families and services to help young people manage everyday difficulties such as bullying and self-consciousness due to facial difference.
Health Promot Pract. 2012 Oct 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Are Young Adolescents' Social and Emotional Skills Protective Against Involvement in Violence and BullyingBehaviors?Polan JC, Sieving RE, McMorris BJ.
Source
1University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
AbstractThis study examined relationships between social-emotional skills and involvement in bullying and violence among young adolescents from ethnically diverse, economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. Data were from 171 sixth- and seventh-grade students involved in a larger intervention study. Analyses examined relationships between social-emotional skills measures (intrapersonal skills, stress management skills, interpersonal skills) and involvement in violence, physical bullying, and relational aggression. Of social-emotional skills indicators, interpersonal skills and stress management skills demonstrated significant bivariate relationships with each of the bullying and violence outcomes. In multivariate models, greater interpersonal skills and greater stress management skills were significantly associated with lower odds of violence involvement. Greater stress management skills were also significantly associated with lower levels of physical bullying and relational aggression. Findings suggest that efforts to foster development of young adolescents' social-emotional skills may, in turn, reduce their risk for involvement in bullying and violence.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Oct 17;10:CD008645. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008645.pub2.
Incentives for preventing smoking in children and adolescents.Johnston V, Liberato S, Thomas D.
Source
Preventable Chronic Diseases Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia. [email protected].
AbstractBACKGROUND:Adult smoking usually has its roots in adolescence. If individuals do not take up smoking during this period it is unlikely that they ever will. Further, once smoking becomes established, cessation is challenging; the probability of subsequently quitting is inversely proportional to the age of initiation. One novel approach to reducing the prevalence of youth smoking is the use of incentives.
OBJECTIVES:To determine whether incentives prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke. We also attempted to assess the dose-response of incentives, the costs of incentive programmes, whether incentives are more or less effective in combination with other interventions to prevent smoking initiation and any unintended consequences arising from the use of incentives.
SEARCH METHODS:We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialized Register, with additional searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CSA databases and PsycINFO for terms relating to incentives, in
combination with terms for smoking and tobacco use, and children and adolescents. The most recent searches were in May 2012.
SELECTION CRITERIA:We considered randomized controlled trials allocating children and adolescents (aged 5 to 18 years) as individuals, groups or communities to intervention or control conditions, where the intervention included an incentive aimed at preventing smoking uptake. We also considered controlled trials with baseline measures and post-intervention outcomes.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS:Data were extracted by two authors and assessed independently. The primary outcome was the smoking status of children or adolescents at follow-up who reported no smoking at baseline. We required a minimum follow-up of six months from baseline and assessed each included study for risk of bias. We used the most rigorous definition of abstinence in each trial; we did not require biochemical validation of self-reported tobacco use for study inclusion. Where possible we combined eligible studies to calculate pooled estimates at the longest follow-up using the Mantel-Haenszel fixed-effect method, grouping studies by study design.
MAIN RESULTS:We identified seven controlled studies that met our inclusion criteria, including participants with an age range of 11 to 14 years. Of the seven trials identified, only five had analysable data relevant for this review and contributed to the meta-analysis (6362 participants in total who were non-smokers at baseline; 3466 in intervention and 2896 in control). All bar one of the studies was a trial of the so-called Smokefree Class Competition (SFC), which has been widely implemented throughout Europe. In this competition, classes with youth generally between the ages of 11 to 14 years commit to being smoke free for a six month period. They report regularly on their smoking status; if 90% or more of the class is non-smoking at the end of the six months, the class goes into a competition to win prizes. The one study that was not a trial of the SFC was a controlled trial in which schools in two communities were assigned to the intervention, with schools in a third community acting as controls. Students in the intervention community with lower smoking rates at the end of the project (one school year) received rewards.Only one study of the SFC competition, a non-randomized controlled trial, reported a significant effect of the competition on the prevention of smoking at the longest follow-up. However, this study had a risk of multiple biases, and when we calculated the adjusted RR we no longer detected a statistically significant difference. The pooled RR for the more robust RCTs (3 studies, n = 3056 participants) suggests that, from the available data, there is no statistically significant effect of incentives to prevent smoking initiation among children and adolescents in the long term (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.19). Pooled results from non-randomized trials also did not detect a significant effect, and we were unable to extract data on our outcome of interest for the one trial that did not study the SFC. There is little robust evidence to suggest that unintended consequences (such as youth making false claims about their smoking status and bullying of smoking students) are consistently associated with such interventions, although this has not been the focus of much research. There was insufficient information to assess the dose-response relationship or to report costs.AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS:To date, incentive programmes have not been shown to prevent smoking initiation among youth, although there are relatively few published studies and these are of variable quality. Trials included in this meta-analysis were all studies of the SFC competition, which distributed small to moderately sized prizes to whole classes, usually through a lottery system.Future studies might investigate the efficacy of incentives given to individual participants to prevent smoking uptake. Future research should consider the efficacy of incentives on smoking initiation, as well as progression of smoking, evaluate these in varying populations from different socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, and describe the intervention components in detail.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print]
Paediatric chronic illness and educational failure: the role of emotional and behavioural problems.Layte R, McCrory C.
Source
Economic and Social Research Institute, Whitaker Square, Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin, Ireland, [email protected].
AbstractBACKGROUND:Chronic illness in childhood is associated with worse educational outcomes. The association is usually explained via lowered cognitive development, decreased readiness to learn and school absence. However, this paper examines whether worse psychological adjustment may also play a role.
METHODS:We use data from the Growing Up in Ireland study, a cohort study, which collected data on 8,568 nine-year-old children through the Irish national school system using a two-stage sampling method. Maximum likelihood path analytic models are used to assess the direct effect of child chronic illness on reading and maths test scores and the mediating role of emotional and behavioural problems.
RESULTS:In unadjusted analyses, children with a mental and behavioural condition scored 14.5 % points less on reading tests and 16.9 % points less on maths tests than their healthy peers. Children with non-mental and behavioural conditions scored 3 % points less on both tests, a significant difference. Mental and behavioural (OR, 9.58) and other chronic conditions (OR, 1.61) were significantly more likely to have 'high' levels of difficulties on the SDQ. Path analysis models showed that the association between chronic illness and educational test scores was completely mediated by emotional and behavioural problems controlling for school absence and bullying by peers.CONCLUSIONS:Child and adolescent chronic illness can have significant effects on educational development and a long-lasting impact on future life-chances. The psychological adjustment of the child is important in mediating the effect of chronic illness on educational outcomes. Interventions should target this developmental pathway.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Examining Associations Between Race, Urbanicity, and Patterns of Bullying Involvement.Goldweber A, Waasdorp TE, Bradshaw CP.
Source
Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, [email protected].
AbstractResearch on the role of race and urbanicity in bullying involvement has been limited. The present study examined bullying involvement subgroups that relate to race, urbanicity, and the perceived reason for the bullying. Self-report data were collected from 10,254 middle school youth (49.8 % female; 62.4 % Caucasian, 19.0 % African American, and 5.6 % Hispanic) and latent class analyses were used to identify three subtypes of bullyinginvolvement: low involvement (50 %), victim (31.3 %), and bully-victim (18.7 %). Irrespective of urbanicity (urban vs. non-urban), African American youth were more likely to be members of either the victim or bully-victim classes than the low involvement class. Further exploration of the community context suggested that urbanicity was associated with the increased likelihood of having been racially bullied. Urban bully-victims were also more likely to have been bullied about money than non-urban bully-victims. Findings underscore the importance of addressing both race and urbanicity for culturally sensitive prevention programming.
Scand J Public Health. 2012 Nov;40(7):605-13. doi: 10.1177/1403494812458846. Epub 2012 Oct 1.
Gender difference in wellbeing during school lessons among 10-12-year-old children: The importance of school subjects and student-teacher relationships.Palsdottir A, Asgeirsdottir BB, Sigfusdottir ID.
Source
1Reykjavik University, Reykjavik, Iceland.
AbstractAims: The aim of the study was to examine gender difference in self-reported wellbeing during school lessons among Icelandic 10-12-year-old boys and girls, in grades 5-7 in elementary schools. Also, to examine whether factors related to attitudes towards school subjects, student-teacher relationships and student-peer relationships mediated the associations between gender and wellbeing during school lessons. Methods: A cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted among 88% (in total 11,387 participants) of all registered students aged 10-12 attending grades 5-7 in Iceland. Multivariate logistic regression was used to test main, mediation, and interaction effects. Results: Boys reported significantly less wellbeing during school lessons than girls. Not finding the subjects taught at school fun fully mediated the relationship between gender and self-reported wellbeing during school lessons. Furthermore, when not considering other school-related factors, finding the subjects at school to hard, not liking the teachers, not being praised by teachers, and being bullied in recess partially mediated the relationship between gender and self-reported wellbeing during school lessons. Conclusions: The results suggest that to improve boy's wellbeing during school lessons, making school subject more appealing to boys is of importance. Furthermore, fostering teacher-student relationships and decreasing bullying of boys in recess should be emphasised.
