Korean autistic persons facing systemic stigmatization from middle education schools: daily survival on the edge as a puppet

Introduction

Korean autistic persons who have endured an integrated secondary education system have been exposed to school bullying, causing trauma and stigma to them. It also blocks them from entering a tertiary education system and a decent work, resulting in a lower quality of life. However, research on how it affects autistic persons has not yet been conducted in Korea.

Methods

Fourteen adult autistic persons in the Republic of Korea participated in the semi-structured focused group interviews. Their conversations were analyzed through qualitative coding.

Results

The interview results show the rare voice of Korean autistic people. Although interviewees experienced physical, verbal, and sexual violence against them during the secondary education period, they could not get substantial assistance from schools and society. Interviewees agreed that bullying is inherent in the secondary education system of Korea, even in Korean culture. They experienced the cause of bullying being attributed to them as victims rather than perpetrators, and impunity is given to the bullying assailants. Early analyses of this article confirm that such experiences are combined with the sociocultural climate of elitism, meritocracy, and authoritarianism in the Republic of Korea.

Conclusion

The study confirmed that the autistic person's bullying experience does not come from the social inability of autistic people but the "profound" competition and discriminative atmosphere of the society. The result urges further studies on the bullying experience of East Asian autistic persons and the construction of Korean intervention strategies to prevent school violence against Koreans with disabilities, especially autistic pupils.

The Relationship between a Competitive School Climate and School Bullying among Secondary Vocational School Students in China: A Moderated Mediation Model

School bullying is widespread in countries around the world and has a continuous negative impact on the physical and mental health of students. However, few studies have explored the influence mechanism of a competitive school climate on school bullying among Chinese secondary vocational school students. This study aims to explore the relationship between a competitive school climate and bullying in secondary vocational schools in the Chinese context, as well as the mediating role of school belonging and the moderating role of gender. Logit regression analysis and a moderated mediation model were used to analyze 1964 secondary vocational students from China based on PISA 2018 data from Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu, China. (1) The detection rate of school bullying in secondary vocational schools in China is 17.8%, lower than the world average. (2) A competitive school climate is significantly and positively correlated with secondary vocational school students' exposure to school bullying. (3) A moderated mediation model suggests that school belonging is an important mechanism by which a competitive school climate influences the occurrence of school bullying, whereas gender moderates the direct effect of a competitive school climate and the indirect effect of school belonging, which mitigates the negative effects of a competitive school climate to some extent. The research results show that creating a healthy competitive climate in schools, cultivating students' sense of belonging, and facing up to gender differences are helpful to prevent school bullying in secondary vocational schools.

School bullying results in poor psychological conditions: evidence from a survey of 95,545 subjects

To investigate whether bullying and psychological conditions are correlated, this study analyzed a survey of primary and secondary school students from Zigong City, Sichuan Province. A total of 95,545 students completed a personal information questionnaire, the Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale (MPVS), and eight other scales pertaining to various psychological problems. The data showed that 68,315 (71.5%) participants experienced school bullying at varying degrees, indicating the prevalence of bullying among adolescents. The chi-square tests revealed a strong correlation between school bullying and psychological conditions. This correlation was further explored through multivariate logistic regression, showing that students who experienced mild bullying had a 3.10 times higher probability of emotional and behavioral problems, 4.06 times higher probability of experiencing prodromal symptoms of mental illness, 4.72 times higher probability of anxiety, 3.28 times higher probability of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), 4.07 times higher probability of poor sleep quality, 3.13 times higher probability of internet addiction, 2.18 times higher probability of poor mental health, and 3.64 times higher probability of depression than students who did not experience bullying. The corresponding probabilities for students who experienced severe bullying were 11.35, 17.35, 18.52, 12.59, 11.67, 12.03, 4.64, and 5.34 times higher, respectively. In conclusion, school bullying and psychological conditions are significantly correlated among primary and secondary school students, and the more severe the bullying, the higher the probability to suffer from psychological problems.

Risk Factors Associated With Bullying in Context of a Territory Exposed to Armed Conflict: A Cross-sectional Study

School violence and bullying are current and problematic events during adolescence. They are likely to have a marked presence in places highly exposed to armed conflict and violent environments, representing a double public health problem. The study aims to estimate the prevalence of different types of school violence perpetrated and experienced by school adolescents in a community with a history of exposure to armed conflict. Two thousand one hundred eighty-five school adolescents from a municipality in Colombia (males = 54.1%, 14-16 years = 38.6%) participated in the study. Nine educational institutions were included. A systematic random sampling was designed, with a proportional allocation of 35% within each school year from sixth to eleventh grade. The School Coexistence and Circumstances Affecting it-ECECA survey was applied. The prevalence and risks of bully and bullying were estimated. RRa were calculated with the 95% confidence interval adjusted for the other confounding variables. Analyses were constructed from generalized linear models, under the Poisson family and a logarithmic link function. We found a 9.3% of bullying victimization and a 3.5% prevalence of bully. A higher risk of bully was found among males, persons between 10 and 14 years of age, residents of rural or urban dispersed areas, residents of violent neighborhoods, alcohol consumers at school, and victims of aggression in childhood (RRa > 1.0, p-values <.05). The risk of victimization of bullying was higher in students younger than 15 years old, as residents of urban areas, having a history of childhood aggression, suffering abuse by a close person, and as alcohol users at school. This study provides evidence of risk factors for aggression and bullying that have implications for possible prevention measures in multiple social domains, including the individual, the family, and the school environment.

Effect of School Bullying on Students' Peer Cooperation: A Moderated Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

Studies show that cooperative environments enhance student performance. However, school bullying can significantly undermine peer cooperation. There is limited research on how school bullying impacts peer cooperation and the mechanisms involved.

METHODS

Using data from 15-year-old middle school students in four Chinese provinces and cities, as part of the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), this study employs a moderated mediation model. It examines the negative effects of school bullying on peer cooperation, the mediating role of school belonging, and the moderating effects of teacher support and parents' support.

RESULTS

School bullying negatively impacts peer cooperation. School belonging partially mediates this relationship. Teacher support moderates the effect of school bullying on school belonging, which in turn affects peer cooperation. Parents' support moderates the direct impact of school bullying on peer cooperation.

CONCLUSION

School bullying reduces peer cooperation by diminishing students' sense of belonging in school. This effect is lessened with increased support from teachers and parents. The findings suggest that while social support is beneficial, it must be balanced and not excessive.

School bullying and self-efficacy in adolescence: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Given that literature has examined the relation between school bullying and self-efficacy, findings have been mixed. This meta-analysis aimed to clarify whether school bullying is associated with adolescents' self-efficacy, a key component of social information processing essential for the evaluation of potential behavioral responses. We further examined moderators associated with heterogeneity in the above relation, including participant roles, types of school bullying, types of self-efficacy, and demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, and cultural background).

METHOD

This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Statement for searching, identifying, and screening eligible articles. A total of 53 articles (N = 71,661; Mage  = 12.69 years) were included (50 in English and 3 in Chinese). Articles were coded by two graduate-level coders independently with a high inter-rater reliability (97.12%).

RESULTS

The results showed that (1) school bullying was negatively associated with self-efficacy (r = -.07, p < .001) among adolescents, and (2) the above relation varied by participant role (e.g., bullies, victims, bully-victims, and defenders), types of school bullying (e.g., traditional bullying, cyberbullying, and both), and types of self-efficacy (e.g., general and domain-specific self-efficacy).

