The role of school climate on student disclosure of private information and cyberbullying: a comparison of regular and vocational school students in China.

Introduction: Adolescents are experiencing an unprecedented cyber-saturated environment where the disclosure of private information should be approached with caution. This study aims to investigate the effects of school environment, including student support, teacher support, and opportunities for autonomy, on students' disclosure of private information and their experiences with cyberbullying. Methods: In September 2022, a total of 1,716 students (mean age = 14.60, SD = 1.35) from three regular and vocational schools in China participated in the survey. Results: The results showed that 35.6% of the participants had experienced victimization by cyberbullying, and 12.6% had perpetrated cyberbullying. Vocational school students reported significantly higher rates of cyberbullying and lower levels of perceived school climate than students from regular school. Student support in the school environment was found to negatively affect both cyberbullying perpetration and victimization, with this impact appearing to be stronger in regular schools as compared to vocational schools. Opportunities for autonomy and the disclosure of private information were positively correlated with experiences of cyberbullying. Discussion: This study introduces a novel perspective that perceived school climate influences adolescents' disclosure of private information and their involvement in cyberbullying. The findings could provide implications for future research and practices aimed at child protection in cyberspace.

Validation of the Chinese version of the coping strategies for victims of cyberbullying scale.

BACKGROUND: Although abundant evidence has confirmed cyberbullying as a global online risk, little is known about the coping strategies employed by victims and those who experiencing bullying. A validated scale for coping with cyberbullying could inform evidence-based social services and enable comparative studies of this phenomenon among victims from different backgrounds. This study aims to validate the Coping Strategies for Victims of Cyberbullying (CSVC) scale among Chinese adolescents and to compare its effectiveness between victims and bully-victims (individuals with dual roles). METHODS: A 25-item CSVC scale was translated and adapted for cultural relevance in the Chinese context. A sample of 1,716 adolescents, aged 13-18 years, from two middle schools and one high school in China, was recruited. Both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted. RESULTS: The EFA revealed that the Chinese version of the CSVC scale had satisfactory validity. The CFA demonstrated a good fit for the eight-factor model in assessing different coping strategies for cyberbullying. Differences in the selection of coping strategies were observed between the general adolescent population and sexual and gender minorities. CONCLUSIONS: Future intervention studies may use this validated scale to educate adolescents, both those affected by cyberbullying and those who are not, to learn a broader range of coping strategies and to choose more effective ones.

Prevalence and validity of ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD: A population-based survey of Hong Kong adults.

The present study aimed to report the prevalence of ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD (CPTSD) in the general adult Hong Kong population, and examine the validity of the Chinese International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). This descriptive cross-sectional population-based telephone survey included a representative sample of 1070 non-institutionalized permanent Hong Kong residents ages 18-64 years. Participants provided responses to the Chinese version of the ITQ, and measures of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), depression, anxiety, and stress. Based on the diagnostic algorithm of the ITQ, 5.9% of the sample screened positive for either CPTSD or PTSD, with CPTSD (4.2%) being more common that PTSD (1.7%). Results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated the first-order correlated 6-factor model to be the best fitting solution. Symptom cluster summed scores were all positively and significantly correlated with all criterion variables. This investigation established the prevalence rates of ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD using a general adult population sample in Hong Kong. The Chinese ITQ demonstrated sound factorial validity and concurrent validity. Future research can further characterize ICD-11 PTSD and CPTSD in subgroups using the Chinese ITQ.