Psicothema. 2012 Nov;24(4):603-7.
Bullying and cyberbullying: research and intervention at school and social contexts.Ortega-Ruiz R, Núñez JC.
Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Córdoba, 14004 Córdoba, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractSchool is the main scenario of social actions where the foundations of interpersonal relations other than those of the family are laid down; it has therefore become one of the main settings for psychoeducational research. In recent years, the phenomena of poor interpersonal relations, gratuitous and cruel aggression, the resulting victimization, and the construction of a psychopathic and inmoral personality have been the object of intense research. The monographic section presented herein aims to provide the readers of Psicothema with a series of investigations that trace the most important research lines developed in the international community on bullying and cyberbullying.
Psicothema. 2012 Nov;24(4):608-13.
Bullying and cyberbullying: overlapping and predictive value of the co-occurrence.del Rey R, Elipe P, Ortega-Ruiz R.
Source
Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, Spain. [email protected]
AbstractSeveral studies show certain co-occurrence of the traditional bullying and the cyberbullying. However, the results about relation and homogeneity among the roles of each of them are not unanimous. The present study intends to advance in the knowledge about the above-mentioned co-occurrence by exploring the dimensions of victimization and traditional aggression and cyber-victimization and cyber-aggression and by identifying its eventual directionality. A short-term longitudinal design was developed. The sample was formed by 274 adolescents, aging 12 to 18 years-old, belonging to 2 schools of Andalusia (South of Spain). In order to value the impact of bullying and cyberbullying the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIPQ) and the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (EBIPQ) were used. The results show important simultaneity among both phenomena and suggest that although in cyberbullying -cyber-victimization and cyber-aggression- may be predicted because of previous involvement of the subject in traditional bullying, on the contrary it does not happen. In addition, previous victimization is a risk factor for traditional bullying and for cyberbullying. Results are discussed in relation to the process and socio-group dynamics arising from thebullying and cyberbullying phenomena, and in terms of their prevention.
Psicothema. 2012 Nov;24(4):634-9.
Online and offline peer led models against bullying and cyberbullying.Palladino BE, Nocentini A, Menesini E.
Source
Dipartamento di Psicologia, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, Italy. [email protected]
AbstractThe aim of the present study is to describe and evaluate an ongoing peer-led model against bullying and cyberbullying carried out with Italian adolescents. The evaluation of the project was made through an experimental design consisting of a pre-test and a post-test. Participants in the study were 375 adolescents (20.3% males), enrolled in 9th to 13th grades. The experimental group involved 231 students with 42 peer educators, and the control group involved 144 students. Results showed a significant decrease in the experimental group as compared to the control group for all the variables except for cyberbullying. Besides, in the experimental group we found a significant increase in adaptive coping strategies like problem solving and a significant decrease in maladaptive coping strategies like avoidance: these changes mediate the changes in the behavioural variables. In particular, the decrease in avoidance predicts the decrease in victimization and cybervictimization for peer educators and for the other students in the experimental classes whereas the increase in problem solving predicts the decrease in cyberbullying only in the peer educators group. Results are discussed following recent reviews on evidence based efficacy of peer led models.
Psicothema. 2012 Nov;24(4):640-5.
Investigating legal aspects of cyberbullying.Paul S, Smith PK, Blumberg HH.
Source
Psychology Department, Unit for School and Family Studies, University of London, New Cross Gate, SE14 6NW, United Kingdom. [email protected]
AbstractIn the UK schools are required by law to protect students from bullying; the responsibility of teachers to govern such behaviour has been extended outside the school setting to include cyberbullying. In this investigation, cyberbullying in secondary education is explored from the student perspective using a qualitative method of enquiry. Reported awareness and understanding about the legal aspects of cyberbullying are investigated; consideration is given to legislation, cybercrime, children's rights, school sanctions and safeguarding responsibilities. A total of 197 male and female students aged between 11 and 14 years old participated. Despite the availability of information on guidelines and legislation at national, local, and school level, this does not appear to have reached ground level of the individual student. There is a considerable gap between what students should know and what they report to be aware of with regard to legal aspects of cyberbullying. To address concerns of keeping up with the pace of change in cyberbullying, a collaborative approach is required with young people and adults sharing expertise.
Matern Child Health J. 2012 Nov;16(8):1625-35. doi: 10.1007/s10995-012-0989-8.
Traditional versus internet bullying in junior high school students.Gofin R, Avitzour M.
Source
Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA, [email protected].
AbstractTo examine the prevalence of traditional and Internet bullying and the personal, family, and school environment characteristics of perpetrators and victims. Students (12-14 years old) in 35 junior high schools were randomly selected from the Jerusalem Hebrew (secular and religious) and Arab educational system (n = 2,610). Students answered an anonymous questionnaire, addressing personal, family, and school characteristics. Traditionalbullying and Internet bullying for perpetrators and victims were categorized as either occurring at least sometimes during the school year or not occurring. Twenty-eight percent and 8.9 % of students were perpetrators of traditional and Internet bullying, respectively. The respective proportions of victims were 44.9 and 14.4 %. Traditional bullies presented higher Odds Ratios (ORs) for boys, for students with poor social skills (those who had difficulty in making friends, were influenced by peers in their behavior, or were bored), and for those who had poor communication with their parents. Boys and girls were equally likely to be Internet bullies and to use the Internet for communication and making friends. The OR for Internet bullyingvictims to be Internet bullying perpetrators was 3.70 (95 % confidence interval 2.47-5.55). Victims of traditional bullying felt helpless, and victims of traditional and Internet bullying find school to be a frightening place. There was a higher OR of Internet victimization with reports of loneliness. Traditional bully perpetrators present distinctive characteristics, while Internet perpetrators do not. Victims of traditional and Internet bullying feel fear in school. Tailored interventions are needed to address both types of bullying.
Self-injury among early adolescents: identifying segments protected and at risk(*).Alfonso ML, Kaur R.
Source
Assistant Professor of Community Health, ([email protected]), Jiann Ping-Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8015, Statesboro, GA 30458. DrPH Student, ([email protected]), Community Health Behavior and Education Area, Jiann Ping-Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, PO Box 8015, Statesboro, GA 30458.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Self-injury has been described as a "silent school crisis," reflecting insufficient knowledge, confusion, lack of effective interventions, and the tendency for adults and youth to shy away from dealing directly with the issue. This purpose of this study was to identify distinct subgroups of youth who may be at increased risk of or reduced risk of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).
METHODS:The middle-school Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered in 8 district public middle schools in a large, southeastern county in Florida. A final sample size of 1748, representing approximately 92% of participants who self-reported attendance at 1 of the 8 middle schools (N = 1907) and 74% of the 2350 surveys originally distributed, was used in this study. Chi-squared automatic interaction detection (CHAID) was used to identify distinct segments at risk for or protected from NSSI.
RESULTS:CHAID analyses suggested large groups of youth at risk for (and not at risk) having ever tried self-injury including suicidal tendencies, substance use, low belief in life possibilities, and exposure to peer self-
injury. Protective factors identified included having low to zero levels of suicidal tendencies, high belief in life possibilities, lack of substance use, and not being a victim of bullying.CONCLUSION:Engaging adolescents in prevention programs at early stage can reduce the chances of suicidal behavior as well as physical injury. Schools should take the lead in advocating for the development of evidence-based interventions that are capable of addressing factors that contribute to self-injury at multiple levels of youth's environments.
J Nerv Ment Dis. 2012 Nov;200(11):954-61. doi: 10.1097/NMD.0b013e3182718aa1.
Lifetime polytraumatization in adolescence and being a victim of bullying.Nilsson DK, Gustafsson PE, Svedin CG.
Source
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical and Experimental Medicine (IKE), Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. [email protected]
AbstractThe purposes of this study were to examine the mental health consequences of having been a victim of bullying and to investigate whether the impact of bullying was dependent on the co-occurrence of other potentially traumatic events, noninterpersonal traumas, interpersonal traumas, as well as adverse childhood circumstances. A community sample of participants (n = 462; 216 males and 246 females) aged 15 to 20 years completed the self-administered Linkoping's Youth Life Experience Scale about lifetime exposure to a range of traumatic and other adverse events and circumstances and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC). The results showed that those who reported being a victim of bullyingreported significantly higher scores on all TSCC clinical scales as well as significantly more other traumatic and adverse family exposures. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the impact of bullying on mental health was explained, to a considerable degree, by the accumulation of other adverse and traumatic exposures, particularly in the females.
