The taller the better? Psychobiological influences on bullying behaviour among Portuguese adolescents

Abstract

Context: Bullying has been identified as an important adolescent health problem. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between being involved in bullying either as a bully, a victim or a provocative-victim with stature and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Design: Cross-sectional study. Results: Data were collected from a national representative sample of adolescents in 2006 (n=4946) and 2010 (n=4724). Measures included involvement in bullying, stature, and HRQoL. Adolescents were placed in 4 groups (not involved, bully, bullied, and bully/ bullied). Results: Adolescents classified as bullies were more likely to be boys (OR=2.23, p<0.001), taller (OR=4.79, p<0.01), and had poorer HRQoL (OR=0.97, p<0.001). Victims were more likely to be boys (OR=1.37, p<0.01), and had poorer HRQoL (OR=0.94, p<0.001). Provocative victims were more likely to be boys (OR=1.58, p<0.01), to be taller (OR=0.10, p<0.01), and to have lower HRQoL (OR=0.94, p<0.001). Conclusions: During adolescence where differences in body height are maximal due to the heterogeneity of human development, it is important to develop bullying prevention programs aimed to prevent and reduce the occurrence of bullying. The target population is boys, those in the extreme range of height (shorter/victims; and taller/bullies) and those with a lower perception of HRQoL.