Predictors of bullying reported by perpetrators in a sample of senior school students in Benin City, Nigeria

Association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and bullying: the role of deviant behaviors

Background

Ultra-processed foods have been associated with several negative outcomes, but it is not clear whether they are related to bullying perpetration. Moreover, no previous study has investigated the potential role of deviant behaviors as a mediator of this association. Our objective was to evaluate the association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and bullying, and the mediating effect of deviant behaviors in this association, among school adolescents.

Methods

We used data from a representative sample of 9th grade Brazilian adolescents (N = 2,212) from the São Paulo Project for the social development of children and adolescents (SP-PROSO). Exploratory factor analysis was used to obtain the dietary patterns, through questions of frequency of consumption in the last week of several foods. The ultra-processed dietary pattern was considered as exposure. The outcomes were the types of bullying (any type, social exclusion, psychological/verbal aggression, physical aggression, property destruction, and sexual harassment). Deviant behaviors (mediator) were assessed through a score. Mediation analyses were carried out using logistic regression based on the KHB method.

Results

After adjusting for covariates, the mediating effect of deviant behaviors was found in the association between ultra-processed dietary pattern and all the types of bullying perpetration, especially for psychological/verbal aggression (39.4%). A small mediating effect of deviant behaviors in the association of ultra-processed dietary pattern with physical aggression (17.7%) and property destruction (18.5%) was observed, but this effect explained only a small portion of the total effect of such association (significant direct effect).

Conclusion

The ultra-processed dietary pattern was associated with bullying, and the association was mediated through deviant behaviors. Policies and actions for improving the adolescent's diet and managing the adoption of deviant and bullying behaviors by this public are required.

Cannabis and amphetamine use among school-going adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: a multi-country analysis of prevalence and associated factors

BACKGROUND

Global evidence indicates that early onset of illicit substance use among adolescents and emerging adults is associated with negative mental-health related-outcomes that can persist into adulthood. However, the lack of quality regional data on adolescent illicit substance use and its determinants remains a common barrier to evidence-based policy-making and the development of school-based interventions in Africa. The purpose of our study was to estimate the prevalence and describe the correlates of cannabis and amphetamine use among school-going adolescents in eight sub-Saharan African countries (SSA) - Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, and Tanzania.

METHODS

We analysed 15,553 school-going adolescents that participated in the Global School-based Student Health Survey. A two-stage sampling approach was used to generate a nationally representative sample of school children (grades 7-12) in each of these countries. Students responded to a self-administered structured questionnaire that contained information on sociodemographic factors, family involvement factors, mental health factors, school environment factors and past-month cannabis and life-time amphetamine use.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence estimates of past-month cannabis use and lifetime amphetamine use among school-going adolescents in the eight SSA countries was 4.39% (95% CI = 4.08, 4.72) and 3.05% (95% CI = 2.79, 3.34) respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, demographic characteristics (age and male gender), mental health factors (suicide ideation and attempt), lifestyle factors (cigarette smoking, past-month alcohol use, lifetime drunkenness and leisure-time sedentary behaviour) and school level factors (truancy and bullying victimisation) showed strong associations with increased odds of both past-month cannabis use and lifetime amphetamine use. Social support at school was associated with increased odds for lifetime amphetamine, while parental monitoring decreases the odds for lifetime amphetamine use. It was also observed that parental tobacco use was associated with increased odds of both past-month cannabis use and lifetime amphetamine use.

CONCLUSION

The relatively low overall prevalence estimates of past-month cannabis use and lifetime amphetamine use among school-going adolescents in not surprising. However, the identified risk and protective factors associated with cannabis and amphetamine use underscores the need for these eight countries in SSA to develop contextual and multi-sectoral intervention and school-based prevention programmes that could target school-going adolescents who may be at risk of misusing these illicit drugs.

The Profile of Bullying Perpetrators and Victims and Associated Factors among High School Learners in Tshwane District, South Africa

Although bullying in South African schools remains a current public health and education discussion, the view has been limited to acts of criminality, and not much has been done to identify risk factors for being bullying perpetrators and victims in a school environment. This study used a cross sectional quantitative survey to determine the profile of bullying perpetrators and victims among high school learners in a township in Pretoria. The Illinois Bully Scale was used to screen for bullying perpetration and victimization, whilst the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to screen for depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively, among the sample of learners. STATA version 14 was used for data analysis. The sample of 460 consisted of 69% females with a mean age of 15 years. The 73.91% of learners who fitted the categories of bullying consisted of 21.96% victims, 9.57% perpetrators, and 42.39% perpetrator-victims. The Pearson Chi² test of association found a significant association between being a bullying victim and reported lack of people who loved and cared for the learner. Being a bullying perpetrator was associated with anxiety symptoms of the learner and home alcohol use, while being a perpetrator -victim was associated with lack of family love and care, the school attended, as well as depression and anxiety symptoms. Using multivariate logistic regression, being a perpetrator-victim was associated with depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and home use of alcohol whilst being a perpetrator was associated with lack of anxiety symptoms. The study concluded that anxiety, depression, and the home environment are strongly associated with bullying, and most learners fitted the category of being both perpetrators and victims.