Effect of a Mobile Game-Based Intervention to Enhance Child Safety: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence supports the effectiveness of serious games in health education, but little is known about their effects on the psychosocial well-being of children in the general population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the potential of a mobile game-based safety education program in improving children's safety and psychosocial outcomes. METHODS: Safe City is a mobile roleplaying game specifically designed to educate children in Hong Kong about safety. This randomized controlled trial included 340 children in grades 4 through 6. Intervention arm participants (n=170) were instructed to play the Safe City mobile game for 4 weeks, whereas control arm participants (n=170) received a safety booklet. All participants completed a survey on safety knowledge and behaviors and psychosocial problems at baseline (T1), 1 month postintervention (T2), and 3 months postintervention (T3). Cumulative game scores and mini-game performance were analyzed as a proxy for the extent of exposure to the game. Outcome data were analyzed using 2-sample 2-tailed t tests to compare mean change from T1 to T2 and to T3 for intervention versus control arm participants. The association of game use with outcome changes postintervention was analyzed using generalized additive models. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in mean changes between the intervention and control arms. However, use analyses showed that higher game scores were associated with improvements in safe behavior (P=.03) and internalizing problems (P=.01) at T3. Matching and Spot the Danger mini-game performance significantly predicted improvements in safety knowledge at T2 and T3. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of use has shown that playing the Safe City mobile game can result in significant improvements in safety knowledge and reductions in unsafe behavior and internalizing problems. These findings provide evidence for the positive impact of serious games on psychological and social well-being, highlighting the potential of technology-driven interventions to assist children in learning about safety and preventing injuries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.org NCT04096196; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT04096196. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/17756.

Longitudinal associations between child discipline methods and physical growth patterns across preschool years.

OBJECTIVE: Research has documented the associations of child maltreatment with a range of physical health problems, but little is known about the physical growth patterns of children who experience maltreatment in early childhood. This study aimed to examine the association between various discipline approaches and physical growth in preschool-aged children. METHODS: In the first year of preschool, parents of 661 Chinese preschool-aged children completed a questionnaire with items pertaining to the frequency of using physical maltreatment, psychological aggression, neglect, and nonviolent discipline toward the child. Children's weight and height were assessed annually using direct assessment in the first and two subsequent years. Longitudinal analyses were performed using multiple regression models. RESULTS: More frequent neglect and psychological aggression during the first year of preschool were associated with a higher likelihood of a decreased BMI z score in subsequent years. Conversely, increased experience of physical maltreatment in the first year was associated with an increased likelihood of having overweight or obesity in the third year. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that early maltreatment experience can impact physical growth. This highlights the importance of preventing abusive parenting and encouraging healthy habits in young children who have experienced maltreatment to decrease their future risk for weight problems.

Changes in, and factors associated with family functioning: results of four cross-sectional household surveys from 2011 to 2017 in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has well-documented that family functioning is an important predictor of individuals' physical and mental health. However, relatively little research has explored family functioning at the family and population levels, such as changes in family functioning across years and whether predictors of family functioning differ across different family structures. Understanding of the changes in family functioning across years and factors promoting family functioning will inform the development of preventive measures to enhance family health and resilience. Objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the changes in family functioning across a 6-year study period and (2) to study protective factors associated with family functioning and the extent to which the factors are the same or different across different family structures. METHOD: The study involved secondary data analysis of the biannual Family Survey carried out by the Family Council, an advisory body to the Hong Kong government. A series of ANOVA and regression analyses were conducted using data of four population-based cross-sectional household surveys conducted in Hong Kong in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. RESULTS: There were some fluctuations in overall family functioning scores across the study period, but no significant difference was found between the scores in 2011 and 2017. Different predictors of family functioning were found for different family types, and frequent family communication was a common protective factor for most family types, including never married, married/cohabiting with children, and married/cohabiting with no children. CONCLUSION: The study is among the first to examine changes in family functioning at the population level. Monitoring and addressing family functioning may help tackle various social problems and future public health crises. Interventions to promote family functioning should address both common and different protective factors of different family types.

The Association Between Child Maltreatment and Pathological Narcissism: A Three-Level Meta-Analytic Review.