Portuguese adolescents' attitudes toward sexual minorities: transphobia, homophobia, and gender role beliefs.Costa PA, Davies M.
Source
a Unidade de Investigação em Psicologia e Saúde, Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada , Lisboa , Portugal.
AbstractResearch has shown that negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men are common and widespread in Western societies. However, few studies have addressed attitudes toward transgender individuals. In addition, although research has shown that homophobic harassment and bullying is highly common among adolescents, little is known about adolescent's attitudes toward sexual minorities. This study
aimed to fill these gaps in knowledge, by investigating adolescents' attitudes toward transgender individuals and possible attitudinal correlates of those attitudes. Participants (N = 188; 62 males and 126 females) were recruited in high schools in Lisbon, Portugal. Age ranged from 15 to 19 years (M = 17; SD = .96). Participants completed a questionnaire booklet measuring attitudes toward transgender individuals, lesbians, and gay men, and gender role beliefs. Results revealed that attitudes toward transgender individuals were significantly correlated with all attitude measures. Specifically, it was revealed that those participants who endorsed negative attitudes toward transgender individuals were also endorsing of negative attitudes toward lesbians and gay men and tended to adhere to traditional gender roles. A significant gender effect was found with males being more negative toward sexual minorities than females, but these negative attitudes were more extreme toward gay men than toward lesbian women. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Child Dev. 2012 Nov;83(6):1917-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01831.x. Epub 2012 Aug 7.
The role of individual correlates and class norms in defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying: a multilevel analysis.Pozzoli T, Gini G, Vieno A.
Source
University of Padova.
AbstractThis study investigates possible individual and class correlates of defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying, in a sample of 1,825 Italian primary school (mean age = 10 years 1 month) and middle school (mean age = 13 years 2 months) students. The findings of a series of multilevel regression models show that both individual (e.g., provictim attitudes and perceived peer pressure for intervention) and class characteristics (e.g., class provictim attitudes, peer injunctive norms, and descriptive norms) help explain defending and passive bystanding behavior in bullying. These results significantly expand previous findings in this field, by demonstrating the need for a social-ecological approach to the study of the different aspects of bullying. Implications for antibullying programs are discussed.
Child Care Health Dev. 2012 Nov;38(6):809-16. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01308.x. Epub 2011 Sep 1.
Strategies for improving disability awareness and social inclusion of children and young people with cerebral palsy.Lindsay S, McPherson AC.
Source
Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada. [email protected]
BACKGROUND:Children and youth with disabilities are at a higher risk of being socially excluded or bullied while at school compared with their typically developing peers. This study explored disabled children's suggestions for improving social inclusion.
METHODS:Fifteen children with cerebral palsy were interviewed or took part in a group discussion about social inclusion and bullying. All interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.RESULTS:The children and youth described several strategies to help improve social inclusion at school including: (1) disclosure of condition and creating awareness of disability; (2) awareness of bullying; (3) developing a peer support network and building self-confidence; and (4) suggestions on what teachers can do.CONCLUSIONS:It is recommended that children's suggestions be considered within the classroom context to enhance the social inclusion and participation of children with disabilities.
AbstractThis study investigated different facets of moral development in bullies, victims, and bully-victims among Swiss adolescents. Extending previous research, we focused on both bullying and victimization in relation to adolescents' morally disengaged and morally responsible reasoning as well as moral emotion attributions. A total of 516 adolescents aged 12-18 (57% females) reported the frequency of involvement in bullying and victimization. Participants were categorized as bullies (14.3%), bully-victims (3.9%), and victims (9.7%). Moral judgment, moral justifications, and emotion attributions to a hypothetical perpetrator of a moral transgression (relational aggression) were assessed. Bullies showed more morally disengaged reasoning than non-involved students. Bully-victims more frequently indicated that violating moral rules is right. Victims produced more victim-oriented justifications (i.e., more empathy) but fewer moral rules. Among victims, the frequency of morally responsible justifications decreased and the frequency of deviant rules increased with age. The findings are discussed from an integrative moral developmental perspective.
Am Psychol. 2012 Nov;67(8):673-4. doi: 10.1037/a0030036.
Dan olweus: award for distinguished contributions to research in public policy.[No authors listed]
Presents a short biography of the winner of the American Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research in Public Policy. The 2012 winner is Dan Olweus for his rigorous scientific research on bullying among children and youth and his early and tireless attention to its public policy implications. Dan Olweus's research on the nature, prevalence, and consequences of bullying and his work to develop and disseminate an evidence-based prevention program provide a model of excellence in the field. His work has played a vital role in the dramatic changes that have occurred in many countries in recent years-from viewing bullying as a normative and accepted part of life at school to recognizing bullying as a pressing public health issue. Olweus's Award citation and a selected bibliography are also presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
AbstractThe aim of this research was to investigate if and how the group process of bullying can be examined using a social network perspective. In two studies, bullying was investigated using a social network version of the participant-role questionnaire. Study 1 explored the social network structure of one classroom in detail. The findings provide evidence that ingroup and outgroup effects are important in explaining the group process of bullying, and shed new light on defending, suggesting that not only victims are defended. In line with Study 1, Study 2, using data from 494 children in 25 elementary school classes (M age = 10.5), revealed that victims as well as bullies were defended by their ingroup members. The social network perspective can be integrated in antibullying interventions by using it to inform teachers about the positive and negative relations among students, and the group structure of the classroom.
Aggress Behav. 2012 Nov-Dec;38(6):456-68. doi: 10.1002/ab.21447. Epub 2012 Aug 16.
Main and moderated effects of moral cognition and status on bullying and defending.Caravita SC, Gini G, Pozzoli T.
Source
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy. [email protected]
AbstractThis study analyzed the relations of two dimensions of moral cognition (i.e., acceptance of moral transgression and moral disengagement) and two forms of status in the peer group (i.e., social preference and perceived popularity) with bullying and defending among 235 primary-school children and 305
middle-school early adolescents. Social status was tested as a moderator of the associations between moral cognition and bullying and defending. Participants completed self-reports assessing the two dimensions of moral cognition and peer nominations for status, bullying, and defending. Both acceptance of moral transgression and moral disengagement were associated to bullying among early adolescents only, whereas in childhood moral disengagement was linked to defending among girls. Social status moderated the associations between morality dimensions andbullying and defending. The moderating effects of status were discussed considering status as a magnifying lens for the relations between individual characteristics and social behavior. The results were also discussed with reference to age and gender differences in the associations.
Identifying children at risk for being bullies in the United States.Shetgiri R, Lin H, Flores G.
Source
Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Tex; Children's Medical Center, Dallas, Tex. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractOBJECTIVE:To identify risk factors associated with the greatest and lowest prevalence of bullying perpetration among U.S. children.METHODS:Using the 2001-2002 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children, a nationally representative survey of U.S. children in 6th-10th grades, bivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with any (once or twice or more), moderate (two to three times/month or more), and frequent (weekly or more) bullying. Stepwise multivariable analyses identified risk factors associated with bullying. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) identified risk factors which, in combination, identify students with the highest and lowest bullying prevalence.RESULTS:The prevalence of any bullying in the 13,710 students was 37.3%, moderate bullying was 12.6%, and frequent bullying was 6.6%. Characteristics associated with bullying were similar in the multivariable analyses and RPA clusters. In RPA, the highest prevalence of any bullying(67%) accrued in children with a combination of fighting and weapon-carrying. Students who carry weapons, smoke, and drink alcohol more than 5 to 6 days/week were at greatest risk for moderate bullying (61%). Those who carry weapons, smoke, have more than one alcoholic drink per day, have above-average academic performance, moderate/high family affluence, and feel irritable or bad-tempered daily were at greatest risk for frequentbullying (68%).CONCLUSIONS:Risk clusters for any, moderate, and frequent bullying differ. Children who fight and carry weapons are at greatest risk of anybullying. Weapon-carrying, smoking, and alcohol use are included in the greatest risk clusters for moderate and frequent bullying. Risk-group categories may be useful to providers in identifying children at the greatest risk for bullying and in targeting interventions.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Nov 2. [Epub ahead of print]
Strategies to Address Weight-Based Victimization: Youths' Preferred Support Interventions from Classmates, Teachers, and Parents.Puhl RM, Peterson JL, Luedicke J.