A multi-country analysis of the prevalence and factors associated with bullying victimisation among in-school adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from the global school-based health survey

BACKGROUND

Over the past few years, there has been growing public and research interest in adolescents' experiences with various forms of bullying victimisation because of their psychological, emotional, and/ or physical consequences. The present study examined the prevalence of bullying victimisation and its associated factors among in-school adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

Using data from the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) from 2010 to 2017 of eleven sub-Saharan African countries, a sample of 25,454 in-school adolescents was used for analysis. Statistical analyses included frequencies, percentages, Pearson chi-square and multivariable logistic regression. Results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of bullying victimisation among the respondents was 38.8%. The prevalence was lowest in Mauritius (22.2%) and highest in Sierra Leone (54.6%). Adolescents who felt lonely [aOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.53, 1.80], had history of anxiety [aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.41, 1.66], suicidal ideation [aOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.17, 1.39], suicidal attempt [aOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.72, 2.02], current users of marijuana [aOR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.38, 1.84], and truants at [aOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.34, 1.52] were more likely to be victims of bullying. Conversely, adolescents who had peer support were less likely to be victims of bullying [aOR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.73, 0.82]. Adolescents aged 15 years or older had lower odds of experiencing bullying victimization compared to their counterparts aged 14 years or younger [aOR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.69, 0.78].

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that age, loneliness, anxiety, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt, and current use of marijuana are associated with increased risk of bullying victimisation. School-wide preventative interventions (e.g., positive behavioural strategies- Rational Emotive Behavioral Education, [REBE], peer educator network systems, face-face counseling sessions, substance use cessation therapy) are essential in promoting a positive school climate and reduce students' bullying victimisation behaviours.

Bullying Victimization among In-School Adolescents in Ghana: Analysis of Prevalence and Correlates from the Global School-Based Health Survey

(1) Background: Although bullying victimization is a phenomenon that is increasingly being recognized as a public health and mental health concern in many countries, research attention on this aspect of youth violence in low- and middle-income countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa, is minimal. The current study examined the national prevalence of bullying victimization and its correlates among in-school adolescents in Ghana. (2) Methods: A sample of 1342 in-school adolescents in Ghana (55.2% males; 44.8% females) aged 12–18 was drawn from the 2012 Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) for the analysis. Self-reported bullying victimization “during the last 30 days, on how many days were you bullied?” was used as the central criterion variable. Three-level analyses using descriptive, Pearson chi-square, and binary logistic regression were performed. Results of the regression analysis were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) at 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with a statistical significance pegged at p < 0.05. (3) Results: Bullying victimization was prevalent among 41.3% of the in-school adolescents. Pattern of results indicates that adolescents in SHS 3 [aOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.25, 0.47] and SHS 4 [aOR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.21, 0.44] were less likely to be victims of bullying. Adolescents who had sustained injury [aOR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.63, 2.73] were more likely to be bullied compared to those who had not sustained any injury. The odds of bullying victimization were higher among adolescents who had engaged in physical fight [aOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.42, 2.25] and those who had been physically attacked [aOR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.32, 2.27]. Similarly, adolescents who felt lonely were more likely to report being bullied [aOR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.08, 2.08] as against those who did not feel lonely. Additionally, adolescents with a history of suicide attempts were more likely to be bullied [aOR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.11, 2.38] and those who used marijuana had higher odds of bullying victimization [aOR = 3.36, 95% CI = 1.10, 10.24]. (4) Conclusions: Current findings require the need for policy makers and school authorities in Ghana to design and implement policies and anti-bullying interventions (e.g., Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Emotive Behavioral Education (REBE), Marijuana Cessation Therapy (MCT)) focused on addressing behavioral issues, mental health and substance abuse among in-school adolescents.

Internal consistency and correlation of the adverse childhood experiences, bully victimization, self-esteem, resilience, and social support scales in Nigerian children

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the internal consistencies and the correlation between measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), bully victimization, self-esteem, resilience, and social support in children/adolescents in Nigeria.

RESULTS

The Cronbach's alphas were 0.67 for the ACE Questionnaire; 0.79 for the victimization subscale of the Illinois Bully Scale; 0.60 for Rosenberg's self-esteem scale; 0.81 for Connor-Davidson resilience scale; and 0.93 for multidimensional perceived social support scale. Social support was negatively correlated with ACE (r = - 0.21) and bully victimization (r = - 0.16) and was associated with higher self-esteem (r = - 0.29) and higher resilience (r = 0.15). Likewise, higher resilience was associated with fewer ACE (r = - 0.07), higher self-esteem (r = - 0.21), and higher bully victimization (r = 0.13). Higher self-esteem was associated with fewer ACE (r = 0.25) and lower bully victimization (r = 0.16), whereas bully victimization was positively correlated with ACE (r = 0.20). The correlations were all statistically significant.