Emerging evidence has documented the positive association between child maltreatment and both phenotypes of pathological narcissism (i.e., vulnerable and grandiose narcissism). However, results across these studies are inconsistent. Therefore, the present meta-analysis aimed to examine the extent to which child maltreatment is associated with vulnerable and grandiose narcissism, and whether these associations differed by study or sample characteristics. A systematic literature review was conducted in Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Three-level meta-analyses were performed in R to synthesize the effect sizes. A total of 15 studies (N = 9,141 participants) producing 129 effect sizes were included. Results showed that child maltreatment was positively related to both vulnerable narcissism (mean r = .198; p < .001) and grandiose narcissism (mean r = .087; p < .001), but only to a small extent. Further, the association between child maltreatment and vulnerable narcissism was stronger for neglect (r = .278) than for physical abuse (r = .130). The strength of the association between child maltreatment and grandiose narcissism was larger for samples that were on average younger than 18 years (r = .187) than for samples that were on average older than 18 years (r = .068). Also, the strength of the association was stronger for females than for males. Child maltreatment is a risk factor for developing both vulnerable and grandiose narcissism. Interventions targeting pathological narcissism should be aware of potential trauma resulting from victimization of child maltreatment.

Child Maltreatment as a Risk Factor for Rejection Sensitivity: A Three-Level Meta-Analytic Review.

Theoretical and empirical evidence has suggested that child maltreatment victimization is associated with rejection sensitivity. However, empirical evidence on this association is inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to examine the overall association between child maltreatment and rejection sensitivity, and to investigate variables that may affect the strength of this association. Studies eligible for inclusion were searched in the databases: Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, MEDLINE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure after which relevant studies were coded. Studies were synthesized in advanced three-level meta-analytic models in R. A total of 16 studies (N = 5,335 participants) yielding 41 effect sizes were included. Results showed that child maltreatment is significantly and positively related to rejection sensitivity (mean r = 0.230; p < .001), and to a small extent. Furthermore, this association is stronger for emotional abuse (r = 0.275) than for physical abuse (r = 0.157). It is not affected by the mean age and gender distribution of primary study samples nor by sample type (community sample versus clinical sample). It is concluded that child maltreatment is a risk factor for developing rejection sensitivity later in life. Therefore, interventions for rejection sensitivity should consider potential trauma resulting from prior child maltreatment experiences.

Desistance from physical abuse in a national study of Nepal: Protective informal social control and self-compassion.

BACKGROUND: Research on the conditions under which perpetrators desist from child maltreatment has seen greater attention as part of the efforts to break the cycle of maltreatment. New theoretical insights suggest that informal actions (herein protective informal social control of child maltreatment) by network members which communicate warmth, empathy with victim distress, and promote the modeling of positive parenting practices are more likely to increase maltreatment desistance. Likewise, parents' desistance from maltreatment is theorized to impact on adolescents' (victim) cognition and self-compassion. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship among protective informal social control of child maltreatment (protective ISC_CM) by social networks, physical abuse desistance, and adolescent self-compassion. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A nationally representative sample of 1100 mothers and their adolescent children (aged 11-15) in Nepal was obtained. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered to mothers and their adolescent children independently. Hypotheses were tested using regression models with standard errors corrected for clustering within wards. RESULTS: More than 1 in 7 mothers reported perpetrating physical abuse in the past year, and 1 in every 5 adolescents reported being victims of physical abuse. Odds of abuse desistance increase by roughly 10 % for each act of protective ISC_CM reported by the mother. Also, odds of abuse desistance associated with higher adolescent self-compassion, and acts of protective ISC_CM associated with higher levels of adolescent self-compassion. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that interventions to boost desistance from maltreatment and break the cycle of abuse in Nepal, should focus on promoting protective informal social control actions.

