Prevalence of bullying and victimization among primary school students of higher grades in Riyadh: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: The current study aims to know the prevalence, effects and types of bullying at primary schools of Riyadh city for both male and female. Methods: Male and female students at primary schools in Riyadh city are targeted using Crosssectional study method. 517 students are included in this study 55.3% are female and 44.7% are male. Riyadh primary schools were divided into five groups according to geographic region North, South, East, West and Middle. The surveys were conducted after the approval of school's principals. In order to get an accurate response, the survey was distributed to student in classrooms in papers. Results: 517 students participated in the study. Out of four regions the proportion from the Southern region were the highest at 187 (36.2%). The levels of bullying and victimization was low. Compared to female students, male students showed statistically significant higher bullying and victimization rates. Compared to the five regions in Riyadh city the bullying and victimization rate is highest in the Eastern region, and lower in the southern region. Conclusion: The study shows that the levels of bullying and victimization at Riyadh's primary schools was low. Furthermore, research studies about bullying and victimization prevalence rates are not enough and need more researches to improve the intervention and prevent the side effect of it. Background Bullying is known as aggressive behavior or acting in a way that brings intentional harm that when repeated over time includes an imbalance of power [1]. It can be categorizing into two groups, either direct or indirect. Direct bullying can be verbal (e.g. name-calling and threats) or physical (e.g. hitting and kicking). On the other hand, indirect bullying can be e.g. social exclusion or spreading rumors [2]. Effects of bullying have been associated with the victim not attending school [3] which could cause problems with achievements in their studies [4]. Bullying also could be associated with mental health problems [5-8] such as suicidal behavior and depression. The prevalence of bullying behavior varies across the country partly due to differences in the definition, age, gender, study design, and sample [9]. Bullying victims tend to suffer from anxiety and depression more than children who are not victimized