Associations between self-efficacy, bullying and health-related quality of life in a school sample of adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background To better understand health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents, it is important to gain knowledge about factors associated with HRQOL. Being involved in bullying is a significant threat to health, and social and psychological well-being; further, such problems can last into adulthood. The aim of this study was to explore the role of general self-efficacy (GSE) and bullying in relation to HRQOL. We specifically sought to study the prevalence of bullying, as well as the associations between both bullying and self-efficacy and HRQOL in a sample of adolescents. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 723 adolescents (12–18 years) attending schools selected using randomized cluster sampling. HRQOL was measured using the KIDSCREEN-52, self-efficacy was measured with the GSE scale, and bullying was measured using the two global questions from the Olweus bullying questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were performed to explore how being bullied, bullying, and GSE were associated with variations in self-reported HRQOL. Results Of the 723 adolescents, 13% reported being bullied; there were no gender differences within this finding. However, more boys than girls reported that they had bullied others. Both being bullied, and bullying others, were associated with lower HRQOL; however, being bullied was associated with the lowest scores. Higher self-efficacy was associated with better HRQOL. Self-efficacy contributed significantly to predicting variation in HRQOL. Conclusions Being involved in bullying, as a victim or a bully, is associated with lower HRQOL. The association between GSE and HRQOL indicates that self-efficacy might be a resource for increasing HRQOL among adolescents. Our findings highlight the importance of targeting self-efficacy beliefs as an intervention strategy to improve GSE and HRQOL in adolescents involved in bullying.

Health-related quality of life is strongly associated with self-efficacy, self-esteem, loneliness, and stress in 14–15-year-old adolescents: a cross-sectional study

“…The selected covariates were grouped into seven blocks (B1–B7); B1: Sociodemographic variables, B2: Self-efficacy, B3: Self-esteem, B4: Pain on average, B5: Frequency of enough sleep, B6: Loneliness, and B7: Stress. All selected covariates were theoretically known clinically relevant variables reported in previous HRQOL research [ 8 , 22 , 23 , 25 , 30 , 33 , 38 ]. To assess possible associations between the covariates in each block and HRQOL, linear regression analyses were fitted separately for each of the five KIDSCREEN subscales.…”

Bullying experience of pupils in Nigerian primary schools

“…[ 6 , 12 , 13 ] Using a randomized cluster sampling, a cross-sectional investigation of 723 Norwegian adolescent-students between 12 to 18 years old revealed that 13% of the students were being bullied with no gender differences whereas, in terms of bullying others, more males than female students were involved in this. [ 32 ] In Kuwaiti high schools, a study showed that bullying incidents among 9th and 10th graders range between 41.6% and 71.1% among males and between 10 and 81.4% among females, however, victimization ranges between 46.2% and 87.9% among males and between 42.7% and 80.8% among females. [ 33 ] In Sweden, school bullying prevalence is shown to be 6.3% among females, whereas 41.4% was found among males in Lithuania.…”

<p>Influence of Self-Esteem and Psychiatric Diagnosis on Health-Related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents with School Refusal Behavior</p>

“…Previous work has already suggested that increasing self-efficacy might be a way to increase HRQOL in adolescents. 14 In a study on manualbased cognitive-behavioral treatment for school refusal students, Heyne et al reported that increases in school attendance and decreases in fear about attending school the next day were found to be mediated by self-efficacy posttreatment. 15 The SRAS-R-JA score was associated with a lower HRQOL in the dimension of Social Support and Peers, School Environment and Social Acceptance in the present study.…”

“…Increasing self-efficacy may be one way to increase HRQOL in adolescents. 14 Heyne et al reported that cognitive-behavioral therapy for children with school refusal decreases the fears surrounding attending school. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been found to boost the mediating effect of self-efficacy on school refusal.…”