School Bullying Among US Adolescents: Physical, Verbal, Relational and Cyber

School Bullying Among US Adolescents: Physical, Verbal, Relational and Cyber

2009 October ; 45(4): 368–375. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.03.021. | Jing Wang, Ph.D., Ronald J. Iannotti, Ph. D., and Tonja R. Nansel, Ph.D.
This study examines the prevalence and correlates of four forms of school bullying—physical, verbal, relational, and cyber—among US adolescents in grades 6 to 10. Data from the 2005 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Survey (N = 7,182) were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to measure physical, verbal, and relational bullying, with two additional items added to measure cyber bullying. The results showed that 20.8% of adolescents reported physical bullying, 53.6% reported verbal bullying, 51.4% reported relational bullying, and 13.6% reported cyber bullying in the past 2 months. Boys were more involved in physical and verbal bullying, while girls were more involved in relational bullying. Boys were more likely to be cyber bullies, and girls were more likely to be cyber victims. African-American adolescents were more involved in bullying but less involved in victimization. Higher parental support was associated with less involvement in all forms of bullying, while having more friends was associated with more bullying and less victimization in physical, verbal, and relational forms, but not in cyber bullying. The study highlights the distinct nature of cyber bullying compared to traditional forms of bullying and suggests that parental support and friendship play protective roles against bullying.This study examines the prevalence and correlates of four forms of school bullying—physical, verbal, relational, and cyber—among US adolescents in grades 6 to 10. Data from the 2005 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) Survey (N = 7,182) were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression. The Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire was used to measure physical, verbal, and relational bullying, with two additional items added to measure cyber bullying. The results showed that 20.8% of adolescents reported physical bullying, 53.6% reported verbal bullying, 51.4% reported relational bullying, and 13.6% reported cyber bullying in the past 2 months. Boys were more involved in physical and verbal bullying, while girls were more involved in relational bullying. Boys were more likely to be cyber bullies, and girls were more likely to be cyber victims. African-American adolescents were more involved in bullying but less involved in victimization. Higher parental support was associated with less involvement in all forms of bullying, while having more friends was associated with more bullying and less victimization in physical, verbal, and relational forms, but not in cyber bullying. The study highlights the distinct nature of cyber bullying compared to traditional forms of bullying and suggests that parental support and friendship play protective roles against bullying.
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