Source
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, 309 Edwards Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA, [email protected].
AbstractWeight-Based Victimization is a frequent experience for adolescents who are overweight or obese, and is associated with numerous psychosocial and physical consequences for those who are targets of victimization. Assessing targets` preferences for different types of support and intervention has been absent in the context of weight-based victimization, but is needed to help inform potential interventions, motivate action, and identify strategies to help adolescents cope with experiences of weight-related teasing or bullying. Adolescents (14-18 years, N = 361, 40 % female, 71 % Caucasian) enrolled in national weight-loss camps completed an on-line survey. Participants who reported previous experiences of weight-based victimization were surveyed about their preferred interventions from peers, friends, teachers, Physical Education (PE) teachers/coaches, and parents. Participants indicated their preferences for specific strategies pertaining to target support, bullying intervention and prevention (e.g., inclusion in peer activities, confronting the bully, telling an adult, and improving anti-bullying policies). Friends (66 %) and peers (58 %) were the most highly preferred intervention agents followed by teachers (55 %), PE teachers/coaches (44 %), and parents (43 %). Participants who experienced more weight-based victimization expressed increased desire for intervention. The frequency of victimization, social support from friends and family, and perceived likelihood and helpfulness of intervention significantly influenced participant preferences for certain types of intervention, although preferences were generally consistent across participants' characteristics. The current study is the first to document youth's preferences for interventions in response to weight-based victimization. The findings have important implications for encouraging appropriate intervention and informing bystanders, which may help to reduce the prevalence, recurrence, and consequences for youth who are targets of weight-based teasing or bullying.
Int J Obes (Lond). 2012 Nov 20. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2012.182. [Epub ahead of print]
Adolescents bullying and young adults body mass index and obesity: a longitudinal study.Mamun AA, O'Callaghan MJ, Williams GM, Najman JM.
Source
School of Population Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Objective:To examine whether adolescent males and females who were victims of bullying were at greater risk of a higher body mass index (BMI) and obesity by young adulthood.Design:Secondary analysis of data from a community-based cohort study.Subjects:A sub-sample of 1694 offspring (50% males) who were participants in the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), Brisbane, and who provided bullying information at 14 years and physical assessment at 21 years.Main Outcome Measures:BMI and its categories as normal, overweight or obese at 21 years.Results:One in two adolescent males and one in three adolescent females reported that they had been bullied at school by others. We found that adolescent males and females who were bullied were at a significantly greater risk of a higher BMI and obesity by young adulthood. Fourteen-year-old males who were occasionally/often bullied at school had 0.64 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02, 1.27) kg m(2) greater mean BMI by 21 years compared with males who were never bullied by 14 years. This mean difference in BMI was 1.52, (95% CI: 0.75, 2.29) kg m(2) for females. Similarly, the odds of being obese were 2.54 (95% CI: 1.58, 4.09) times at 21 years for those males who were bullied occasionally/often compared with adolescent males who were never bullied. For females, this was 2.18 (95% CI: 1.40, 3.39). Overweight adolescents who experienced bullying had the greatest increase in BMI by young adulthood. Adjusting for potential confounding or mediating factors, the associations remain strong for males but are attenuated for females.Conclusions:The findings of this study suggest that both male and female adolescents who were bullied often/sometimes by their peer group at 14 years were at greater risk of higher BMI and obesity by young adulthood.International Journal of Obesity advance online publication, 20 November 2012; doi:10.1038/ijo.2012.182.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print]
Bullies, Gangs, Drugs, and School: Understanding the Overlap and the Role of Ethnicity and Urbanicity.Bradshaw CP, Waasdorp TE, Goldweber A, Johnson SL.
Source
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence, 624 N. Broadway, 839, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA, [email protected].
AbstractRecent media attention has increased interest in behavioral, mental health, and academic correlates of involvement in bullying. Yet, there has not been much interest in investigating the co-occurrence of other health-risk behaviors, such as gang membership, weapon carrying, and substance use. The potential influence of contextual factors, such as youth ethnicity, urbanicity, and school characteristics, also has been overlooked in previous research. The current study examined different subtypes of involvement in bullying-as primarily a victim, as primarily a bully, as both a victim and bully, and no involvement-and the association with significant health-risk behaviors, including engaging in violence and substance use, as well as academic problems. The analyses use self-report data from 16,302 adolescents (50.3 % female, 62.2 % Caucasian, 37.8 % African American) enrolled in 52 high schools. A series of three-level HLM analyses revealed that bullies and bully/victims were generally at greatest of risk of being involved in violence, engaging in multiple types of substance use, and having academic problems. These findings extend prior research by emphasizing a potential link between involvement in bullying and multiple health-risk be
BMC Public Health. 2012 Nov 23;12(1):1027. [Epub ahead of print]
Cyberbullying among Finnish adolescents -- a population-based study.Lindfors PL, Kaltiala-Heino R, Rimpelä AH.
AbstractABSTRACT:BACKGROUND: Cyberbullying, threatening or harassing another via the internet or mobile phones, does not cause physically harm and thus the consequences are less visible. Little research has been performed on the occurrence of cyberbullying among adolescents or the perception of its seriousness. Only a few population-based studies have been published, none of which included research on the witnessing of cyberbullying. Here, we examined exposure to cyberbullying during the last year, and its frequency and perceived seriousness among 12 to 18-year-old adolescents in Finland. We studied four dimensions of cyberbullying: being a victim, bully, or both victim and bully of cyberbullying, and witnessing the cyberbullying of friends.
METHODS:Self-administered questionnaires, including four questions on cyberbullying, were mailed to a representative sample of 12-, 14-, 16-, and 18-year-old Finns in 2009 (the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey). The respondents could answer via the internet or paper questionnaire.
RESULTS:The number of respondents was 5516 and the response rate was 56%. Girls more often than boys reported experiencing at least one dimension of cyberbullying during the last year. The proportion was highest among 14-year-olds and lowest among 18-year-olds of both sexes. Among girls, the most commonly encountered dimension was witnessing the cyberbullying of friends (16%); and being a victim was slightly more common than being a bully (11% vs. 9%). Among boys, an equal proportion, approximately 10%, had been a victim, a bully, or had witnessed cyberbullying. The proportion of bully-victims was 4%. Serious and disruptive cyberbullying was experienced by 2% of respondents and weekly cyberbullying by 1%; only 0.5% of respondents had been bullied weekly and considered bullying serious and disruptive.CONCLUSIONS:Adolescents are commonly exposed to cyberbullying, but it is rarely frequent or considered serious or disruptive. Cyberbullying exposure differed between sexes, such that girls more often than boys witness cyberbullying of friends and boys more often act as the bully than girls. In future studies, the witnessing of cyberbullying and its consequences should be taken into account.
Trials. 2012 Nov 27;13(1):227. [Epub ahead of print]
School-based intervention to reduce anxiety in children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (PACES).Stallard P, Taylor G, Anderson R, Daniels H, Simpson N, Phillips R, Skryabina E.
AbstractABSTRACT:BACKGROUND: Emotional problems such as anxiety and low mood in children are common, impair everyday functioning and increase the risk of severe mental health disorders in adulthood. Relatively few
children with emotional health problems are identified and referred for treatment indicating the need to investigate preventive approaches.
METHODS:The study is designed to be a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of an efficacious school-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) prevention program (FRIENDS) on symptoms of anxiety and low mood in children 9 to 10 years of age. The unit of allocation is schools which are assigned to one of three conditions: school-led FRIENDS, health-led FRIENDS or treatment as usual. Assessments will be undertaken at baseline, 6 months and 12 months. The primary outcome measure is change on the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcome measures assess changes in self-esteem, worries, bullying and life satisfaction. An economic evaluation will be undertaken.DISCUSSION:As of September 2011, 41 schools have been recruited and randomized. Final 12-month assessments are scheduled to be completed by May 2013.Trial RegistrationISRCTN23563048.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Nov 27. [Epub ahead of print]
Is Cyberbullying Worse than Traditional Bullying? Examining the Differential Roles of Medium, Publicity, and Anonymity for the Perceived Severity of Bullying.Sticca F, Perren S.
Source
Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zurich, Culmannstrasse 1, 8006, Zurich, Switzerland, [email protected].