FINDINGS

The findings highlight that school bullying is associated with disruptive cognitive processing in adolescence, low self-efficacy in particular, and the heterogeneity should be considered to fully understand the association between school bullying and self-efficacy among adolescents.

Development and Validation of the Adolescent Defending Behaviors Questionnaire Among Chinese Early Adolescents

This study aimed to clarify the multidimensionality of defending by developing and validating the Adolescent Defending Behaviors Questionnaire (ADBQ) in a sample of Chinese adolescents. Results of Study 1 (N = 824, Mage = 11.25) indicated that a five-factor model, comprising (a) assertive defending, (b) aggressive defending, (c) comforting victims, (d) reporting to authority, and (e) tactical defending, yielded a good fit to the data. Study 2 (N = 1,086, Mage = 11.18) established ADBQ's reliability (α = .78-.93) and construct validity: the five defending dimensions were differentially associated with cognitive and affective empathy, aggression, sociability, peer preference, and victimization. Together, the results suggest that the ADBQ is a psychometrically valid and reliable instrument for assessing the multidimensionality of defending.

The Prevalence and Severity of School Bullying among Left-Behind Children: A Meta-Analysis

The involvement of left-behind children (LBC) in school bullying has raised concern in China. However, the susceptibility of LBC to engage in bullying is controversial, and comprehensive, representative studies covering the entire country are lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of school bullying among LBC. The Chinese National Knowledge Network, WanFang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and EBSCO databases were searched for literature on being left-behind and bullying before April 2022. The effect size was measured by odds ratio (ORs), standard mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence interval (CI). Random-effects or fixed-effects models were selected for meta-analysis, and subgroup analysis was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis included 25 studies of school bullying among LBC and non-LBC (NLBC). The prevalence of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC were 18.58% (95% CI [3.72%, 33.44%], p < .05) and 40.62% (95% CI [25.47%, 55.78%], p < .05), respectively. Compared with NLBC, the risk of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC increased 1.97 times (OR = 1.97, 95% CI [1.77, 2.20], p < .05) and 2.17 times (OR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.43, 3.29], p < .05), respectively. The severity of bullying experienced by LBC was higher than that of NLBC (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI [0.20, 0.79], p < .05). The prevalence and severity of school bullying were higher in LBC than in NLBC, and left-behindness was positively associated with school bullying. LBC are a crucial population to protect when developing bullying interventions.

Association of Bullying Victimization With Suicide Ideation and Attempt Among School-Going Adolescents in Post-conflict Liberia: Findings From the Global School-Based Health Survey

Background School-based bullying is a global problem that negatively impacts the victims' and perpetrators' health and well-being. There is a paucity of data regarding bullying in schools and its association with suicide behaviors among adolescents in Liberia. Objective The study investigated the impact of bullying victimization on suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among adolescents in Liberia. It aimed to provide insights into the consequences of bullying victimization on adolescents' mental health regarding their thoughts of self-harm and suicide attempts. Methods The study utilized data from the 2017 Liberia Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) to analyze information on 2744 students between the ages of 11 and 18 years, with 52.4% being males. Prevalence rates of bullying victimization and suicide behaviors were calculated using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regressions were used to model the relationship between being bullied and experiencing suicidal behaviors (ideation and attempts). Results Among the 2744 adolescents examined, 20% experienced suicidal thoughts, with about 30% of the adolescents reporting suicide attempts at some point in the year preceding the survey. Within 30 days prior to the survey, the prevalence of bullying victimization was 50%, with 44.9% experiencing frequent victimization (3 or more days). Bullying victimization was significantly linked to increased odds of suicidal ideation with planning (aOR: 1.86; P < 0.001), at least a suicide attempt (aOR: 2.16; P < 0.001), and multiple attempts at suicide (aOR: 2.67; P < 0.001). We also observed that a greater number of days bullied was dose-dependently associated with higher odds for suicide ideation and attempts. Conclusion These findings support and extend those from other developing countries, highlighting the association between school-based bullying and suicidal behaviors. The relatively high prevalence of bullying among adolescents in Liberia underscores the importance of implementing effective anti-bullying policies and suicide prevention strategies in schools.

The Effect of Everyday Moral Sensitivity on Bullying Bystander Behavior: Parallel Mediating Roles of Empathy and Moral Disengagement

The higher moral sensitivity to bullying a student has, the more likely they are to help the victim or inhibit bullying rather than ignore it. Research has mainly focused on particular sensitivity to bullying, and it remains unknown whether sensitivity to everyday moral issues functions similarly. The present study aimed to examine the effect of everyday moral sensitivity (EMS) on bullying bystander behaviors. We included a range of school children (n = 1,655, Grades 3-12, 27.6% girls) in Southwest China. The results show 6.10% have been a victim-only, 0.48% have been a bully-only, 0.85% have been the bullying victim, 92.57% have been neither a bully nor a bullying victim, and 45.86% have observed bullying. Students in lower grades are more likely to be bullied. After controlling for covariates (i.e., gender, grade, and social desirability), EMS is positively associated with positive bystander behaviors. Moreover, empathy and moral disengagement (MD) play a mediating role in the relationship between EMS and positive bystander behaviors. The results reveal two parallel processes of EMS influenced bystander behaviors (i.e., empathy and MD). The findings indicate the possibility of cultivating EMS and highlight the role of morality development in preventing school bullying.

Socioeconomic Differences in the Association Between Bullying Behaviors and Mental Health in Canadian Adolescents

BACKGROUND

Bullying and poverty are each associated with poor health in adolescents. We examined socioeconomic differences in the association of bullying and health.

METHODS

The 2017/2018 Canadian Health Behaviour of School-aged Children study surveyed 21,750 youth (9-18 years). We used linear regression models to investigate interactive effects of bullying involvement (traditional and cyberbullying) and socioeconomic position (SEP) on self-reported life satisfaction, psychological symptoms, and physical symptoms.

RESULTS

Involvement in either form of bullying, as a perpetrator or a target, was associated with worse health and well-being compared to uninvolved youths. Associations of victimization via conventional bullying with low life satisfaction (b = -.33 [-.61, .05]), more psychological symptoms (b = .83 [.27, 1.38]), and more somatic symptoms (b = .56 [.14, .98]) were stronger at lower SEP.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic disadvantage intensifies the association between bullying victimization and poor health. The intersections of victimization and poverty pose a significant health risk to adolescents.

Adolescent-Caregiver Agreement Regarding the School Bullying and Cyberbullying Involvement Experiences of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

School bullying and cyberbullying victimization and perpetration are prevalent in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (AASD). However, the levels of adolescent-caregiver agreement regarding the bullying involvement of AASD and the factors associated with these levels remain to be evaluated. In the present study, we evaluated the levels of adolescent-caregiver agreement on the school bullying and cyberbullying involvement experiences of AASD and the factors associated with the levels of agreement. This study included 219 dyads of AASD and their caregivers. The school bullying and cyberbullying involvement experiences of the participating AASD were assessed using the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire and the Cyberbullying Experiences Questionnaire, respectively. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), depressive and anxiety symptoms, and autistic social impairment were also assessed. AASD and their caregivers had poor to fair levels of agreement regarding the school bullying and cyberbullying victimization and perpetration experiences of AASD. Severe inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, ODD, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and autistic social impairment were associated with high levels of adolescent-caregiver agreement. When assessing the bullying involvement experiences of AASD, mental health professionals should obtain information from multiple sources. In addition, the factors influencing the levels of agreement should be considered.

