Challenging Conventions of Bullying Thresholds: Exploring Differences between Low and High Levels of Bully-Only, Victim-Only, and Bully-Victim Roles

Abstract

Using a commonly accepted threshold of 2 to 3 times per month as a marker of bullying-involvement from noninvolvement, approximately 30% of U.S. students report being a bully, victim, or both. Although variation in the frequency of involvement exists, infrequent engagement (less than 2 to 3 times a month) is generally considered noninvolved. However, the question remains: Do these differences have implications for behavioral health patterns, including substance use, depression and school connectedness? The present study used a district-wide random cluster sample of 66 middle and high schools in a mid-size city. The study population consisted of 3,221 middle school (53.4%) and high school (45.6%) students, with 48.7% females, 44.6 males, and 6.7% youth identifying with another gender category. These youth were racially diverse, with the modal category being Black (36.0%). Based on student survey response, we report, (a) the frequency and intensity of bullying behaviors, (b) common patterns of involvement, and (c) demographic and individual-level risk factors associated with these patterns. Analyses resulted in nine bully types, with substantial differences in bullying-involvement intensity based on gender, race, school connectedness, and mental health. Perhaps most striking, the majority of youth (70.9%) were involved in some level of bullying perpetration, victimization, or both, when accounting for the accumulation of low frequency involvement (e.g., once, twice, or a few times) across multiple bullying behaviors. Implications for adolescent development and prevention are described.

Victimisation and School Violence. The Role of the Motivation of Revenge, Avoidance, and Benevolence in Adolescents

“…Longitudinal studies have consistently shown that aggressor teenagers have suffered previous experiences of victimisation, although not necessarily at the hands of their peers (Martínez-Ferrer & Sattin, 2017;Sentse, Kretschmer, & Salmivalli, 2015). Further evaluation of these expressions of violence and victimisation in multiple contexts would provide a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between these two roles, and the underlying explanatory mechanisms (Garaigordobil & Martínez-Valderrey, 2016;Gómez-Ortiz, Romera-Félix, & Ortega-Ruiz, 2017;Zych, Beltrán-Catalán, Ortega-Ruiz, & Llorent, 2018).…”

An Exploratory Structural Equation Model of Stress-Related Experiences Among Justice-Involved Youth: A Gender Comparison

“…That is, bullying and bully-victimization are each associated with some of the same negative outcomes for adolescents. Studies of gender differences in prevalence of bullying involvement generally indicate boys have higher rates of bully-perpetration, while girls have higher rates of victimization (e.g., Perren & Hornung, 2005;Viljoen et al, 2005; but see Goldbach et al, 2018, that found no gender differences). Studies of gender differences in problems associated with bullying and bullying-victimization are limited, but suggest mixed results, with some studies finding greater risk for females (CDC, 2011;Luk et al, 2010;van der Wal et al, 2003) and others no gender differences (Goldbach et al, 2018;M.…”

“…An estimated 30% of students in the United States are involved in bullying (bullies, victims, or bully–victims; Nansel et al, 2001). Recently, Goldbach et al (2018) suggested this estimate is low due to imprecise measurement and found 70.9% of their sample were involved in some form of bullying and/or victimization (noted as bullying/victimization henceforth). The bullying role of the youth varies, including victim-only, bully-only, bully–victim, and neither bully nor victim.…”

“…Both bullying and bully-victimization are associated with negative outcomes, including delinquency/crime, and reflect important stressors during adolescence. Bully-victimization has been associated with negative outcomes of depression and suicidality (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011; Goldbach et al, 2018; Hinduja & Patchin, 2010; Nansel et al, 2001; Reed et al, 2015), substance use (CDC, 2011; DeCamp & Newby, 2015; Nansel et al, 2001; Reed et al, 2015; Valdebenito et al, 2015), and poor academic performance (CDC, 2011). Similarly, bully-perpetration and perpetration-victimization have been associated with negative outcomes of substance use (Bender & Lösel, 2011; CDC, 2011; Radliff et al, 2012; Valdebenito et al, 2015), poor academic performance (CDC, 2011), and depression and suicidality (CDC, 2011; Goldbach et al, 2018; Hinduja & Patchin, 2010; Nansel et al, 2001).…”

Child-to-Parent Violence, Peer Victimization and Cybervictimization in Spanish Adolescents

“…Many authors agree that it occurs more frequently in boys [22,28,29]. However, other studies have reported that girls suffer PV to a greater extent than boys [30,31].…”