AbstractCyberbullying, a modern form of bullying performed using electronic forms of contact (e.g., SMS, MMS, Facebook, YouTube), has been considered as being worse than traditional bullying in its consequences for the victim. This difference was mainly attributed to some specific aspect that are believed to distinguish cyberbullying from traditional bullying: an increased potential for a large audience, an increased potential for anonymousbullying, lower levels of direct feedback, decreased time and space limits, and lower levels of supervision. The present studies investigated the relative importance of medium (traditional vs. cyber), publicity (public vs. private), and bully's anonymity (anonymous vs. not anonymous) for the perceived severity of hypothetical bullying scenarios among a sample of Swiss seventh- and eight-graders (study 1: 49 % female, mean age = 13.7; study 2: 49 % female, mean age = 14.2). Participants ranked a set of hypothetical bullying scenarios from the most severe one to the least severe one. The scenarios were experimentally manipulated based on the aspect of medium and publicity (study 1), and medium and anonymity (study 2). Results showed that public scenarios were perceived as worse than private ones, and that anonymous scenarios were perceived as worse than not anonymous ones. Cyber scenarios generally were perceived as worse than traditional ones, although effect sizes were found to be small. These results suggest that the role of medium is secondary to the role of publicity and anonymity when it comes to evaluating bullying severity. Therefore, cyberbullying is not a priori perceived as worse than traditional bullying. Implications of the results for cyberbullying prevention and intervention are discussed.
Childhood bullying and becoming a young father in a national cohort of Finnish boys.Lehti V, Klomek AB, Tamminen T, Moilanen I, Kumpulainen K, Piha J, Almqvist F, Sourander A.
Source
University of Turku, Finland Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel and Columbia University, USA University of Tampere, Finland University of Oulu, Finland University of Eastern Finland, Finland University of Helsinki, Finland.
AbstractLehti, V., Brunstein Klomek, A., Tamminen, T., Moilanen, I., Kumpulainen, K., Piha, J., Almqvist. F. & Sourander, A. (2012). Childhood bullying and becoming a young father in a national cohort of Finnish boys. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 461-466. Childhood bullying is known to be associated with various adverse psychosocial outcomes in later life. No studies exist on its association with becoming a young father. The study is based on a national cohort, which included 2,946 Finnish boys at baseline in 1989. Information on bullying was collected from children, their parents and their teachers. Follow-up data on becoming a father under the age of 22 were collected from a nationwide register. The follow-up sample included 2,721 boys. Bullying other children frequently was significantly associated with becoming a young father independently of being victimized, childhood psychiatric symptoms and parental educational level. Being a victim of bullying was not associated with becoming a young father when adjusted for possible confounders. When the co-occurrence of bullying and victimization was studied, it was found that being a bully-victim, but not a pure bully or a pure victim, is significantly associated with becoming a young father. This study adds to other studies, which have shown that the risk profile and relational patterns of bully-victims differ from those of other children, and it emphasizes the importance of including peer relationships when studying young fathers.
Psychol Med. 2012 Dec;42(12):2463-74. doi: 10.1017/S0033291712000360. Epub 2012 Mar 9.
Childhood bullying and the association with psychosis in non-clinical and clinical samples: a review and meta-analysis.van Dam DS, van der Ven E, Velthorst E, Selten JP, Morgan C, de Haan L.
Source
Department of Psychiatry, Early Psychosis Section, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. [email protected]
AbstractBACKGROUND:Approximately 11% of schoolchildren are bullied on a regular basis. It has been argued that continuous exposure to stress is related to the development of psychotic symptoms. The current study sought to investigate whether being bullied in childhood is related to the development of psychotic symptoms.
METHOD:A search of PubMed, PsycINFO and EMBASE was conducted. The reference lists of included papers were searched to identify other eligible papers. A meta-analysis was performed on a subgroup of studies.
RESULTS:We found four clinical and 10 general population studies that met inclusion criteria. The results of the clinical studies were mixed. However, the results of the non-clinical studies provided more consistent evidence that school bullying is related to the development of non-clinical psychotic symptoms. Stronger
associations were found with increased frequency and severity and longer duration of being bullied. We performed a meta-analysis on seven population-based studies, yielding unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-3.6] and 2.3 (95% CI 1.5-3.4) respectively.CONCLUSIONS:Although there is some evidence of an association between bullying and psychosis in clinical samples, the research is too sparse to draw any firm conclusions. However, population-based non-clinical studies support the role of bullying in the development of psychotic symptoms later in life. These findings are consistent with findings of an increased risk of psychotic symptoms among those exposed to other types of abuse.
Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2012 Dec;35(4):877-900. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2012.08.007.
Forensic aspects and assessment of school bullying.Freeman BW, Thompson C, Jaques C.
Source
Child Adolescent Division, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1601 23rd Avenue South, Suite 3023, Nashville, TN 37212, USA. [email protected]
AbstractThis article describes school's obligations related to bullying behavior, the assessment of bullying students and their victims, the evaluation of claimed damages due to bullying, and potential interventions for both individuals and school systems to reduce the frequency of bullying behavior. This article assists evaluators when assessing youth who are involved in bullying behavior, either as victims or perpetrators. Key areas highlighted include an overview of bullying behaviors, legal issues related to a school's responsibility in preventing or curtailing bullying behaviors, important components of abullying assessment, and proposed interventions to minimize bullying.
Peer and self-reports of victimization and bullying: Their differential association with internalizing problems and social adjustment.Bouman T, van der Meulen M, Goossens FA, Olthof T, Vermande MM, Aleva EA.
Source
Department of Social Psychology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractResearchers typically employ either peer or self-reports to assess involvement in bullying. In this study, we examined the merits of each method for the identification of child characteristics related to victimization and bullying others. Accordingly, we investigated the difference between these two methods with regard to their relationship with social adjustment (i.e., perceived popularity, likeability, and self-perceived social acceptance) and internalizing problems (i.e., anxiety, depression, and self-worth) in 1192 Dutch school children, aged 9 to 12years. Perceived popularity and likeability were more strongly correlated with peer reports than self-reports, for both victimization and for bullying others. Self-perceived social acceptance correlated equally strong with peer and self- reports of victimization. Furthermore, peer reports of bullying were also correlated with self-perceived social acceptance, whereas self-reports
of bullying were not. All internalizing problems showed stronger relations with self-reports than peer reports; although only the relation between self-reported victimization and internalizing problems was of practical significance. Despite our findings indicating that using only one type of report could be efficient for examining the relation between bullying behaviors and separate child characteristics, both types of report are necessary for a complete understanding of the personal and social well-being of the children involved.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 Dec;66(12):1122-8. doi: 10.1136/jech-2011-200914. Epub 2012 May 8.
Gender differences in the relationship between religiosity and health-related behaviour among adolescents.Pitel L, Madarasova Geckova A, Kolarcik P, Halama P, Reijneveld SA, van Dijk JP.
Source
Department of Health Psychology, Medical Faculty, Public Health Institute, PJ Safarik University, Kosice, Trieda SNP, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia; [email protected].
AbstractBACKGROUND:An inverse relationship between religiosity and adolescent health-related behaviour has been repeatedly documented, but evidence regarding gender is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the association between a wide range of adolescent health-related behaviours and religiosity as well as gender differences in these associations.
METHODS:Data were collected in 2010 in Slovakia on 3674 adolescents, with mean age of 14.9 years (response: 79.5%). ORs for levels of religiosity, measured by religious attendance and religious salience, were calculated for 15 behaviours, such as the use of various substances, nutritional behaviour and violent behaviour. The authors then assessed the interactions of religiosity and gender on these behaviours.
RESULTS:Religiosity was inversely associated with health-risk behaviour in smoking, drunkenness, cannabis use, having breakfast, soft drinks consumption, screen-based activities and sexual intercourse among both genders and in truancy among girls only. This association was significantly stronger among girls than among boys in smoking, drunkenness and cannabis use. Religiosity was unrelated to the consumption of fruits, vegetables and sweets, physical inactivity, tooth brushing, fighting and bullying others in both genders.CONCLUSIONS:An inverse relationship between religiosity and health-risk behaviour was found in several behaviours (especially use of substances) but not in other behaviours (violent behaviours in particular). Gender seems to moderate this relationship in smoking, drunkenness and cannabis use. Further research is needed on the mechanisms leading to an association between religiosity and health behaviour and on the strength of this association in other countries and cultures.
The relationship between body mass index and unhealthy weight control behaviors among adolescents: the role of family and peer social support.Vander Wal JS.