Perceiving Oneself to Be Integrated into the Peer Group: A Protective Factor against Victimization in Children with Learning Disabilities

Bullying is still a widespread social problem that needs serious attention. To date, research on this topic has shown that understanding the phenomenon requires a psychosocial perspective. The primary goal of the study is to identify the factors that contribute to the victimization of students with learning disabilities. The hypothesis is that the victimization experiences of this group of students can be explained by some socio-relational dynamics. Using a mediation model, this study demonstrates that perceived social integration completely mediates the association between the presence of learning disabilities and victimization experiences. This implies that students with learning disabilities are primarily victimized when they are not socially integrated into their class group. The implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Influence of academic stress and school bullying on self-harm behaviors among Chinese middle school students: The mediation effect of depression and anxiety

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between academic stress, school bullying and self-harm behaviors among Chinese middle school students and to further explore the impact of anxiety and depression on this relationship.

Methods

The students (aged 12-16 years) in a middle school in Changsha city were invited to respond to a questionnaire through an online platform. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used to assess the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively. The experience of being bullied, academic stress, and self-harm behaviors were assessed using several questions on the basis of previous studies.

Results

A total of 1,313 middle school students completed the study, and 3.40% and 4.10% of them reported suicide attempts (SAs) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.18-1.28; OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.19-1.31), depressive symptoms (OR = 1.20, 95% CI: 1.16-1.25; OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.20-1.31), school bullying (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.11-6.89; OR = 2.76, 95% CI: 1.39-5.47), and academic stress (OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.27-3.80; OR = 3.80, 95% CI: 1.20-7.25) were common factors of NSSI and SAs. In addition, depressive symptoms showed a mediating effect on the association of school bullying and academic stress with SAs or NSSI, and anxiety symptoms showed a mediating effect on the association of school bullying and academic stress with NSSI only.

Conclusion

Appropriate strategies are needed to reduce academic pressure and prevent school bullying. Meanwhile, negative emotions such as depression and anxiety should be evaluated and intervened in to prevent self-harm behaviors among middle school students.

Involvement in bullying and sleep disorders in Chinese early adolescents

Background

School bullying may cause sleep disorders in early adolescents. Here, we determined the relationship between school bullying (considering all the features of bullying involvement) and sleep disorders, which are the common problems in Chinese early adolescents.

Materials and methods

We conducted a questionnaire survey among 5,724 middle school students from Xuancheng, Hefei, and Huaibei cities in Anhui province, China. The self-report questionnaires included the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We used latent class analysis to identify the potential subgroups of bullying behavior. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between school bullying and sleep disorders.

Results

Active participants in bullying interactions, including the bullies and victims, reported higher levels of sleep disorders compared with the non-active participants [Bully: physical (aOR = 2.62), verbal (aOR = 1.73), relational (aOR = 1.80), and cyber (aOR = 2.08); Victim: physical (aOR = 2.42), verbal (aOR = 2.59), relational (aOR = 2.61), and cyber (aOR = 2.81)]. A dose-response relationship was observed between the number of school bullying types and sleep disorders. In the context of bullying roles, bully-victims had the highest risk of reporting sleep disorders (aOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 2.55-3.69). We identified four potential categories of school bullying behaviors: low involvement in bullying, verbal and relational victims, medium bully-victims, and high bully-victims, and the highest frequency of sleep disorders was observed in the high bully-victims group (aOR = 4.12, 95% CI: 2.94-5.76).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a positive correlation between bullying roles and sleep disorders in early adolescents. Therefore, targeted intervention for sleep disorders should include an evaluation of bullying experiences.

Association between Child Abuse, Depression, and School Bullying among Chinese Secondary School Students

INTRODUCTION

School bullying is a serious social and public health problem. This article aims to explore the association between experiences of childhood abuse and involvement in school bullying, especially considering the mediating effects of depression.

METHODS

The sample of this study was 3059 students (1584 males and 1475 females) aged from 12 to 20, in eleven Chinese secondary schools, which included six middle schools, four high schools, and one vocational high school in both urban and rural areas. The multinomial logit regression and linear regression were conducted by the two gender groups, to determine the mediating effect of depression in the association between child abuse experiences and involvement in school bullying.

RESULTS

This study indicated that female students were less likely to be involved in school bullying. Male students were more represented in the bully-victim group and experienced more physical and mental abuse during childhood. Depression was a mediator between childhood abuse and involvement in school bullying. Nevertheless, there was a gender difference in that depression fully mediated the relationship between the two variables among female students, while it only partially meditated such a relationship for male students.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that more school-based service interventions and evidence-based research are needed to more thoroughly investigate school bullying and its predictors in China.

School bullying among migrant children in China: A cross-sectional study

Background

Bullying is a serious public health concern affecting the physical and mental health of children. Migrant children are at higher risk of developing health problems. We conducted this study to investigate the prevalence of school bullying and its possible influencing factors of migrant children.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in Hunan Province, China from April to July 2018. Multi-stage cluster sampling was adopted to achieve a representative sample covering both urban and rural areas. Migrant children are defined as those who migrate with one or both parents to other places and who do not have a hukou in their city of residence. The Chinese version of Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was applied to measure children's involvement in school bullying.

Results

A total of 7,607 students were surveyed, including 995 migrant children and 6,612 non-migrant children. The prevalence of school bullying was significantly higher in migrant children than in non-migrant children (χ ² = 22.740; p < 0.001). Binary regression analysis showed that male, middle school identity, more times of playing violent games, more social friends owning and being beaten by parents or caregivers may increase the risk of involvement of school bullying in migrant children.

Conclusion

Migrant children showed a higher prevalence of school bullying than non-migrant children. Gender, grade, frequency of playing violent games, number of social friends and being beaten by parents or caregivers were associated with school bullying in migrant children.

Influence of family cohesion on Chinese adolescents' engagement in school bullying: A moderated mediation model

In this study, a total number of 1,026 Chinese adolescents were surveyed using the cohesion sub-scale of the Family Environment Scale, the Self-control Scale, the Parental Monitoring Questionnaire, and the revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire to explore the effects of family cohesion on adolescents' engagement in school bullying and the mechanisms of self-control and parental monitoring in the relationship between them. The results showed that: (1) family cohesion, self-control, and parental monitoring were significantly and negatively related to school bullying; (2) family cohesion directly influenced school bullying and also indirectly influenced school bullying through a mediating effect - self-control; (3) parental monitoring played a moderating role in the path of self-control affecting school bullying. Therefore, to reduce the occurrence of school bullying, it is necessary to strengthen the self-control ability of adolescents and improve the family cohesion environment and maintain a moderate level of parental monitoring. The results of this study revealed the effect of family cohesion on adolescents' engagement in school bullying and its mechanism of action, which can provide a theoretical basis for preventing and reducing the occurrence of school bullying incidents.