The associations of decent work with wellbeing and career capabilities: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: As a global sustainable development goal, the decent work notion has been promoted all over the world at theoretical, practical, and research levels for the purpose of enhancing people's capacity to enjoy freedom, equity, security, and human dignity at work. However, conclusive findings of the impact of decent work on people's wellbeing and longer-term career development are still missing due to a lack of systematic reviews on this topic. This study aims to (a) investigate the associations of decent work with people's wellbeing and their capabilities for sustaining career development and (b) examine the differential associations across different subgroups. Methods: Databases of literature archived on or before 4 March 2022 were searched. A total of 46 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis for the combined Pearson correlation coefficient (r) to estimate the associations of decent work with wellbeing and career capabilities, among which 30 studies (16,026 participants) were used for calculating the association between decent work and wellbeing whereas 26 studies (12,384 participants) were used for decent work and career capabilities. Results and discussion: First, decent work demonstrates a medium association with wellbeing (r = .48, 95% CI [.45, .51]), and a medium association with career capabilities (r = .44, 95% CI [.40, .49]). Second, no significant differences with respect to the association of decent work with wellbeing and career capabilities were identified across subgroups categorized by developed/developing countries, population type, social status of participants as employee or student, participants from vulnerable/general groups, aspects of wellbeing/career capabilities, and study design. These results pose important implications for informing future research and practice to measure and promote decent work across the world.

Child maltreatment and telomere length in middle and older age: retrospective cohort study of 141 748 UK Biobank participants.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that child maltreatment is associated with shorter telomere length in early life. AIMS: This study aims to examine if child maltreatment is associated with telomere length in middle- and older-age adults. METHOD: This was a retrospective cohort study of 141 748 UK Biobank participants aged 37-73 years at recruitment. Leukocyte telomere length was measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and log-transformed and scaled to have unit standard deviation. Child maltreatment was recalled by participants. Linear regression was used to analyse the association. RESULTS: After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, participants with three or more types of maltreatment presented with the shortest telomere lengths (ß = -0.05, 95% CI -0.07 to -0.03; P < 0.0001), followed by those with two types of maltreatment (ß = -0.02, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.00; P = 0.02), referent to those who had none. When adjusted for depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, the telomere lengths of participants with three or more types of maltreatment were still shorter (ß = -0.04, 95% CI -0.07 to -0.02; P = 0.0008). The telomere lengths of those with one type of maltreatment were not significantly different from those who had none. When mutually adjusted, physical abuse (ß = -0.05, 95% CI -0.07 to -0.03; P < 0.0001) and sexual abuse (ß = -0.02, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.00; P = 0.02) were independently associated with shorter telomere length. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed that child maltreatment is associated with shorter telomere length in middle- and older-aged adults, independent of sociodemographic and mental health factors.

Examination of Web-Based Single-Session Growth Mindset Interventions for Reducing Adolescent Anxiety: Study Protocol of a 3-Arm Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide. In Hong Kong, 7% of adolescents are diagnosed with anxiety disorders, and 1 in every 4 secondary school students reports clinical-level anxiety symptoms. However, 65% of them do not access services. Long waitlists in public services, the high cost of private services, or the fear of being stigmatized can hinder service access. The high prevalence of anxiety and low intervention uptake indicate a pressing need to develop timely, scalable, and potent interventions suitable for adolescents. Single-session interventions (SSIs) have the potential to be scalable interventions for diagnosable or subclinical psychopathology in adolescents. Providing precise and context-adapted intervention is the key to achieving intervention efficacy. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of three SSIs: single-session intervention of growth mindset on negative emotions (SIGMA), SSI of growth mindset of personality (SSI-GP), and active control, in reducing adolescent anxiety. METHODS: Adolescents (N=549, ages 12-16 years) from secondary schools will be randomized to 1 of 3 intervention conditions: the SIGMA, SSI-GP, or active control. The implementation of each intervention is approximately 45 minutes in length. Adolescent participants will report anxiety symptoms (primary outcome), perceived control, hopelessness, attitude toward help-seeking, and psychological well-being at preintervention, the 2-week follow-up, and the 8-week follow-up. A pilot test has confirmed the feasibility and acceptability of SIGMA among adolescents. We hypothesized that SIGMA and SSI-GP will result in a larger reduction in anxiety symptoms than the control intervention during the posttest and 8-week follow-up period. We also predict that SIGMA will have a more significant effect than SSI-GP. We will use the intention-to-treat principle and linear regression-based maximum likelihood multilevel models for data analysis. RESULTS: This study will be conducted from December 2022 to December 2023, with results expected to be available in January 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This protocol introduces the implementation content and strategies of growth mindset SSIs (consists of 2 forms: SIGMA and SSI-GP) among school students. The study will provide evidence on the efficacy of different growth mindset SSIs for adolescent anxiety. It will also establish implementation strategies for self-administrative SSIs among school students, which can serve as a pioneer implementation of a scalable and self-accessible brief intervention to improve the well-being of young people. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05027880; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05027880. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/41758.

