Bullying among adolescents in a Brazilian urban center – “Health in Beagá” Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the prevalence of bullying and its associated factors in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS:Data were used from a population-based household survey conducted by the Urban Health Observatory (OSUBH) utilizing probability sampling in three stages: census tracts, residences, and individuals. The survey included 598 adolescents (14-17 years old) who responded questions on bullying, sociodemographic characteristics, health-risk behaviors, educational well-being, family structure, physical activity, markers of nutritional habits, and subjective well-being (body image, personal satisfaction, and satisfaction with their present and future life). Univariate and multivariate analysis was done using robust Poisson regression. RESULTS:The prevalence of bullying was 26.2% (28.0% among males, 24.0% among females). The location of most bullying cases was at or on route to school (70.5%), followed by on the streets (28.5%), at home (9.8%), while practicing sports (7.3%), at parties (4.6%), at work (1.7%), and at other locations (1.6%). Reports of bullying were associated with life dissatisfaction, difficulty relating to parents, involvement in fights with peers and insecurity in the neighborhood. CONCLUSIONS:A high prevalence of bullying among participating adolescents was found, and the school serves as the main bullying location, although other sites such as home, parties and workplace were also reported. Characteristics regarding self-perception and adolescent perceptions of their environment were also associated with bullying, thus advancing the knowledge of this type of violence, especially in urban centers of developing countries.

Valores humanos e bullying: idade e sexo moderam essa relação?

“…. 1319 bullying, os agressores (bullies) tendem a apresentar comportamentos antissociais, como o uso de drogas lícitas e ilícitas, além de serem potenciais pessoas em confl ito com a lei (Bender & Lösel, 2011;Farrington & Ttofi , 2011;Oliveira et al, 2016); as vítimas são propensas a estarem insatisfeitas com a vida, podendo apresentam tendências depressivas e suicidas (Costa, Xavier, Andrade, Proietti, & Caiaffa, 2015;Fleming & Jacobsen, 2009;Geel et al, 2014;Klomek, Sourander, & Gould, 2010;Roh et al, 2015); víti-mas/agressores tendem a apresentar baixos ín-dices de comportamento pró-social, frequentes difi culdades acadêmicas e predisposição para o desenvolvimento de transtornos psiquiátricos (Arseneault et al, 2006;Kim et al, 2005;Perren & Alsaker, 2006;Sourander et al, 2007). Os efeitos do bullying sobre as testemunhas variam de acordo com o envolvimento destes; por exemplo, pode ir da quase extinção de comportamentos relacionados com solidariedade e cooperação até sofrimento vivenciado por aqueles que se identifi cam com a vítima (Ribeiro, 2007).…”

Bullying: Prevalência E Fatores Associados À Vitimização E À Agressão No Cotidiano Escolar

“…The term bullying refers to actions of aggression, intimidation, mistreatment and attacking others, based on a relationship of unequal power, aimed at making the victim feel inferior and producing social exclusion. [1][2] The phenomenon occurs through the offensive use of power over the other in a subtle, intentional and repetitive way and for an extended period of time. Thus, bullying, in addition to assuming the behavior of persecution and intimidation of the individual, is usually associated with individual characteristics such as age, size, physique, personality traits, emotional development and formation of groups of students.…”

“…Thus, bullying, in addition to assuming the behavior of persecution and intimidation of the individual, is usually associated with individual characteristics such as age, size, physique, personality traits, emotional development and formation of groups of students. [1][2][3] It is a complex, multidimensional and relational public health problem among peers that requires scientific and political investments to broaden the focus on the issue, in order to characterize it as an object of intersectoral investigation permeated by a diversity of forms of manifestation. [4][5][6] The acts of aggression that comprise bullying are classified into three main groups: physical, such as hitting, kicking and using weapons to attack; verbal/psychological, which includes threats, insults, tricks, nicknames and humiliation; and indirect, represented by behaviors of social exclusion, indifference and extortion.…”

“…11 Research data developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found the prevalence of students victimized by bullying to vary between 8.0% and 46.0%, and of aggressors between 5.0% and 39.0%, with 20.0% of children in both categories. 2 In Brazil, the National Survey of School Health (PENSE) of 2012 revealed that suffering bullying by a colleague affected 7.2% of schoolchildren, while 20.8% of students showed some kind of bullying against schoolmates. 8 When analyzing the international scientific production on the subject, there were obstacles in the conceptualization and operationalization of the term bullying, as well as in the translation itself.…”

“…They develop emotional instability, tendency toward psychic disorders, depression and suicide, as well as unhappiness related to the school environment triggering low levels of learning and even school abandonment, with a consequent reduction in the quality of life of these adolescents. 2,6,15,29,32 One study 33 showed that the negative effects are not only restricted to the victims. The aggressors, who already have emotional instability and social relationship difficulties, tend to potentialize this antisocial behavior, isolation and criminality with overvaluation of violence as a way of obtaining power and social inclusion.…”