Source
Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, United States. [email protected]
AbstractAdolescents classified as overweight or obese are more likely to use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals or fasting than their healthy weight peers. Adolescents with low perceived social support may be at particular risk. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between adolescent overweight and obesity, indices of perceived peer and family social support, and their interaction in the use of unhealthy weight control behaviors among adolescents. The present study used data from the 2001-2002 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children collaborative survey. Participants included 4598 adolescent girls and boys in the ninth and tenth grades. Results of binary logistic regression analyses showed that obese boys and girls were more likely to use unhealthy weight control behaviors than their healthy weight peers. Boys and girls who endorsed difficult communication with their parents, low levels of parent school support, or frequent bullying were more likely to engage in unhealthy weight control behaviors than relevant comparison groups. Among girls, poor classmate relationships were associated with increased use of unhealthy weight control behaviors whereas fewer friendships were associated with decreased use. Results suggest that adolescents are at high risk for use of unhealthy weight control behaviors and would benefit from interventions to increase knowledge and social support for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Heterosexual and nonheterosexual young university students' involvement in traditional and cyber forms ofbullying.Wensley K, Campbell M.
Source
School of Learning and Professional Development, Queensland University of Technology , Brisbane, Australia .
AbstractAbstract Research has consistently found that school students who do not identify as self-declared completely heterosexual are at increased risk of victimization by bullying from peers. This study examined heterosexual and nonheterosexual university students' involvement in both traditional and cyber forms of bullying, as either bullies or victims. Five hundred twenty-eight first-year university students (M=19.52 years old) were surveyed about their sexual orientation and their bullying experiences over the previous 12 months. The results showed that nonheterosexual young people reported higher levels of involvement in traditional bullying, both as victims and perpetrators, in comparison to heterosexual students. In contrast, cyberbullying trends were generally found to be similar for heterosexual and nonheterosexual young people. Gender differences were also found. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of intervention and prevention of the victimization of nonheterosexual university students.
Am J Public Health. 2012 Dec;102(12):2280-6. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300725. Epub 2012 Oct 18.
Parental Characteristics Associated With Bullying Perpetration in US Children Aged 10 to 17 Years.Shetgiri R, Lin H, Avila RM, Flores G.
Source
Rashmi Shetgiri, Hua Lin, and Glenn Flores are with the Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Rashmi Shetgiri and Glenn Flores are also with Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX. Rosa M. Avila is with the National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD.
AbstractObjectives. We identified factors associated with child bullying in the United States. Methods. We used the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health to examine associations among child, parent, and community factors and bullying perpetration among children aged 10 to 17 years, using bivariate and stepwise multivariable analyses. Results. African American and Latino children and children living in poverty and who had emotional, developmental, or behavioral (EDB) problems had higher odds of bullying, as did children of parents who felt angry with their child or who felt their child bothered them a lot or was hard to care for; suboptimal maternal mental health was associated with higher bullying odds. Children who always or usually completed homework and had parents who talked with them and met all or most of their friends had lower bullying odds. Conclusions. Assessing children's EDB problems, maternal mental health, and parental perceptions may identify children at risk for bullying. Parent-child communication, meeting children's friends, and encouraging children academically were associated with lower bullying odds; these protective factors may be useful in designing preventive interventions.
Pediatrics. 2012 Dec 3. [Epub ahead of print]
Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates of Adolescent Physical Fighting in 30 Countries.Pickett W, Molcho M, Elgar FJ, Brooks F, de Looze M, Rathmann K, Ter Bogt TF, Nic Gabhainn S, Sigmundová
D, Gaspar de Matos M, Craig W, Walsh SD,Harel-Fisch Y, Currie C.
Source
Departments of Community Health and Epidemiology, and.
AbstractBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:No recent international studies provide evidence about its prevalence, trends, or social determinants of physical fighting in adolescents. We studied cross-national epidemiologic trends over time in the occurrence of frequent physical fighting, demographic variations in reported trends, and national wealth and income inequality as correlates.METHODS:Cross-sectional surveys were administered in school settings in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Participants (N = 493874) included eligible and consenting students aged 11, 13, and 15 years in sampled schools from 30 mainly European and North American countries. Individual measures included engagement in frequent physical fighting, age, gender, participation in multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and family affluence. Contextual measures included national income inequality, absolute wealth and homicide rates. Temporal measure was survey cycle (year).RESULTS:Frequent physical fighting declined over time in 19 (63%) of 30 countries (from descriptive then multiple Poisson regression analyses). Contextual measures of absolute wealth (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.99 per 1 SD increase in gross domestic product per capita) but not income inequality (relative risk 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.98-
1.05 per 1 SD increase) related to lower levels of engagement in fighting. Other risk factors identified were male gender, younger age (11 years), multiple risk behaviors, victimization by bullying, and national homicide rates.CONCLUSIONS:Between 2002 and 2010, adolescent physical fighting declined in most countries. Specific groups of adolescents require targeted violence reduction programs. Possible determinants responsible for the observed declines are discussed.
Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2012 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]
Bullying in an Adolescent and Young Adult Gynecology Population.Seltzer MB, Long RA.
Source
1William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, USA.
AbstractObjective. To determine prevalence of exposure to bullying in an adolescent/young adult gynecology population, whether pelvic pain is an associated somatic complaint, and if health care providers are viewed as a resource. Methods. An anonymous self-reporting survey about exposure to bullying, somatic and mental health symptoms, and disclosure patterns was given to 224 consecutive gynecology patients aged 15 to 24 years in a suburban practice. Results. Prevalence of exposure as a bully, victim, witness, or combination was 80.5%. Missing school for pelvic pain was significantly greater in the bully-victim-witness and victim-witness groups. Taking medication for depression or anxiety was significantly greater in the bully-victim-witness group. No one disclosed bullying exposure to a health care provider. Conclusions. Gynecologists see large numbers of patients exposed tobullying. Patients exposed in combinations of bully, victim, and witness have increased frequency of pelvic pain, depression, and anxiety. Patients do not disclose exposure to bullying to health care providers.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Dec 9. [Epub ahead of print]
Does Adolescent Bullying Distinguish Between Male Offending Trajectories in Late Middle Age?Piquero AR, Connell NM, Piquero NL, Farrington DP, Jennings WG.
Source
Department of Criminology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd., GR31, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA, [email protected].
AbstractThe perpetration of bullying is a significant issue among researchers, policymakers, and the general public. Although researchers have examined the link between bullying and subsequent antisocial behavior, data and methodological limitations have hampered firm conclusions. This study uses longitudinal data from 411 males in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development from ages 8 to 56 in order to examine the relationship between adolescent bullying and distinct late middle adulthood trajectories of offending, in which different groups of males follow different offending pathways. Results show that self-reported bullying predicts only certain adult offending trajectories but that the effect becomes insignificant once controls are introduced for childhood risk factors, although this may be due to
the small number of the most chronic offenders. Study implications and directions for future research are noted.
Psychol Med. 2012 Dec 10:1-11. [Epub ahead of print]
Increased serotonin transporter gene (SERT) DNA methylation is associated with bullying victimization and blunted cortisol response to stress in childhood: a longitudinal study of discordant monozygotic twins.Ouellet-Morin I, Wong CC, Danese A, Pariante CM, Papadopoulos AS, Mill J, Arseneault L.
Source
MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Childhood adverse experiences are known to induce persistent changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity to stress. However, the mechanisms by which these experiences shape the neuroendocrine response to stress remain unclear. Method We tested whether bullying victimization influenced serotonin transporter gene (SERT) DNA methylation using a discordant monozygotic (MZ) twin design. A subsample of 28 MZ twin pairs discordant for bullying victimization, with data on cortisol and DNA methylation, were identified in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 cohort of families with twins.RESULTS:Bullied twins had higher SERT DNA methylation at the age of 10 years compared with their non-bullied MZ co-twins. This group difference cannot be attributed to the children's genetic makeup or their shared familial environments because of the study design. Bullied twins also showed increasing methylation levels between the age of 5 years, prior to bullying victimization, and the age of 10 years whereas no such increase was detected in non-bullied twins across time. Moreover, children with higher SERT methylation levels had blunted cortisol responses to stress.CONCLUSIONS:Our study extends findings drawn from animal models, supports the hypothesis that early-life stress modifies DNA methylation at a specific cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) site in the SERT promoter and HPA functioning and suggests that these two systems may be functionally associated.
J Affect Disord. 2012 Dec 11. pii: S0165-0327(12)00813-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2012.11.046. [Epub ahead of
print]
Bullying victimization is associated with dysfunctional emotional traits and affective temperaments.Frizzo MN, Bisol LW, Lara DR.