Hong Kong Adolescents' Participation in Political Activities: Correlates of Violent Political Participation.

The present study aimed to examine Hong Kong junior secondary school students' participation in different types of political activities, to identify profiles of adolescents based on their political participation, and to examine potential protective and risk factors associated with adolescents' violent political participation during the social unrest in Hong Kong from a positive youth development perspective. A total of 2,016 students (age = 13.92 ± 1.10 years) recruited from 24 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in an online survey six months after the social unrest subsided. The findings provide a comprehensive descriptive profile of Hong Kong adolescents' political participation. Four clusters of adolescents with homogeneous patterns of political participation were identified: (1) "Politically Inactive" (42.6%); (2) "Legal Participant" (27.5%); (3) "Radical/Violent Activist" (13.0%); and (4) "Peaceful Activist" (17.0%). Logistic regression analysis showed that being female, born in Hong Kong, having a weak local identity and a strong national identity, a high level of bonding, prosocial involvement and prosocial norms, a low level of parental psychological control and family conflict, and a good parent-child relationship were associated with a low risk of adolescents' violent political participation. The findings point to the needs to further promote social cohesion in Hong Kong society, to help adolescents avoid the potentially essentialized dichotomy in their identity construction, and to develop programs targeting the identified risk and protective factors to prevent adolescents from engaging in political violence and to promote their civic participation.

Development of A Japanese Version of the Family Poly-Victimization Screen (FPS-J).

This study developed a Japanese version of the Family Poly-Victimization Screen (FPS-J) and assessed its validity. A cross-sectional study using self-report questionnaires was conducted with parents of children in Tokyo, Japan, from January to February 2022. To test the validity of the FPS-J, we used the Japanese versions of the revised Conflict Tactics Scale Short Form (J-CTS2SF) as the gold standard for intimate partner violence (IPV), the Conflict Tactics Scale Parent-Child (J-CTS-PC) for child abuse (CAN), the Conflict Tactics Scale (J-MCTS) for elder abuse, the K6-J for depression and anxiety, the PCL5-J for post-traumatic stress disorder, and the J-KIDSCREEN for Health-related Quality of Life among children. Data from 483 participants (response rate: 22.6%) were used. The J-CTS2SF and J-CTS-PC scores were significantly higher among the IPV/CAN-victim groups than in the non-victimized groups classified by the FPS-J (p < 0.001). The JMCTS scores did not differ significantly between the victim and non-victim groups (p = 0.44), but the PCL5-J, K6-J, and J-KIDSCREEN-10 scores were either significantly higher or lower among victims of violence than among the non-victim groups (p < 0.05). This study suggests the validity of parts of the FPS-J, especially the IPV against respondents and CAN by respondents.

Aggressive parenting behavior among grandparents providing childcare for grandchildren: A case study of Shenzhen, China.

