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Abstract

A great deal of research has investigated weight as a predictor for bullying victimization. However, weight is rarely examined in light of its potential role in explaining bullying perpetration, despite the fact that the definition of bullying typically requires a power imbalance, which can refer to either social power or physical size. Using negative binomial regressions, we investigated weight as a predictor of overt and relational bullying behaviors for a sample of 3208 6th–8th graders from 11 schools in a northeastern state. We examined whether this relationship differs by gender, and we explored whether objective size or perception of size is more predictive of perpetration. We also examined whether certain protective factors, like a positive school environment, moderated the effect of weight on bullying perpetration. We found that students who reported a higher BMI engaged in more overt, but not relational, bullying perpetration. Interestingly, students with misperceptions about their weight reported higher levels of both types of bullying perpetration, while students reporting a more positive school climate engaged in less overt and relational bullying. We also found gender differences in that girls are statistically more likely to commit overt bullying if they have a higher BMI. Our results suggest that prevention programs should address weight as a predictor of bullying behaviors, especially for girls, but also that body image and misperception of weight are important topics for prevention programs.
J Child Fam Stud (2017) 26:21012113
DOI 10.1007/s10826-017-0740-6
ORIGINAL PAPER
Weight, Perceptions, and Bullying: What Kind of Pounds Matter?
Natalie Schell-Busey
1
Nadine M. Connell
2
Lindsay Kahle
3
Published online: 3 May 2017
© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017
Abstract A great deal of research has investigated weight
as a predictor for bullying victimization. However, weight is
rarely examined in light of its potential role in explaining
bullying perpetration, despite the fact that the denition of
bullying typically requires a power imbalance, which can
refer to either social power or physical size. Using negative
binomial regressions, we investigated weight as a predictor
of overt and relational bullying behaviors for a sample of
3208 6th8th graders from 11 schools in a northeastern
state. We examined whether this relationship differs by
gender, and we explored whether objective size or percep-
tion of size is more predictive of perpetration. We also
examined whether certain protective factors, like a positive
school environment, moderated the effect of weight on
bullying perpetration. We found that students who reported
a higher BMI engaged in more overt, but not relational,
bullying perpetration. Interestingly, students with mis-
perceptions about their weight reported higher levels of both
types of bullying perpetration, while students reporting a
more positive school climate engaged in less overt and
relational bullying. We also found gender differences in that
girls are statistically more likely to commit overt bullying if
they have a higher BMI. Our results suggest that prevention
programs should address weight as a predictor of bullying
behaviors, especially for girls, but also that body image and
misperception of weight are important topics for prevention
programs.
Keywords Bullying Weight Gender differences Body
image BMI
Introduction
Bullying is a pervasive issue affecting youth worldwide,
and has been identied as a prominent health concern
among children and adolescents (Reulbach et al. 2013).
About 30% of adolescents report being bullied annually,
and as many as 23% report being bullied on a weekly or
daily basis (Craig et al. 2009; Lumeng et al. 2010;OMoore
et al. 1997; Robers et al. 2010). Bullying has garnered the
attention of public health ofcials and researchers alike
because of the numerous negative consequences of the
behavior. Studies nd that youth involved in bullying are at
increased risk for poor educational performance, high tru-
ancy rates, substance abuse, sleep deprivation, lower self-
esteem, higher rates of depression, and even suicide
(Espelage and Swearer 2010; Finkelhor 2008; Gini and
Pozzoli 2009; Hawker and Boulton 2000; Klomek et al.
2009; Olweus 1993).
Thus, what makes youth more susceptible to bullying is a
grave concern. Some research suggests that an adolescents
appearance, specically their weight, is one prominent
reason for bullying victimization (Frisen et al. 2007). While
other characteristics, such as socio-economic status, race
and ethnicity, and gender, also can make youth more sus-
ceptible to bullying behaviors (Augustine et al. 2002; Fin-
kelhor and Asdigian 1996; Hanish and Guerra 2000),
*Natalie Schell-Busey
schell-busey@rowan.edu
1
Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Rd., Glassboro, NJ 08028,
USA
2
The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
3
Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
... Weight-or appearance-based teasing online or offline is a common experience during adolescence [49][50][51], reported by at least one-fifth of youth [49], and prospectively related to body dissatisfaction and monitoring in both boys and girls [52][53][54]. Compared to their peers, youth who have overweight and obesity are more likely to be targets of bullying and experience more frequent victimization [55][56][57]. Qualitative evidence suggests that underweight peers are also subject to teasing due to their underdeveloped physique, and boys report concerns about being targeted by stronger peers [58]. Some evidence suggests that links between weight status and victimization are attenuated when body satisfaction or perceived weight is accounted for [59][60][61][62]. ...