The Associations between Sibling Victimization, Sibling Bullying, Parental Acceptance-Rejection, and School Bullying

Bullying has been identified as the most common form of aggression experienced by school-age youth. However, it is still unclear about the family's influence on school bullying. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the associations between sibling bullying and school bullying, sibling victimization and school victimization, and parental acceptance-rejection and school bullying victimization. The study was cross-sectional and conducted on a sample of students aged between 11 and 20 years recruited from middle schools in Algeria. The study used a survey adopted from the scale of Sibling Bullying, Student Survey of Bullying Behavior-Revised 2, and the Survey of parental acceptance-rejection in collecting the data. The model's results assessing the association between sibling bullying and school bullying demonstrated that the effect of sibling physical and sibling verbal victims on school victimization was statistically significant. Despite the non-significant effect of sibling emotional victims on school victimization, the effect of sibling physical and sibling verbal bullying on school bullying was statistically significant. However, the effect of sibling emotional bullying on school bullying was not statistically significant. The direct effect of parental acceptance on school victimization was not statistically significant, whereas the effect of parental rejection on school victimization was statistically significant. The direct effect of parental acceptance on school bullying was not statistically significant, while the effect of parental rejection on school bullying was statistically significant. Based on the results, this study provides insights into the understanding of how the family and siblings contribute to school bullying. In particular, sibling victimization, sibling bullying, and parental acceptance-rejection are predictive factors of school bullying among adolescents. Future research should take into account factors based on family to explore the risks of school bullying.

Psychological Resilience May Be Related to Students' Responses to Victims of School Bullying: A Cross-Sectional Study of Chinese Grade 3-5 Primary School Students

BACKGROUND

School bullying is a major public health problem with a large impact on children's health. There is an increasing number of cases of school bullying reported in China. Studies have shown that the health consequences of different ways of responding to school bullying may be quite different and that psychological resilience is also closely related to aggressive behaviors. However, there has been little research on whether individuals with different psychological resilience levels respond differently.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between responses to school bullying and psychological resilience, which may provide new ideas and strategies to better prevent and intervene in school bullying.

METHODS

A random sample of 5425 primary school students aged 7-14 years were recruited in Luzhou, China. All students completed a questionnaire anonymously. The statistical significance of differences between groups was tested using the χ² test or t test. Binary logistic regression was conducted to explore the relationship between responses and psychological resilience.

RESULTS

Over two-thirds of primary school students in this study reported experiencing bullying in the past year. The rate of positive responses among victims was 69.10% (2596/3757, 95% CI: 67.62~70.58%). There was a positive relationship between psychological resilience and positive responses. This relationship was observed for all victims (OR = 1.605, 95% CI: 1.254~2.055), especially male victims (OR = 2.300, 95% CI: 1.624~3.259).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a positive relationship between primary school bullying responses and psychological resilience among victims, with differences by sex. Therefore, increasing students' level of psychological resilience, possibly by improving their responses, is important for preventing school bullying. Meanwhile, effective interventions for school bullying should be developed from multiple perspectives, particularly sex, bullying roles, and psychological resilience.

Effects of Overt and Relational Bullying on Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being: The Mediating Mechanisms of Social Capital and Psychological Capital

Based on the social and psychological capital framework, this study aimed to investigate the direct effect of bullying on adolescents' subjective well-being and to reveal the potential psychosocial mechanisms in this relationship. Through the multi-stage cluster random sampling procedure, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 728 adolescents from Hebei Province in China. Structural equation modeling was adopted for data analysis. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, the results indicated that only relational bullying had a significant negative effect on adolescents' subjective well-being. Moreover, social capital and psychological capital mediated the relationship between relational bullying and adolescents' subjective well-being. This study expands our understanding of the influencing mechanisms from bullying victimization to subjective well-being and also provides practical implications for future social policy development and relevant interventions.

Cyberbullying Characteristics and Prevention-What Can We Learn from Narratives Provided by Adolescents and Their Teachers?

The purpose of this article is to present the results of the study on the specific aspects of cyberbullying and prevention measures viewed from both the students' and teachers' perspectives. Cyberbullying is a severe threat to the individual and social well-being of young people. For this reason, it is important to understand how they perceive the phenomenon of cyberbullying, how they identify its causes, what they think about support, and the preventive measures offered through the lens of their own cyberbullying experiences. The study was conducted in a qualitative research paradigm. Students (N = 55) aged 13-16 from 25 junior high schools located in different regions of (blinded for the review) who had experienced cyberbullying incidents as victims, perpetrators, or bystanders, and their teachers (N = 45) were interviewed. They provided in-depth answers regarding cyberbullying incidents they had experienced and presented their attitudes and interpretations concerning those cases. The raw data were analysed by competent judges who defined a posteriori important categories that were useful for understanding the psychosocial mechanisms of cyberbullying and important dimensions of its prevention. The results proved a clear connection between participation in offline and online peer violence. The analysis of the statements showed that public/private types of cyberbullying involve different psychological and social mechanisms. Our findings confirm the importance of empathy as the buffering factor in cyberbullying perpetration. In addition, the limitations and inadequacy of the support and interventions offered by adults in cyberbullying cases have been emphasised in teens' testimonies. The results may constitute grounds for formulating recommendations on the prevention of cyberbullying in the school context, taking into account the perspective of all actors involved.

Low Self-control and School Bullying: Testing the GTC in Nigerian Sample of Middle School Students

Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime's (GTC) claim to explain crime, at all times, and in all places, has received considerable empirical support using Western, Scandinavian, and Asian samples. However, the theory is yet to be tested using a Nigerian sample. Using cross-sectional data from a sample of 1,192 junior secondary school (middle school) students in Nigeria, this study examines the explanatory power of Gottfredson and Hirschi's GTC in predicting bullying perpetration and victimization in that context and culture. Binomial logistic regression was used to test the hypothesis that the bullying perpetration and victimization experiences of these students would be negatively related to self-control. Study provides support for the cross-cultural potency of the GTC as low self-control predicted the bullying and victimization experiences of these students regardless of gender. Students' perception of a negative school environment was also a significant predictor of bullying. This is the first test of the GTC with a Nigerian sample and hopefully, will be a springboard for effective bullying prevention policy/programs in Nigerian schools. The public policy implications of the findings are discussed.

Risk Factors Associated With School Bullying Behaviors: A Chinese Adolescents Case-Control Study, 2019

This research aimed to identify risk factors including individual characteristics and environment circumstances related to different types of school bullying (physical, relational, verbal, sexual, and possession bullying) among middle school students in China. Cases were the respondents reporting perpetrating bullying behaviors three or more times in the past year. One control was selected for each case from those participants who were not involved in school bullying in the past 12 months. Data were collected between April 2019 and May 2019 in China. After considering potential confounding variables including gender, grade level, and school, multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was performed based on the univariate logistic analysis including 1,594 adolescents. According to conditional logistic regression analysis, alcohol use and lack of emotional management and control were the significant individual characteristics positively associated with involvement in school bullying. Alcohol use was related to all five types of school bullying perpetration. Poor relationships between family members, father's alcohol use, and parental neglect were strong risk factors for relational bullying. Lack of a sense of safety and absence of trusted people were associated with physical, relational, and verbal bullying perpetration. Results of this study provide evidence about risk factors for school bullying and have implications for potential policies to reduce bullying. Effective policies and programs need to take individual characteristics (social-emotional skills, anger control), family (parent training in conflict resolution, appropriate disciplining), peer and school factors (promoting prosocial networks, zero tolerance for bullying, appropriate disciplining policies against students who bully others, teacher training on building positive teacher-student relationships and positive discipling techniques) into consideration in order to develop effective prevention programs.

