Bullying behaviour and psychosocial health among school students in New South Wales, Australia: cross sectional survey

Abstract

Objectives To examine the prevalence of bullying behaviours in schoolchildren and the association of bullying with psychological and psychosomatic health. Design Cross sectional survey. Setting Government and non-government schools in New South Wales, Australia. Participants 3918 schoolchildren attending year 6 (mean age 11.88 years), year 8 (13.96), and year 10 (15.97) classes from 115 schools. Main outcome measures Self reported bullying behaviours and psychological and psychosomatic symptoms.Results Almost a quarter of students (23.7%) bullied other students, 12.7% were bullied, 21.5% were both bullied and bullied others on one or more occasions in the last term of school, and 42.4% were neither bullied nor bullied others. More boys than girls reported bullying others and being victims of bullying. Bullying behaviour was associated with increased psychosomatic symptoms. Bullies tended to be unhappy with school; students who were bullied tended to like school and to feel alone. Students who both bullied and were bullied had the greatest number of psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Conclusions Being bullied seems to be widespread in schools in New South Wales and is associated with increased psychosomatic symptoms and poor mental health. Health practitioners evaluating students with common psychological and psychosomatic symptoms should consider bullying and the student's school environment as potential causes.

Bullying in schoolchildren – its relationship to dental appearance and psychosocial implications: an update for GDPs

“…Perry et al 21 Peer nomination US 8-12 10% Psychosomatic symptoms 13 bully/victim incidents, that is, bystanders, by alteration of their attitudes and behaviours. 39 It has been suggested that peer group influence plays an important role in developing and maintaining bullying behaviour.…”

Bullying Experiences Among Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…These children have difficulties with forming and maintaining friendships with peers, which likely place them at risk for peer victimization since research indicates that poor peer relationships are associated with being bullied (Delfabbro et al, 2006;Forero et al, 1999;Nansel et al, 2001;Williams & Guerra, 2007). Peers play an important role in the development, maintenance, and dissolution of bullying episodes; they provide an audience for youth who bully and represent potential allies for victimized youth (O'Connell, Pepler, & Craig, 1999).…”

“…Researchers have found that boys generally tend to be victimized more than girls and that victimization peaks in the middle school years and during the transition to high school (roughly ages 12-15), decreasing thereafter (Forero, McLellan, Rissel, & Bauman, 1999;Nansel et al, 2001;Williams & Guerra, 2007). Although the severity of ASD symptoms is negatively correlated with successful social inclusion and peer relationships, even children and adolescents with high functioning ASD continue to struggle with social competence as they age (Bauminger & Kasari, 2000;Orsmond, Krauss, & Seltzer, 2004), which continues to place them at risk for bullying experiences.…”

“…Because peers have such a critical socialization role during childhood and adolescence (Brown, Eicher, & Petrie, 1986), peer relationships are likely implicated in the consideration of risks and protective processes related to victimization. Researchers have found that poor peer relationships place youth at risk for victimization, while having close friends protects against victimization within the general population (Delfabbro et al, 2006;Forero, McLellan, Rissel, & Bauman, 1999;Nansel et al, 2001;Pellegrini & Bartini, 2000;Pellegrini, Bartini, & Brooks, 1999;Williams & Guerra, 2007).…”

Peer Victimization in Childhood and Internalizing Problems in Adolescence: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

“…Victims are more likely to suffer from long-lasting social isolation, loneliness, anxiety and poor social competence (Egan and Perry 1998;Forero et al 1999;Veenstra et al 2005;KochenderferLadd and Wardrop 2001), and to have an increased risk of self-harm, suicidal ideation, attempting and completing suicides (Barker et al 2008;Klomek et al 2009;Winsper et al 2012). They are also more prone to developing symptoms of psychosis, such as auditory hallucinations and paranoid ideation (Lataster et al 2006;Schreier et al 2009).…”