Instituto Cenecista de Ensino Superior de Santo Ângelo (CNEC-IESA) and Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (UNIJUÍ), Ijuí, RS 98700-000, Brazil; Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS 90619-900, Brazil.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Being bullied has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, but there is very limited evidence on the association of bullying with temperament.METHODS:The data was collected in a large web-survey on psychological and psychiatric measures (BRAINSTEP). Bullying was assessed with a question on time exposed to bullying (none, <1 year, 1-3 years and >3 years) during childhood and adolescence. Emotional traits and affective temperaments were evaluated with the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS). The final sample consisted of 50,882 subjects (mean age 30.8±10.4 years, 73.4% females) with valid answers.RESULTS:About half of the sample reported exposure to bullying and ∼10% reported being victimized by peers for longer than 3 years. Longer exposure to bullying was associated with lower Volition, Coping and Control scores, and more Emotional Sensitivity, Anger and Fear, with statistical significance between all groups. To a lower degree, exposure to bullying was associated with lower Caution and higher Desire scores. Bullyingvictimization was also associated with a much lower proportion of euthymic and hyperthymic types in both genders, which was compensated by an increase mainly in the proportion of depressive, cyclothymic and volatile types.LIMITATIONS:Retrospective assessment of bullying with a single question on time exposed to bullying and use of self-report instruments only.CONCLUSIONS:Being bullied was associated with a broad and profound impact on emotional and cognitive domains in all dimensions of emotional traits, and with internalized and unstable affective temperaments.
J Youth Adolesc. 2012 Dec 14. [Epub ahead of print]
Daily School Peer Victimization Experiences Among Mexican-American Adolescents: Associations with Psychosocial, Physical and School Adjustment.Espinoza G, Gonzales NA, Fuligni AJ.
Source
UCLA Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1563, USA, [email protected].
AbstractSchool bullying incidents, particularly experiences with victimization, are a significant social and health concern among adolescents. The current study extended past research by examining the daily peer victimization experiences of Mexican-American adolescents and examining how chronic (mean-level) and episodic (daily-level) victimization incidents at school are associated with psychosocial, physical and school adjustment. Across a two-week span, 428 ninth and tenth grade Mexican-American students (51 % female) completed brief checklists every night before going to bed. Hierarchical linear model
analyses revealed that, at the individual level, Mexican-American adolescents' who reported more chronic peer victimization incidents across the two-weeks also reported heightened distress and academic problems. After accounting for adolescent's mean levels of peer victimization, daily victimization incidents were associated with more school adjustment problems (i.e., academic problems, perceived role fulfillment as a good student). Additionally, support was found for the mediation model in which distress accounts for the mean-level association between peer victimization and academic problems. The results from the current study revealed that everyday peer victimization experiences among Mexican-American high school students have negative implications for adolescents' adjustment, across multiple domains.
Psychol Assess. 2012 Dec 17. [Epub ahead of print]
The Incremental Utility of Callous-Unemotional Traits and Conduct Problems in Predicting Aggression andBullying in a Community Sample of Boys and Girls.Thornton LC, Frick PJ, Crapanzano AM, Terranova AM.
AbstractThe current study tested whether callous-unemotional (CU) traits explained unique variance in measures of aggression and bullying, and in measures assessing cognitive and affective correlates to aggression, when controlling for conduct problem severity. In a sample of 284 ethnically diverse students (ages 9 to 14 years), a self-report measure of CU traits did not explain unique variance in self-report measures of reactive aggression but did interact with conduct problems in predicting proactive aggression, with conduct problems being more strongly related to proactive aggression in students high on CU traits. Conduct problems were also more strongly related to peer-reports of bullying in girls high on CU traits. Further, CU traits were negatively related to behaviors that defend victims of bullying, independent of conduct problem severity. Finally, conduct problems were more strongly related to anger dysregulation in students low on CU traits, and conduct problems were more strongly related to positive expectations for aggressive behavior in girls high on CU traits. These findings provide support for the proposal to include CU traits as a specifier for the diagnosis of conduct disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Psychol Assess. 2012 Dec 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Identifying Bully Victims: Definitional Versus Behavioral Approaches.Green JG, Felix ED, Sharkey JD, Furlong MJ, Kras JE.
AbstractSchools frequently assess bullying and the Olweus Bully/Victimization Questionnaire (BVQ; Olweus, 1996) is the most widely adopted tool for this purpose. The BVQ is a self-report survey that uses a definitional measurement method-describing "bullying" as involving repeated, intentional aggression in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power and then asking respondents to indicate how frequently they experienced this type of victimization. Few studies have examined BVQ validity and whether this definitional method truly identifies the repetition and power differential that distinguish bullying from other forms of peer victimization. This study examined the concurrent validity of the BVQ definitional question among 435 students reporting peer victimization. BVQ definitional responses were compared with responses to a behavioral measure that did not use the term "bullying" but, instead, included items that asked about its defining characteristics (repetition, intentionality, power imbalance). Concordance
between the two approaches was moderate, with an area under the receiver operating curve of .72. BVQ responses were more strongly associated with students indicating repeated victimization and multiple forms of victimization, than with power imbalance in their relationship with the bully. Findings indicate that the BVQ is a valid measure of repeated victimization and a broad range of victimization experiences but may not detect the more subtle and complex power imbalances that distinguish bullying from other forms of peer victimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved).
Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2012 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print]
Violent Online Games Exposure and Cyberbullying/Victimization Among Adolescents.Lam LT, Cheng Z, Liu X.
Source
1 The School of Medicine Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia , Darlinghurst NSW, Australia .
AbstractAbstract This population-based cross-sectional survey examined the association between exposure to violent online games and cyberbullying and victimization in adolescents recruited from two large cities utilizing a stratified two-stage random cluster sampling technique. Cyberbullying and victimization were assessed by the E-victimization and E-bullying scales validated in a previous study. Exposure to violent online games was measured by self-nomination of the degree of violent content in the games played. Results indicated that the majority (74.3 percent) of respondents did not experience any cyberbullying or victimization in the last 7 days before the survey, 14.4 percent reported to be victimized via cyberspace, 2.9 percent admitted that they had bullied others, and 8.4 percent reported to be both perpetrators- and- victims. One hundred and eighty seven (15.3 percent) considered games they were playing were of moderate to severe violence. Students who had been involved in cyberbullying as well as being victimized were two times as likely to have been exposed to violent online games, and nearly four times as likely for those involved in bullying others. Exposure to violent online games was associated with being a perpetrator as well as a perpetrator-and-victim of cyberbullying. Parents and clinicians need to be aware of the potential harm of these exposures. The policy implications of results were also discussed.
Pediatrics. 2012 Dec 24. [Epub ahead of print]
Weight-Based Victimization: Bullying Experiences of Weight Loss Treatment-Seeking Youth.Puhl RM, Peterson JL, Luedicke J.
Source
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
AbstractOBJECTIVE:Few studies have comprehensively examined weight-based victimization (WBV) in youth, despite its serious consequences for their psychosocial and physical health. Given that obese and treatment-seeking youth may be highly vulnerable to WBV and its negative consequences, the current study provides a comprehensive assessment of WBV in a weight loss treatment-seeking sample.METHODS:Adolescents (aged 14-18 years; N = 361) enrolled in 2 national weight loss camps
were surveyed. An in-depth assessment of WBV was conducted by using an online survey, in which participants indicated the duration, typical locations, frequent perpetrators, and forms of WBV they had experienced.RESULTS:Findings indicate that 64% of the study participants reported WBV at school, and the risk of WBV increased with body weight. Most participants reported WBV enduring for 1 year (78%), and 36% were teased/bullied for 5 years. Peers (92%) and friends (70%) were the most commonly reported perpetrators, followed by adult perpetrators, including physical education teachers/sport coaches (42%), parents (37%), and teachers (27%). WBV was most frequently reported in the form of verbal teasing (75%-88%), relational victimization (74%-82%), cyberbullying (59%-61%), and physical aggression (33%-61%). WBV was commonly experienced in multiple locations at school.CONCLUSIONS:WBV is a prevalent experience for weight loss treatment-seeking youth, even when they are no longer overweight. Given the frequent reports of WBV from adult perpetrators in addition to peers, treatment providers and school personnel can play an important role in identifying and supporting youth who may be at risk for pervasive teasing and bullying.
Gender effects in bullying: Results from a national sample.Hoertel N, Le Strat Y, Lavaud P, Limosin F.
Source
Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Corentin-Celton, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 92130, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France; Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; Centre Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Inserm U894, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractThis study presents gender effects in sociodemographics and psychiatric correlates of bullying in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Face-to-face interviews of more than 43,000 adults were conducted during the 2001-2002 period. The present study compared 2460 respondents who ever bullied with 39,501 respondents who did not, stratified by gender. The prevalence of this behavior in the U.S. was significantly higher in men (8.5%) than in women (4.2%). Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated strong associations in both genders with numerous psychiatric and addictive disorders with significant gender effects. Following adjustments for sociodemographic characteristics and other antisocial behaviors, women who ever bullied were significantly more likely to have any lifetime externalizing, including conduct disorder, as well as any lifetime internalizing spectrum disorder compared to men with such behavior. Bullying in women may be a symptom of a broader syndrome than in men, including more prevalent impairment of impulse control and more frequent affective disorders.