Moderating Effects of Friendship and Family Support on the Association Between Bullying Victimization and Perpetration in Adolescents

School bullying can cause severe mental health problems for both victims and perpetrators. However, the association between bullying victimization and perpetration has rarely been discussed, and no study has investigated the effects of social support, such as friendship and family support, in moderating this association. Therefore, the authors examined the moderating effects of friendship and family support on the association between bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescents. Data were obtained from the 2009 Project for the Health of Adolescents. Through multistage stratified cluster sampling, 13 junior and 10 senior high schools in southern Taiwan were selected, resulting in a representative sample of 6,445 students from grades 7 to 12. School bullying and family support were examined using the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire and the Family adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve instrument, respectively. Friendship support was measured using the subscale of the Taiwanese Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents and adolescents' number of friends, time spent with friends, and friend distributions. Linear regression modeling and the Johnson-Neyman technique were used to examine the moderating effects of friendship and family support on the association between bullying victimization and perpetration. For active bullying, having fun and talkative friends and friends outside school negatively moderated the intensity of the association between bullying victimization and perpetration (regression coefficients: -0.02 to -0.05), whereas, for passive bullying, only friends outside school negatively moderated the intensity of the association (regression coefficient: -0.05). By contrast, some components of friendship support positively moderated the associations. These findings suggest that higher friendship quality and having more friends outside of school attenuate the association between bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescents, thus increasing the understanding of the moderating role that social support play in such associations.

The association between violent video game exposure and sub-types of school bullying in Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

School bullying among adolescents has been a worldwide public health issue. It has been observed that adolescents who are exposed to violent video games (VVGs) are often more aggressive. However, research on the association between violent video game exposure (VVGE) and different types of school bullying is limited in the Chinese context.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore whether VVGE is linked to school bullying behaviors among Chinese adolescents and to examine the relationship between different levels of violent game exposure and four sub-types (physical, verbal, relational, and cyber) of school bullying involvement.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 1,992 Chinese students (55.02% boys and 44.98% girls) with the average age of 15.84 ± 1.62 years. Sub-types of school bullying victimization and perpetration, Internet addiction, and VVGE were measured by using a self-administrated questionnaire. The association was examined by multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

Physical, verbal, relational, and cyber school bullying victimization were reported by 18.12, 60.34, 11.75, and 12.05% of the adolescents, and physical, verbal, relational, and cyber school bullying perpetration were reported by 16.62, 54.62, 21.49, and 8.23% of them. Of the students, 1,398 (70.18%) were normal Internet users, 514 (25.80%) showed moderate Internet addictive behaviors, and 31 (1.56%) of the students showed severe Internet addictive behaviors. The prevalence of no VVGE, low-level VVGE, medium-level VVGE, and high-level of VVGE were 27.70, 24.10, 24.20, and 24.00%, respectively. The risk of physical victimization and physical perpetration significantly increased with the increasing degree of violent video game exposure (P for trend < 0.001), with the highest adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 2.251 (95% CI 1.501-3.375) and 2.554 (95% CI 1.685-3.870), when comparing high-level VVGE with no VVGE.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the specific association between different sub-types of school bullying involvement and violent video game exposure. Physical school bullying prevention and intervention programs should be conducted after adolescents are exposed to violent video games.

School Bullying-The Silent Epidemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Factors Associated With Peer Victimization Among Lebanese Adolescents

The objective of this study was to evaluate bullying at school and identify the factors associated with it among a sample of Lebanese school adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out between April 2014 and June 2014, using a convenient sampling of Lebanese students in private schools from Beirut and Mount Lebanon. The results showed that 712 (18.1%) adolescents had been bullied in the past 2 months (95% CI [0.169, 0.192]). A backward logistic regression, taking "being bullied in the last 2 months" as a dependent variable, showed significantly lower odds of being bullied in the last 2 months in those who find it easy (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 0.434) and very easy (aOR = 0.391) to talk to their father, and having some close male or female friends compared with none. Furthermore, significantly higher odds of being bullied were found among males compared with females (aOR = 0.664), having a best friend who smokes sometimes compared with never (aOR = 1.389), and a father who drinks everyday compared with never (aOR = 1.621). This study was able to shed light on a problem that sometimes goes silent in schools and has a negative impact on the mental health of teenagers. Indeed, the results of our study showed that peer victimization was closely linked to clinically relevant mental health issues. In addition, factors such as parental and peer support could protect against the negative effects of bullying.

Pathways linking school bullying and psychotic experiences: Multiple mediation analysis in Chinese adolescents and young adults

It is found that people with psychotic experiences have a 4-fold increased risk of developing a psychotic disorder later in life. Indeed, accumulating evidence has suggested that the association between school bullying and psychotic experiences works linearly. Previous studies are mainly carried out in a Western context, and only seldomly do studies address whether the association exists in the Chinese population and the related psychological and cognitive mechanisms. Therefore, we carried out the current study to address this gap in the literature focusing on the lifelong school bullying experiences of Chinese adolescents and young adults. We examined them in relation to psychotic experiences while assessing the mediating role of self-esteem, the personality trait of neuroticism, and a cognitive bias in thinking called interpretation bias. We found that multiple victimizations were quite common in Hong Kong secondary schools. In addition to a significant association between school bullying and psychotic experiences, we found partial mediating effects of proposed psychological and cognitive mediators in constructed multiple mediation models utilizing bootstrapping approach. Specifically, bullying quantity reflecting the number of victimizations, had its association with psychotic experiences partially mediated by the personality trait of neuroticism. In contrast, bullying duration reflecting the lasting of victimization was associated with psychotic experiences partially mediated by the personality trait of neuroticism and interpretation bias. Our findings enhance our knowledge of mechanisms underpinning the psychosis spectrum development and have implications for school-based intervention programs targeting bullying victims.

Teachers' Perspectives on Cyberbullying: A Cross-Cultural Study

The aim of this work is to analyze the perceptions of Colombian, Spanish, and Ecuadorian teachers regarding cyberbullying from a cross-cultural perspective. A descriptive and analytical method was used with a quantitative approach and 240 teachers answered an ad hoc questionnaire. Most teachers in the three countries say that they do not know how to deal with this type of bullying and have not received training in this respect, with the percentages in the three countries being very similar. Spanish teachers have the highest percentage of lack of concern about cyberbullying and Colombian teachers are the ones who admit to having had the most cases of cyberbullying. In terms of reaction, the majority acted, but among those who did not, Ecuadorian teachers did not due to lack of knowledge. Forced by the pandemic to teach their classes online, teachers are increasingly concerned about cyberbullying. For the three countries, it is considered necessary to take measures in terms of legislating specific protocols to deal with cyberbullying at school and that the training plans for the degrees that give access to this profession include the competencies that allow teachers to develop appropriate strategies to respond to cyberbullying.