BACKGROUND: Grandparents play an essential role in childrearing and fill the parenting gap for dual-earner Chinese families. Many Chinese grandparents engage heavily in childcare, which may increase the risk of child abuse. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine grandparental use of psychological and physical aggression toward children and explore its associated risk factors. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This was a cross-sectional study which involved purposive sampling of 278 grandparents (204 females and 74 males) taking care of at least one grandchild below 18 years old in Shenzhen, China. METHODS: Information on childcare was collected, including grandparents' use of psychological and physical aggression and their involvement in childcare in terms of intensity and activity. RESULTS: An alarming percentage (57.1 %) of grandparents had used psychological aggression, while 26.5 % had used corporal punishment, in the past year. The average use of psychological aggression and corporal punishment was 16.10 times and 10.08 times per year, respectively. Grandparents taking care of two or more grandchildren were more likely to use psychological aggression and corporal punishment compared to those taking care of only one grandchild. Higher mental and physical health summary scores were associated with lower likelihood of psychological and physical aggression of grandparents. CONCLUSIONS: This study advances our understanding of negative grandparenting behavior in childcare. As grandparents play a significant role in childcare, we need to improve their grandparenting skills, provide more formal childcare services to ease their childcare burden, and support their physical and mental well-being to reduce the risk of child abuse.

Social, Community, and Cultural Factors Associated with Parental Stress in Fathers and Mothers.

Parenting stress is a key factor in predicting the quality of parent−child relationships and child development outcomes. Previous research tends to focus on examining individual factors contributing to parental stress, with minimal attention to other important contextual factors that may affect parenting. This study examines the issue from a broader ecological perspective by investigating social, cultural, and community factors associated with parental stress in a community sample of economically active fathers and mothers in Hong Kong. A secondary analysis was conducted using the data from the 2017 Family Survey, a territory-wide household survey conducted in Hong Kong. The data of the current study included a sub-sample of 736 working-class parents (48.4% males and 51.6% females). The mean age of fathers and mothers was 50.99 (SD = 11.2) and 48.68 (SD = 10.34) years, respectively. Mothers reported significantly higher levels of parental stress than fathers, t = −4.241, p < 0.001. Different social, cultural, and community factors were associated with parental stress for fathers and mothers. Strong endorsement of traditional family values (B = −0.23, p = 0.032) and frequent practice of filial piety (B = −0.005, p = 0.019) reduced parental stress in fathers. Additionally, fathers who perceived formal support as effective scored higher levels of parental stress, B = 0.20, p < 0.001. For mothers, informal social support from family members was the only social predictor for reduced parental stress (B = −0.14, p < 0.001) among all the other contextual variables. Community support to reduce parental stress in working parents should address the respective risk factors for fathers and mothers.

Who Is at High Risk for Child Abuse and Neglect: Risk Assessment among Battered Women Using Shelter Services.

BACKGROUND: The intersections between intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse and neglect (CAN) have received growing attention from the research community. However, there is limited research examining the risk factors for CAN among children of battered women who have experienced severe IPV and seek refuge in shelters. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, we examined the co-occurrence of IPV and CAN and the risk factors for CAN in a sample of battered women. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: We recruited 260 battered women who were staying in women's shelters in Hong Kong. METHODS: We analyzed the data collected from the risk assessment reports of battered women and focused on IPV against women, CAN, and risk assessment. RESULTS: Nearly half of the battered women had reported both IPV against themselves and CAN against their children. These women were, in general, younger, unemployed, and had been living in Hong Kong for less than seven years as new immigrants. Other risk factors for CAN in violent families included women's conflicts with their partner and abusers with higher levels of stress and approval of violence. CONCLUSIONS: This exploratory study of risk factors for the co-occurrence of IPV and CAN advances our understanding of the causes of violence against women and children in families with violence. Our findings suggest that additional integrated services should be offered to both battered women and their children during their stay in shelters and after shelter departure. Addressing IPV and CAN and reducing adverse consequences needs greater collaboration among the various stakeholders across the social services, health, educational, and legal sectors.