Psychologist, ([email protected]), Psychology Department, Institute of Living, 200 Retreat Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106. Clinical Psychologist and Professor of Education, ([email protected]), Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, 417 Emmet Street, Bavaro Hall, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4270. Dean and Professor, ([email protected]), Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Av. Padre Tomas Pereira, Taipa, Macau, China. Assistant Professor, ([email protected]), Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, 152 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8085.
AbstractBACKGROUND:Many authorities agree that bullying has a widespread impact on school climate, affecting bystanders as well as victims. This study tested the contention that a climate of bullying can have a schoolwide impact on student engagement in school.METHODS:Hierarchical linear modeling assessed the relations between student perception of bullying climate and student engagement at the individual and school level in a statewide sample of 7058 ninth graders randomly selected from 289 schools participating in the Virginia High School Safety Study. Student engagement was assessed by self-report scales measuring commitment to school and involvement in school activities.RESULTS:Individual differences in perception of school climate characterized by bullying were associated with lower commitment to school, but not less involvement in school activities. School-level differences in student perceptions of bullying climate were associated with both lower commitment to school and less involvement in school activities, after controlling for the effects of gender, race, school size, proportion of ethnic minority students in the school, and individual-level perception of bullying climate.CONCLUSION:Efforts to improve student engagement should consider the schoolwide impact of bullying on all students.
The effects of victim of bullying reputation on adolescents' choice of friends: Mediation by fear of becoming a victim of bullying, moderation by victim status, and implications for befriending interventions.Boulton MJ.
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Department of Psychology, University of Chester, Chester CH1 4BJ, UK. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractResearch has shown that victims of bullying fare less well on measures of peer affiliation than nonvictims, but less is known about the direction of effects and the mechanisms involved. Three linked studies addressed the latter two issues using an experimental paradigm with hypothetical vignettes (N=360). In Experiment 1, among both boys and girls and pupils in Years 7, 8, and 9 (n=120), participants were significantly less likely to (a) agree to act as a formal befriender to, (ii) believe that they would attempt to form a friendship with, and (iii) think that their peers would form friendships with a pupil new to their school if the description of the new pupil signaled that he or she had (vs. had not) been the victim of bullying in previous schools. Experiment 2 confirmed this "victim reputation" effect with a different sample (n=120) and found support for the hypothesis that it was mediated by the belief that associating with victims leads to an increased risk of becoming a victim (the "associating with victims is risky" effect).
Experiment 3 (n=120) further replicated the original victim reputation effect and showed that the associating with victims is risky mediation effect was itself moderated by participants' current victim status; the effect was stronger among participants that were high (vs. low) in current victimization. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
The impact of peer victimization on later maladjustment: mediating and moderating effects of hostile and self-blaming attributions.Perren S, Ettekal I, Ladd G.
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Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development, University of Zürich, Switzerland Department of Family and Human Development and Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
AbstractBackground: Evidence indicates that being a victim of bullying or peer aggression has negative short- and long-term consequences. In this study, we investigated the mediating and moderating role of two types of attributional mechanisms (hostile and self-blaming attributions) on children's maladjustment (externalizing and internalizing problems). Methods: In total, 478 children participated in this longitudinal study from grade 5 to grade 7. Children, parents, and teachers repeatedly completed questionnaires. Peer victimization was assessed through peer reports (T1). Attributions were assessed through self-reports using hypothetical scenarios (T2). Parents and teachers reported on children's maladjustment (T1 and T3). Results: Peer victimization predicted increases in externalizing and internalizing problems. Hostile attributions partially mediated the impact of victimization on increases in externalizing problems. Self-blame was not associated with peer victimization. However, for children with higher levels of self-blaming attributions, peer victimization was linked more strongly with increases in internalizing problems. Conclusions: Results imply that hostile attributions may operate as a potential mechanism through which negative experiences with peers lead to increases in children's aggressive and delinquent behavior, whereas self-blame exacerbates victimization's effects on internalizing problems.
Cult Health Sex. 2013 Jan;15(1):15-28. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2012.738310. Epub 2012 Nov 12.
Challenging homophobia and heterosexism through storytelling and critical dialogue among Hong Kong Chinese immigrant parents in Toronto.
a Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University , Toronto , Canada.
AbstractHomophobia and heterosexism are ubiquitous in Canadian society. They contribute to significant health and mental health disparities for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and their families. Anti-homophobia efforts tend to focus on students and teachers at school. While these efforts are important, they do not reach parents, who play an important role in shaping young people's attitudes towards gender and sexuality. To eliminate bullying and victimisation associated with homophobia at school and in the community, concerted efforts are urgently needed to mobilise parents to become champions against homophobia and heterosexism. In this paper, we report on our use of storytelling and critical dialogue to engage a group of Hong Kong Chinese immigrant parents in Toronto to interrogate their values and assumptions about homosexuality. In particular, we illustrate how we use storytelling to create a liminal space whereby the narrators and listeners collaborate to create counter-discourses that challenge social domination and exclusion. We then discuss the implications of using a critical dialogical approach to integrate anti-homophobia efforts in community parenting programmes.
Appearance-related bullying and skin disorders.Magin P.
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Discipline of General Practice, University of Newcastle. Newbolds Bldg, University of Newcastle, University Dr, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Electronic address: [email protected].
AbstractBullying encompasses verbal aggression, physical aggression, and social exclusion. It involves "harm-doing" that is carried out repeatedly, over time, and within a relationship, involving a power imbalance between the bully and the bullied. Being bullied may have considerable adverse sequelae, including psychologic or psychiatric harm. Much bullying is appearance-related, and it would be surprising if some individuals with skin disease were not bullied given the high visibility of skin diseases. The limited evidence available does suggest that individuals with skin disease, particularly those with acne, psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, are often bullied, which can adversely affect them psychologically.
AbstractCurrent research offers a limited understanding of parental experiences when reporting bullying to school officials. This research examines the experiences of middle-school parents as they took steps to protect their bullied youth. The qualitative tradition of interpretive phenomenology was used to provide in-depth analysis of the phenomena. A criterion-based, purposeful sample of 11 parents was interviewed face-to-face with subsequent phone call follow-ups. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and coded. MAX qda software was used for data coding. In analyzing the interviews, paradigm cases, themes, and patterns were identified. Three parent stages were found: discovering, reporting, and living with the aftermath. In the discovery stage, parents reported using advice-giving in hopes of protecting their youth. As parents noticed negative psychosocial symptoms in their youth escalate, they shifted their focus to reporting the bullying to school officials. All but one parent experienced ongoing resistance from school officials in fully engaging the bullying problem. In the aftermath, 10 of the 11 parents were left with two choices: remove their youth from the school or let the victimization continue. One paradigm case illustrates how a school official met parental expectations of protection. This study highlights a parental sense of ambiguity of school officials' roles and procedures related to school reporting and intervention. The results of this study have implications in the development and use of school-wide bullying protocols and parental advocacy.
AIDS Care. 2013 Feb;25(2):215-22. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2012.699668. Epub 2012 Jul 9.
Validation of a brief stigma-by-association scale for use with HIV/AIDS-affected youth in South Africa.Boyes ME, Mason SJ, Cluver LD.
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a Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK.
AbstractAbstract This study validated a brief stigma-by-association scale for use with South African youth (adapted from the HIV Stigma-by-Association Scale for Adolescents). Participants were 723 youth (364 male, 359 female) from poor urban communities around Cape Town. Youths completed the brief stigma-by-association scale and measures of bullying victimisation and peer-problems, as well as inventories measuring symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exploratory analyses revealed that the scale consists of two subscales: (1) experience of stigma-by-association and (2) consequences of stigma-by-association. This two factor structure was obtained in the full sample and both the HIV/AIDS-affected and unaffected subgroups. The full stigma-by-association scale showed excellent reliability (α = 0.89-0.90) and reliabilities for both subscales were also good (α = 0.78-0.87). As predicted, children living in HIV/AIDS-affected households obtained significantly higher stigma-by-association scores than children in non-affected households [F(1, 693) = 46.53, p<0.001, partial η (2)=0.06] and hypothesized correlations between stigma-by-association, bullying, peer problems, depression and anxiety symptoms were observed. It is concluded that the brief stigma-by-association scale is a reliable and valid instrument for use with South African youth; however, further confirmatory research regarding the structure of the scale is required.