Exposure to Bullying Behaviors at Work and Depressive Tendencies: The Moderating Role of Victimization From Bullying During Adolescence

The detrimental effects of exposure to bullying behaviors at work on employees' mental health have been thoroughly documented. However, few studies have examined whether employees' prior experiences with bullying may affect the strength of this relationship. The present study tested a model where victimization from bullying in adolescence was expected to (a) predict higher exposure to bullying behaviors at work and higher levels of depressive tendencies in adulthood and (b) strengthen the relationship between exposure to bullying behaviors at work and depressive tendencies (i.e., make employees more vulnerable). The hypotheses were tested using prospective data following a cohort of 536 Norwegian respondents over a time span of 17 years, from adolescence (age of 13) to adulthood (age of 30). Victimization from bullying in junior high school was measured at the age of 13, 14, and 15, and retrospectively at the age of 18. Exposure to bullying behaviors at work was measured at the age of 30, while depressive tendencies were measured at the age of 15 and at the age of 30. As predicted, those who had been bullied more (vs. less) in adolescence tended to have higher scores on depressive tendencies as adults and reported somewhat higher exposure to bullying behaviors at work. However, contrary to our predictions, the relationship between exposure to bullying behaviors at work and depressive tendencies in adulthood was weaker among those who had been bullied more (vs. less) in adolescence. The findings contribute to the scarce literature on the role of employees' prior victimization experiences and question the notion that prior victimization from bullying produces long-term vulnerability to future experiences of bullying.

Frenemy: A New Addition to the Bullying Circle

Greater knowledge on the social complexities of bullying is crucial to reduce actual bullying behavior. Two main approaches have been used to study bullying: the participant role approach and the bullying circle. In this study, we explored bullying through interviewing adults who had been victims of school bullying in the past, investigating how they perceived their experiences, and how they interpreted the bullying context and their surrounding peer relations. We interviewed 20 participants (more than 18 years old), all of whom had experience of being bullied for more than 1 year. The interview data were then analyzed with a thematic analysis. We found that participants had a different definition of bullying compared with the standard definition formulated by researchers. They also confirmed the fluidity of participants' roles and the changes in behavioral patterns toward victims, depending on the peer context. Most importantly, we revealed a new participant in the bullying circle: the frenemy, whose intervention style changes from pro-victim when alone with the victim to neutral or pro-aggressor when surrounded by members of the bullying circle. This new addition adds to our understanding of the bullying process and the relationships within the bullying circle, which may help with more effective prevention.

Comparison of Cyberbullying before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea

Because of the implementation of social distancing measures following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face interaction has plummeted, which has resulted in the prolific use of social networking services (SNS) and increased activity in the cyberspace environment. This is especially true for teenagers and young adults with the shift to online classes in the education sector, which has increased the chances of being exposed to cyberbullying. This study attempts to determine a strategy for counteracting cyberbullying in the post-COVID-19 era by identifying the factors that have contributed toward greater aggression by adolescents in South Korea in 2020 when the spread of COVID-19 was at its height. To achieve this, we employed the Cyberbullying Circumstance Analysis dataset from the Korea Communications Commission for the time frame of between 2019 and 2020, with 4779 and 4958 participants, respectively. The causes and effects that led to cyberbullying were investigated using binary logistic regression analysis. By reviewing the research data targeted towards Korean adolescents, our analysis found that the average age of those who engage in cyberbullying decreased in 2020 compared to 2019. In addition, cyberbullying awareness at school and the school's capability of controlling it influenced the number of cyberbullies from a statistical grounding, which could be found only in the 2020 dataset. An approach to establishing policies in schools to contain preemptive measures and increase cyberbullying awareness has been proposed to prevent such mishaps in the post-COVID-19 era.

Individual Moral Disengagement and Bullying Among Swedish Fifth Graders: The Role of Collective Moral Disengagement and Pro-Bullying Behavior Within Classrooms

School bullying is a complex social and relational phenomenon with severe consequences for those involved. Most children view bullying as wrong and recognize its harmful consequences; nevertheless, it continues to be a persistent problem within schools. Previous research has shown that children's engagement in bullying perpetration can be influenced by multiple factors (e.g., different forms of cognitive distortions) and at different ecological levels (e.g., child, peer-group, school, and society). However, the complexity of school bullying warrants further investigation of the interplay between factors, at different levels. Grounded in social cognitive theory, which focuses on both cognitive factors and social processes, this study examined whether children's bullying perpetration was associated with moral disengagement at the child level and with collective moral disengagement and prevalence of pro-bullying behavior at the classroom level. Cross-level interactions were also tested to examine the effects of classroom-level variables on the association between children's tendency to morally disengage and bullying perpetration. The study's analyses were based on cross-sectional self-report questionnaire data from 1,577 Swedish fifth-grade children from 105 classrooms (53.5% girls; M_age = 11.3, SD = 0.3). Multilevel modeling techniques were used to analyze the data. The results showed that bullying perpetration was positively associated with moral disengagement at the child level and with collective moral disengagement and pro-bullying behavior at the classroom level. Furthermore, the effect of individual moral disengagement on bullying was stronger for children in classrooms with higher levels of pro-bullying behaviors. These findings further support the argument that both moral processes and behaviors within classrooms, such as collective moral disengagement and pro-bullying behavior, need to be addressed in schools' preventive work against bullying.

The Influence of Personality Traits on School Bullying: A Moderated Mediation Model

We recruited 1,631 middle and high school students to explore the relationship between personality traits and school bullying, and the moderated and mediating roles of self-concept and loneliness on this relationship. Results showed that (1) neuroticism had a significant positive predictive effect on being bullied, extroversion had a significant negative predictive effect on being bullied, and agreeableness had a significant negative predictive effect on bullying/being bullied; (2) loneliness played a mediating role between neuroticism and bullied behaviors, extroversion and bullying behaviors, and agreeableness and bullying/bullied behaviors; (3) self-concept played a moderating role on the mediation pathway of loneliness on neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and bullying behaviors. Therefore, to reduce the frequency of school bullying among adolescents, we should not only reduce their levels of loneliness but also improve their levels of self-concept.

Association of bullying behaviour with smoking, alcohol use and drug use among school students in Erbil City, Iraq

Background

Substance use and bullying are prevalent among adolescents and have a wide range of adverse outcomes. The association of bullying with substance use has not been examined in Kurdistan and Iraq, which have suffered from the effects of long-term conflict and economic hardship.

Aims

To examine the association between each form of bullying among adolescents and substance use.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of public schools in Erbil City, Iraq in 2017. The study involved 1070 adolescents selected from 35 schools using a multistage cluster sampling method. A self-reported close-ended questionnaire was used for data collection. Male and female students attending grades 7-12 and aged 13-18 years were included.

Results

The overall prevalence of bullying behaviour was 60.0%; 30.8% were victims, 26.2% were bully-victims, and 3.0% were bullies. There was a significant association between different forms and categories of bullying and substance use. The strongest association was with the students involved in sexual bullying, followed by racial and cyber bullying. The strongest association between bullying and substance use was found in the bully-victim category, followed by victims and bullies.

Conclusions

Substance use and bullying behaviour seem to be widespread problems among adolescents in Erbil schools. Substance use is significantly associated with different categories of bullying behaviour. There is a need for effective school-based preventive interventions to tackle these problems. Future research needs to examine the likely direction of the association between bullying and substance use.