The association between victimization and inflammation: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To meta-analyze the existing studies examining the association of childhood and adulthood victimization with inflammation and to explore the moderating variables that affect these relationships. METHODS: Relevant work published before 28th February 2021 was identified by searching five major databases. We analyzed the cross-sectional data extracted from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies using the random-effects model to estimate the correlation (r) as the pooled effect size and further conducted subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: A total of 37 articles finally met the inclusion criteria, including studies for C-reactive protein (CRP) (k = 23; NCRP = 11,780), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (k = 31; NIL-6 = 8943), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (k = 14; NTNF-α = 4125). Overall, victimization has a significantly positive association with inflammation, with a small effect size (r = 0.122). Specifically, effect sizes were the largest for TNF-a (r = 0.152), followed by IL-6 (r = 0.119), and CRP (r = 0.084). Additionally, the effect sizes for victimization against children were r = 0.145 (k = 6) for childhood victimization - childhood inflammation, and r = 0.139 (k = 27) for childhood victimization - adulthood inflammation, which appear to be larger than that of victimization against adults (r = 0.039; k = 2). LIMITATIONS: Only a small number of studies on adult victimization were included. In addition, we only analyzed the cross-sectional relationship and did not have sufficient data to compare different types of victimization and single vs. multiple victimizations. CONCLUSIONS: Victimization is associated with a heightened inflammatory response. As victimization against children may have a stronger effect than victimization against adults, prevention of victimization targeting the childhood period may be necessary. Studies with more robust methodologies (i.e., representative, longitudinal, and multi-country designs) are needed to confirm these findings and to unpack the underlying mechanisms.

The Prevalence of Bullying Victimization and Perpetration Among the School-Aged Population in Chinese Communities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Though bullying was predominantly documented in Western societies, increasing attention has been paid to bullying in Chinese communities during recent years. It remains unknown whether bullying among youngsters in the Chinese communities is similar to or different from their counterparts in Western societies. A systematic review was primarily conducted in English and Chinese databases from the start to December 31, 2021. This study estimated the prevalence of overall (integrating both face-to-face and cyber forms), face-to-face, and cyber bullying victimization and perpetration using random-effects models. Based on 68 eligible studies, this study revealed a pooled prevalence of overall bullying victimization of 22.7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] [17.7, 28.6]) and a pooled prevalence of overall bullying perpetration of 15.7% (95% CI [6.7, 32.3]). Besides, the estimated prevalence were 20.8% and 10.3% for face-to-face bullying victimization and perpetration, while 9.6% and 8.4% for cyberbullying victimization and perpetration. The subgroup analyses showed that the high heterogeneity of prevalence among the studies estimating bullying victimization and perpetration could be accounted for by sample characteristics and the measurement approaches. This study suggests that bullying is prevalent in the Chinese communities, comparable to, if not higher than, in the Western societies. Prevention and intervention programs are urgently required to reduce bullying among the school-aged population in Chinese communities.

Effectiveness of Digital Health Interventions in Reducing Bullying and Cyberbullying: A Meta-Analysis.

Bullying and cyberbullying bring adverse physical and psychological impacts on individuals and an economic burden for society. Scholars have developed anti-bullying intervention programs to combat these problems. This meta-analysis aims to examine and compare the effectiveness of digital health interventions (DHIs) in reducing bullying and cyberbullying. A comprehensive search was conducted using databases (PsycINFO, Social Service Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, MEDLINE, ERIC, and EMBASE). Quasi-experimental and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before 31 January 2021 that reported the effects of DHIs in reducing bullying or cyberbullying were included. The 16 studies included in the synthesis reported overall random effect sizes (Cohen's d) for bullying and cyberbullying reduction were 0.41 and 0.19, respectively. The results provide evidence on the effectiveness of DHIs, comparable to that of face-to-face interventions. The subgroup analysis revealed that the critical components of effective DHIs include training on bystander and bully-victim dual roles, coping skills, and interactive serious games. It highlights the promising effects of digital health approaches in bullying and cyberbullying interventions. Our review identifies avenues for future research on the development of more effective DHIs to reduce bullying and cyberbullying.