Cross-national consistency in the relationship between bullying behaviors and psychosocial adjustment.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the relationship between bullying and psychosocial adjustment is consistent across countries by standard measures and methods. DESIGN Cross-sectional self-report surveys were obtained from nationally representative samples of students in 25 countries. Involvement in bullying, as bully, victim, or both bully and victim, was assessed. SETTING Surveys were conducted at public and private schools throughout the participating countries. PARTICIPANTS Participants included all consenting students in sampled classrooms, for a total of 113 200 students at average ages of 11.5, 13.5, and 15.5 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Psychosocial adjustment dimensions assessed included health problems, emotional adjustment, school adjustment, relationships with classmates, alcohol use, and weapon carrying. RESULTS Involvement in bullying varied dramatically across countries, ranging from 9% to 54% of youth. However, across all countries, involvement in bullying was associated with poorer psychosocial adjustment (P<.05). In all or nearly all countries, bullies, victims, and bully-victims reported greater health problems and poorer emotional and social adjustment. Victims and bully-victims consistently reported poorer relationships with classmates, whereas bullies and bully-victims reported greater alcohol use and weapon carrying. CONCLUSIONS The association of bullying with poorer psychosocial adjustment is remarkably similar across countries. Bullying is a critical issue for the health of youth internationally.

[1]  D. Olweus,et al.  Bully/victim problems in school: Knowledge base and an effective intervention program , 1997 .

[2]  L Karstadt,et al.  Bullying involvement in primary school and common health problems , 2001, Archives of disease in childhood.

[3]  D. Olweus,et al.  Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire , 2003 .

[4]  Christina Salmivalli,et al.  Proactive and reactive aggression among school bullies, victims, and bully‐victims , 2002 .

[5]  M. Boulton,et al.  Bully/victim problems among middle school children. , 1992, The British journal of educational psychology.

[6]  P. Smith Bullying in schools: The UK experience and the Sheffield Anti-Bullying project , 1997 .

[7]  B. Simons-Morton,et al.  The Association of Bullying and Victimization with Middle School Adjustment , 2003 .

[8]  A. Rimpelä,et al.  Bullying at school--an indicator of adolescents at risk for mental disorders. , 2000, Journal of adolescence.

[9]  T. Ollendick,et al.  Peer Victimization, Global Self-Worth, and Anxiety in Middle School Children , 2002, Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology : the official journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53.

[10]  J B Carlin,et al.  Does bullying cause emotional problems? A prospective study of young teenagers , 2001, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[11]  G. Albrektsen,et al.  School-Related Stress Experience as a Risk Factor for Bullying Behavior , 2001 .

[12]  K. Rigby Attitudes and beliefs about bullying among Australian school children , 1997 .

[13]  R. Waugh,et al.  A Rasch measurement model analysis of the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory. , 1998, The British journal of educational psychology.

[14]  M. O'moore,et al.  Self‐esteem and its relationship to bullying behaviour , 2001 .

[15]  Peter K. Smith,et al.  A Survey of the Nature and Extent of Bullying in Junior/Middle and Secondary Schools. , 1993 .

[16]  P. Tymms,et al.  The relationship of homework to A‐level results , 1992 .

[17]  M. Borg,et al.  The extent and nature of bullying among primary and secondary schoolchildren , 1999 .

[18]  J. Hoover,et al.  Correlates of Bullying and Victimization among Intermediate Students in the Midwestern USA , 2000 .

[19]  Katrina Jane Williams,et al.  Association of common health symptoms with bullying in primary school children , 1996, BMJ.

[20]  Sarah N. Woods,et al.  Bullying and victimization of primary school children in England and Germany: prevalence and school factors. , 2001, British journal of psychology.

[21]  K Rigby,et al.  Peer victimisation at school and the health of secondary school students. , 1999, The British journal of educational psychology.

[22]  Bullying in UK schools: The DES Sheffield Bullying Project , 1991 .

[23]  V. Quinsey,et al.  Aggression and Violence Throughout the Life Span , 1992 .

[24]  K. Power,et al.  Bullying and victimisation in Scottish secondary schools: Same or separate entities? , 2002 .

[25]  C. Kirkham,et al.  Bullying behaviour in Irish schools: A nationwide study , 1997 .

[26]  D P Farrington,et al.  Brief report: types of bullying among Italian school children. , 1999, Journal of adolescence.

[27]  D. Olweus Bullying at School , 1994 .

[28]  D. Espelage,et al.  Factors Associated with Bullying Behavior in Middle School Students , 1999 .

[29]  A. Pellegrini,et al.  School bullies, victims, and aggressive victims: Factors relating to group affiliation and victimization in early adolescence. , 1999 .

[30]  B. Simons-Morton,et al.  Bullies, Victims, and Bully/Victims: , 2001 .

[31]  Pete Smith,et al.  Types of bullying behaviour and their correlates , 1994 .

[32]  K. Kumpulainen,et al.  Children involved in bullying at elementary school age: their psychiatric symptoms and deviance in adolescence. An epidemiological sample. , 2000, Child abuse & neglect.

[33]  Ramani S. Pilla,et al.  Bullying Behaviors Among US Youth: Prevalence and Association With Psychosocial Adjustment , 2001 .

[34]  H. Marsh,et al.  Aggressive school troublemakers and victims : a longitudinal model examining the pivotal role of self-concept , 2001 .

[35]  Peter K. Smith The nature of school bullying : a cross-national perspective , 1999 .

[36]  C. Rissel,et al.  Bullying behaviour and psychosocial health among school students in New South Wales, Australia: cross sectional survey , 1999, BMJ.

[37]  S. Joseph,et al.  Assessment of bully/victim problems in 8 to 11 year-olds. , 1996, The British journal of educational psychology.

[38]  R M Groves,et al.  Advances in strategies for minimizing and adjusting for survey nonresponse. , 1995, Epidemiologic reviews.

[39]  G H Ettinger,et al.  Queen's University. , 1962, Canadian Medical Association journal.