Perceived Social Support and Health Care Spending as Moderators in the Association of Traditional Bullying Perpetration with Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimisation among Adolescents in 27 European Countries: A Multilevel Cross-National Study.

Existing research has documented the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation. However, it is still unclear how different sources of social support moderate the association between bullying perpetration and bullying victimisation at a cross-national level. Using multilevel binary logistic regression models, this study examined the moderating role of public health care spending and perceived social support (i.e., family and teacher support) in the association between traditional bullying perpetration and victimisation by traditional bullying and cyberbullying among adolescents across 27 European countries. Country-level data were combined with 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey data from 162,792 adolescents (11-, 13-, and 15-year-olds) in 27 European countries. Results showed that adolescents who perpetrated traditional bullying had a higher likelihood of being victimised by traditional bullying and cyberbullying than adolescents who did not bully others. Results also indicated that the magnitude of the positive association between traditional bullying perpetration and victimisation by traditional bullying and cyberbullying was mitigated among adolescents with more family, teacher, and public health care support. These findings support the notion that multilayered systems of social support could play a vital role in bullying prevention and intervention strategies to address bullying among adolescents.

Association of Childhood Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Adolescent Traditional and Cyberbullying Victimization in the Digital Generation: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: This population-based cohort study aimed to examine the association with childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bullying experiences during adolescence among Digital Generation individuals, exploring both traditional and cyberbullying. METHODS: This study included data from 15,240 participants, collected from the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study project. Participants, initially in seventh and 10th grade in 2015, were selected through a multistage stratified sampling approach. Self-report questionnaires assessed traditional and cyberbullying victimization experiences during adolescence, with 5-year longitudinal follow-up. Childhood ADHD diagnoses were identified by linking data to Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2015. Logistic regression models were employed to examine the relationship between childhood ADHD and bullying victimization while controlling for relevant covariates. RESULTS: Individuals diagnosed with childhood ADHD exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing bullying during adolescence (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28-1.80). This association extended to various forms of bullying, including physical (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68), verbal (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.67), relational (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.22-1.71), and cyber (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.14-1.61). Additional factors positively associated with bullying victimization included male, binge drinking, and depression, while a positive campus atmosphere was protective against bullying. However, there is no evidence for interactions between these factors and ADHD in their associations with bullying. DISCUSSION: Childhood ADHD increases the risk of both traditional and cyberbullying during adolescence. Recognizing this risk is essential for targeted interventions and further research on underlying mechanisms.

Association between Body Mass Index and Externalizing and Internalizing Symptoms among Chinese Adolescents: Mediating Role of Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization.

BACKGROUND: Externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and obesity are among the greatest challenges to adolescent health. However, the moderating and mediating mechanisms that underlie this association remain predominantly unexplored. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and externalizing and internalizing scores in adolescents, tested whether traditional bullying and cyberbullying mediated the association, and explored the moderated role of sex. METHODS: The data came from 1486 adolescents from grade 7, 8, and 10 living in Shantou, China. Information on BMI, traditional bullying, and cyberbullying victimization was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. The students' externalizing and internalizing scores were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Furthermore, we built two parallel mediation models with sex as a moderating variable. RESULTS: Compared to their peers with normal weight, adolescents with increased BMI reported higher externalizing and internalizing scores. Traditional bullying and cyberbullying were both significant mediators in the two relationships. Sex moderated the pathway from BMI to cyberbullying. But sex did not moderate the relationship between BMI and traditional bullying. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight that it is imperative for educators to identify students who are subjected to weight-based bullying and provide them with recommendations for effective coping strategies. Meanwhile, both victims of traditional bullying and those affected by cyberbullying should be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts when developing a strategy to improve levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents with increased BMI.

The relationship between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors: A focus on the intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence.

BACKGROUND: Evidence consistently demonstrated that bullying victimization was associated with problematic behaviors among adolescents. However, scant attention has been given to simultaneous comparisons of the impacts of two distinct forms of victimization, traditional bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization. In addition, the mechanisms underlying the relationship between bullying victimization and problem behavior remain inadequately explored. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the correlation between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors, as well as the mediating roles of intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A sample of 26,450 adolescents with a mean age of 15.44 (SD = 0.56) across nine countries was derived from the Study on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES). METHODS: Data analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling, comprising three key components: the measurement model, the structural model, and the bootstrapping analysis for mediating effects. RESULTS: Both traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization exhibited positive correlations with problematic behaviors, with cyberbullying victimization demonstrating a stronger effect. The mediating effects of intrapersonal emotional competence and interpersonal social competence were observed in the correlation between bullying victimization and problematic behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study not only contributed to our comprehension of the underlying mechanisms connecting bullying victimization and adolescent problematic behaviors, but also holds significance for policy development and practice.

New Wine in an Old Bottle? Exposure to Bullying-Related Media and Bullying Perpetration Behavior in Daily Life Among Adolescents.

Although the effect of media violence on aggression has garnered major attention, little is known about the link between bullying-related media exposure and bullying behaviors. Across three studies, we examined this association among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 used a large sample of adolescents (n=10,391, 51.4% boys) to investigate the link between bullying-related media exposure and bullying perpetration. Using another adolescent sample (n=3,125, 49.5% boys), Study 2 replicated the findings from Study 1 and extended the investigation from traditional bullying to cyberbullying perpetration. Study 3 examined the longitudinal associations between bullying-related media exposure and (cyber)bullying perpetration 6 months later (n = 2,744, 47.0% boys). The results suggested a positive, albeit small, association between exposure to bullying-related media and (cyber)bullying perpetration. Importantly, personal anti-bullying attitudes moderated this link, with a significant association observed among adolescents holding weak anti-bullying attitudes. Findings are discussed with respect to the media's effect on bullying behaviors.