Direct Bullying and Cyberbullying: Experimental Study of Bystanders' Motivation to Defend Victims and the Role of Anxiety and Identification With the Bully

School bullying among young adolescents is a globally pervasive problem, but is less common when bystanders are motivated to defend victims. Thus, the focus of this experimental study is on motivation to defend victims of bullying.

Methods: A total of 388 students (M_age = 12.22 years, 49.7% girls) from two Turkish public schools (5th–8th grade) participated in a vignette experiment. Students were randomized to one of two vignettes (direct vs. cyberbullying). Self-report measures of motivation to defend, trait anxiety, depression, and identification with the victim or bully were used.

Results: Participants reported more autonomous motivation in the cyberbullying condition, while those who witnessed direct bullying reported higher anxiety and depression.

Results also revealed that this type of condition was associated with anxiety and depression, while anxiety was associated with autonomous motivation to defend. Finally, participants in the direct bullying condition were more likely to identify with the bully.

Conclusion: Findings advance our understanding of when and why adolescents are motivated to help victims of bullying because they give a richer picture of what they assess when deciding whether or not they should intervene.

The Importance of Pedagogical and Social School Climate to Bullying: A Cross-Sectional Multilevel Study of 94 Swedish Schools

BACKGROUND

Bullying is a public health issue with long-term effects for victims. This study investigated if there was an association between pedagogical and social school climate and student-reported bullying victimization, which dimensions of pedagogical and social school climate were associated with bullying, and if these associations were modified by individual-level social factors.

METHODS

The study had a cross-sectional multilevel design with individual-level data on bullying from 3311 students nested in 94 schools over 3 consecutive school years. School climate was measured with student and teacher questionnaires, aggregated at the school level. The association between school climate and bullying victimization was estimated with multilevel mixed-model logistic regression.

RESULTS

In schools with the most favorable school climate, fewer students reported being bullied. This was especially evident when school climate was measured with the student instrument. Students in schools with favorable climate had an adjusted odds ratio of bullying of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55-1.00) compared to students in schools with the worst climate. Results from the teacher instrument were in the same direction, but less consistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Improvement in school climate has the potential to affect students both academically, and socially, as well as decrease the prevalence of bullying.

Emotional Intelligence as a Protective Factor against Victimization in School Bullying

Previous research has identified the main predictors of being a victim of school bullying. This study focused on the phenomenon of school bullying and its relationship with self-perceived emotional intelligence. The main aim was to analyze the mediating effect of emotional attention, clarity, and repair in relation to school victimization. The sample was made up of 822 primary school pupils from 10 public schools. Data were collected through self-reports, exploring the profile of victims of school bullying, and the dimensions of self-perceived emotional intelligence (PEI). A multivariate analysis and multinomial regression showed a relationship between the two variables; the probability of being a victim of school bullying was 5.14 times higher among pupils with low clarity, 2.72 times higher among pupils with low repair, and 2.62 times higher among pupils with excessive attention. The results demonstrated that the better their emotional regulation and understanding, the less likely pupils are to be victims of school bullying. This confirmed that adequate emotional attention and excellent emotional clarity and repair are protective factors against victimization.

Weight Status and School Bullying Experiences in Urban China: The Difference Between Boys and Girls

This article examined the associations between weight status (body mass index [BMI] and perceived weight measures) and school bullying experiences (being bullied and bullying others) of children and adolescents in urban China. A national representative sample (n = 3,675) of all types of pre-college schools from seven Chinese cities was employed for the analysis. Students from all grades in high school, vocational school, middle school, and primary grades 4 to 6 were surveyed. Height, weight, perceived weight status, and experiences of being bullied and bullying others were obtained. The results demonstrated that the objective weight status (BMI) was neither associated with being bullied overall by others nor associated with bullying others, but the subjective/perceived weight status was significantly related to being bullied. Regarding the specific forms of being bullied, underweight (measured by BMI) students were less likely to be cyberbullied, whereas obese (measured by BMI) students were more likely to be cyberbullied. Students who perceived themselves as slightly fat and too fat were more likely to be verbally bullied. Overweight and obese students were more likely to bully others physically and relationally, and the students who perceived themselves as too thin were positively associated with physically bullying others. Moreover, BMI had a role in the involvement in school bullying for boys, whereas perceived weight status had a role in school bullying involvement in girls. These results indicate that school bullying prevention and intervention should consider weight status, as well as gender differences.

Research on the Relationships between Psychological Problems and School Bullying and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Rural Primary and Middle School Students in Developing Areas of China

(1) Purpose: To analyze the role of psychological problems in connection with school bullying and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among rural primary and middle school students in developing areas of China. (2) Methods: A multi-stage, stratified, cluster random sampling method was used to select 2284 rural primary and middle school students in Jiangxi Province for study. Questionnaires regarding the health risk behaviors of children in developing areas were left behind at primary and middle schools, and they were later collected and analyzed by using the mental health diagnostic monitoring scale for Chinese primary and middle school students. Pearson correlation, logistic regression, and bootstrap tests were conducted to analyze the association between psychological problems, school bullying, and NSSI. (3) Results: The incidence of NSSI in rural primary and middle school students in Jiangxi Province was 14.84%. Compared with other children with behavioral problems, those who had experienced school bullying and had mild/severe psychological problems were more likely to have engaged in NSSI behaviors (p < 0.001). Psychological problems have a mediating effect between school bullying and NSSI, which accounted for 12.96% of the total effect. (4) Conclusion: Psychological problems are likely an effect modifier in the connection between school bullying and NSSI behaviors. Therefore, effectively targeting psychological problems in rural primary and middle school students in Jiangxi Province may help prevent and control NSSI behaviors in students who have experienced school bullying.

Correlations between Quality of Life, School Bullying, and Suicide in Adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Although adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher risk of suicidality and more problems related to school bullying, and quality of life (QoL) is reportedly associated with school bullying, suicide, and ADHD, no study has examined their correlation. This study examined the complex relationships between QoL, school bullying, suicide, and ADHD symptoms. A total of 203 adolescents with ADHD aged between 12 and 18 years were recruited. School bullying and QoL were examined using the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire and the Taiwanese Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents. Network model analysis was conducted to graphically present their relationships. We identified triangular correlations between school bullying, QoL, and suicidality, indicating possible pathways from school bullying to suicidality, and the originating or mediating roles of personal competence and psychological well-being. Furthermore, the ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity may differentially regulate these pathways. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Promising Results from the Use of a Korean Drama to Address Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors on School Bullying and Mental Health among Asian American College-Aged Students

The limited research on bullying, mental health (MH), and help-seeking for Asian American (ASA) college students is concerning due to the public health importance. Korean drama (K-Drama) television shows may be an innovative approach to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) on bullying. This study examined whether the KAB about school bullying improved after watching a K-Drama and asked participants about their perspectives of using a K-Drama as an intervention. A convenience sample of college students (n = 118) watched a K-Drama portraying school bullying and MH issues. Pre-/post-tests on KAB on bullying were conducted. Interviews (n = 16) were used to understand their experiences with K-Dramas. The mean age was 22.1 years (1.6 SD), 83.9% were female, and 77.1% were ASAs. Many reported experiences with anxiety (67.8%), depression (38.1%), and school bullying victim experience (40.8%). Post-test scores revealed significant differences in knowledge by most school bullying variables (e.g., victim; witness) and MH issues. There were varying significant findings in post-test scores in attitudes and behaviors by these variables. Participants reported that they "love" the drama, felt an emotional connection, and thought that K-Dramas can be an educational tool for ASAs. K-Dramas may be an effective population-level tool to improve health outcomes among ASAs.

The Direct Relationship between Bullying Rates and Extracurricular Activities among Adolescents and Teenagers with Disabilities

Past studies have indicated students who have disabilities are at a higher risk of experiencing bullying victimization in comparison to other student groups. Extracurricular activity participation has shown to establish better social outcomes for students. These positive social outcomes indirectly decrease the amount of times a student is bullied. The following study uses the National Crime Victimization Survey - School Crime Supplement (NCVS/SCS) to analyze the bullying occurrence rates experienced among students, with disabilities being a focal variable. To explore the relationship between extracurricular involvement and bullying occurrence rates, this study employs a binary logistic regression to determine if athletic and non-athletic extracurricular activities have an impact on the number of times a student with disabilities experiences bullying. Implications for future social welfare practice and research are discussed.

Role of School Bullying Involvement in Depression, Anxiety, Suicidality, and Low Self-Esteem Among Adolescents With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study aimed to compare the severities of psychopathologies and the level of self-esteem among 219 adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who were classified into pure perpetrators, pure victims, perpetrator-victims, and neutrals in Taiwan. The experiences of school bullying involvement in the previous 1 year were measured using the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire. The severities of depression, anxiety, and suicidality were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, and the 5-item questionnaire from the epidemiological version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, respectively. The level of self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The results indicated that compared with the self-reported neutrals, the self-reported perpetrator-victims and pure victims had more severe depression and anxiety. No difference in depression, suicidality, anxiety, and self-esteem was found among the four groups of various parent-reported bullying involvement experiences. Mental health problems in adolescents with ASD who experienced bullying victimization should be routinely surveyed.

Peer victimization, depression, and sexual risk behaviors among high school youth in the United States: a gender-based approach

Background and objectives Little research has examined how different types of peer victimization (i.e. school bullying, cyber-bullying, and physical and sexual dating violence) predict sexual risk behaviors and how depression may mediate the relationship of such behaviors with types of peer victimization. Few works have investigated gender differences in these direct and indirect associations as well. This study, therefore, examined gender differences in the direct and indirect associations among four types of peer victimization, depression, and sexual risk behaviors in United States (US) high school students. Materials and methods Data were drawn from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior System Survey, collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A multigroup path analysis was conducted using a national sample of high school students who reported having ever engaged in sexual intercourse (n = 5,288). Results All the peer victimization variables positively predicted depressive symptoms for both females and males. The direct effects of physical and sexual dating violence were associated with increased sexual risk behaviors for females and males. However, school-bullying victimization did not significantly predict sexual risk behaviors for either gender. Cyber-bullying victimization significantly predicted increased sexual risk behaviors for males only. Among indirect effects, depression positively mediated the relationship between cyber-bullying victimization and sexual risk behaviors for males only. Conclusions Our findings suggest that male adolescents who are victimized may actually be at higher risk of negative outcomes compared to their female adolescent peers. This study highlights the need to pay attention to male victims who may be ashamed to self-identify and difficult to detect in cyber-bullying.

Development and validation of the willingness to intervene in bullying scale

BACKGROUND

Most bullying incidents occur in the presence of bystanders, with few choosing to intervene. Therefore, the development of a valid instrument to measure individuals' willingness to intervene in bullying is warranted.

AIMS

This study aimed to develop as well as validate a self-reported willingness to intervene in bullying scale (WIBS) for secondary school students.

SAMPLES

Two junior high school students' samples (N = 553; N = 950) in Taiwan were collected for both scale revision and scale validation.

METHODS

This study examined whether 'perceived severity of bullying' and 'self-efficacy of intervention' were important attributes of the willingness to intervene in bullying. The partial credit model (PCM) and the model with internal restriction of item difficulty (MIRID) were utilized to fit the data.

RESULTS

The WIBS had good model-data fit with both the PCM and the MIRID, and it suggested (via the MIRID) that 'perceived severity of bullying' and 'self-efficacy of intervention' are important components of the willingness to intervene in bullying scenarios, although the latter component had greater weight than did the former. Moreover, the willingness to intervene was related to the pro-victim attitude and self-reported defending behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

Students' willingness to intervene in school bullying situations could be explained by their self-efficacy in stopping bullying and their perceived severity of bullying incidents. Therefore, educators and researchers should attempt to raise students' self-efficacy regarding intervention and their perceived severity of all kinds of bullying to promote their willingness to intervene in school bullying situations.

Reliability and validity of the Japan Ijime Scale and estimated prevalence of bullying among fourth through ninth graders: A large-scale school-based survey

AIM

The present study aimed at developing a novel scale, the Japan Ijime Scale (JaIS), to measure bullying in Japan with substantial reliability and validity, with which we estimated the prevalence of bullying among children and adolescents of school age.

METHODS

The JaIS is a self-report questionnaire and consists of three parts: subscales measuring victimization and witnessing, and an item measuring perpetration. To test the reliability and validity of the two subscales, the authors analyzed responses to the JaIS from 2334 school students (Grades 4-9) in six elementary and three junior high schools in a middle-sized industrial city in central Japan, using exploratory factor analysis, item response theory, and examination of the external validity of the items. The prevalence of bullying victimization, witnessing, and perpetration was estimated.

RESULTS

Item response theory models revealed that both the Victimization and Witness subscales have sufficient discrimination power and measurement precision, and the external validity of each scale has been confirmed. Using the JaIS, we found that 35.8% of students had been victims of bullying every 2-3 months (27.6% were solely victims and 8.3% were bully/victims), 32.8% had witnessed some type of bullying act, and 11.8% had perpetrated some type of bullying (3.5% as perpetrators, and 8.3% as bully/victims).

CONCLUSION

The JaIS is a reliable and valid measure. Using this scale, we found a high prevalence of bullying victimization in Japanese schools.

Examining Childhood Maltreatment and School Bullying Among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study From Anhui Province in China

Although a body of research has established the relationship between childhood maltreatment and bullying in Western culture backgrounds, few studies have examined the association between childhood maltreatment experiences and bullying in China. Moreover, to date, the relationship between multiple types of childhood maltreatment and cyber bullying is poorly understood. This study examined the association between multiple types of childhood maltreatment (physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect) and multiple forms of school bullying (physical, verbal, relational, and cyber). A cross-sectional study using three-stage random cluster-sampling approach was conducted in Tongling, Chuzhou, and Fuyang, in Anhui Province. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 5,726 middle school students to assess their school bullying involvement and childhood maltreatment experiences. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between each single type of childhood maltreatment and each single form of school bullying. Each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with increased risk for involvement in each form of bullying as bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Specifically, both childhood physical neglect and emotional neglect were associated with increased risk for involvement in each form of school bullying. Each type of childhood maltreatment was associated with involvement in cyber bullying. Students who experienced multiple types of childhood maltreatment seem to report more forms of school bullying. Furthermore, multiple forms of school bullying caused the co-occurrence of several forms of school bullying. Our results indicated a significant association between school bullying and childhood maltreatment among adolescents. Interventions to reduce school bullying encompassing prevention toward childhood maltreatment might get better results in China.