... In a large Canadian study, 46.8% of girls reported someone saying something bad about their body shape, size, or appearance at least once in the last year, compared to 28.0% of boys [91]. Overall, while the current 8 Journal of Obesity study is limited in knowing the target of the bullying, results fit with evidence of the prevalence of weight-based bullying, particularly verbal teasing, experienced by youth [55][56][57] and associations between bullying and WP independent of BMI classification [61,[63][64][65]. ...
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Full-text available
Overall, perceptions of being at “about the right weight” appear advantageous for youth physical and mental health, regardless of BMI classification, whereas perceptions at either extreme (overweight or underweight) may negatively impact health behaviours and mental health. Instead of considering weight misperceptions as problematic, some researchers have proposed that underestimations of weight status may offer resiliency among individuals with overweight or obesity. Promoting “about right” WPs and preventing change to overweight or underweight perceptions may offer an effective public health strategy for supporting youth health over time. However, limited prospective evidence exists on factors that shape perceptions of weight status over time. The current study examined modifiable predictors of one-year change in weight perception among youths. We used 2-year linked data of 18,112 grade 9–12 students from Year 3 (Y3:2014–2015) and Year 4 (Y4:2015–2016) of the COMPASS study. Generalized Estimating Equation models tested screen use, physical activity, and bullying victimization as predictors of change from perceptions of “about the right weight” to “overweight” or “underweight” perceptions, adjusting for Y3 covariates (body mass index, ethnicity, and grade) and school cluster. Results support the value of team sports among females and resistance exercise among males as protective against changes to overweight or underweight perceptions over one year. Also, various forms of bullying victimization predicted overweight perceptions in males and females. Watching TV/movies or messaging/texting for over 2 hours/day was associated with overweight and underweight perceptions, respectively, in females only. Playing video/computer games for over 2 hours/day was associated with overweight perceptions in males and underweight perceptions in females. Findings support the potential of bullying prevention, limiting certain screen use, and supporting engagement in team sports for females and resistance exercise for males as strategies to maintain perceptions of being at “about the right weight.” 1. Introduction Body image represents a multidimensional construct, encompassing how individuals view, feel, think, and act toward their physical appearance [1]. Weight perception (WP) refers to individuals’ subjective appraisal of their body weight. In the research literature, misperceptions have been said to occur when there is a discrepancy between individuals’ self-perceptions of their weight and their “objective” or measured weight status (as typically defined by body mass index (BMI) classification). WPs have long been studied in the eating disorders field and, more recently, emerged in the obesity literature. Several researchers became concerned that individuals with overweight or obesity may not perceive their weight as such and recommended correcting these perceptions to motivate weight loss [2–5]. Indeed, about one-third of youths report WPs that differ from their BMI classification [6–8]. However, consistent research indicates that such strategies are likely to have unintended and adverse consequences. While overweight perceptions predict weight loss intentions [3, 7–11], several longitudinal studies have found perceptions of overweight to predict greater weight gain over time than “about right” perceptions [12–16]. Moreover, overweight perceptions are associated with less healthy diets, more sedentary behaviour, shorter sleep, less physical activity (PA), and an elevated risk of disordered weight-control behaviours (e.g., purging and fasting), in comparison to perceptions of being at “about the right weight” [4, 7–9, 15, 17–21]. Likewise, although they have received relatively limited research attention, perceptions of being underweight are shown to predict lower engagement in PA and less healthy diets (e.g., greater consumption of fast food, unhealthy snacks, sugar sweetened beverages, and energy drinks), than WPs of “about right.” [8, 21, 22]. Overweight and underweight perceptions also appear detrimental for youth mental health [23]. Prospective studies have found individuals who report being at “about the right weight” experience fewer depressive symptoms over time than their peers with overweight perceptions [24–26]. In fact, WPs partially account for many of the adverse psychosocial outcomes that have been associated with obesity (e.g., depression, suicidal ideation, and lower health-related quality of life) [3, 24, 27–32]. Similarly, underweight perceptions are associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and social anxiety in males [23, 33, 34] and suicidality [27, 35] and lower health-related quality of life [29] in all youth. Overall, perceptions of being at “about the right weight” appear advantageous for youth physical and mental health, regardless of BMI classification, whereas perceptions at either extreme (overweight or underweight) have negative effects on health behaviours and mental health. Instead of considering weight misperceptions as problematic, some researchers have proposed that underestimations of weight status may offer resiliency among individuals with overweight or obesity [26]. Promoting “about right” WPs and preventing change to overweight or underweight perceptions may offer an effective public health strategy for supporting youth health over time. However, the primary focus of WP research has been on correlates or outcomes of misperceptions, with limited prospective evidence on factors that shape perceptions of weight status. Existing literature largely consists of cross-sectional designs or differences by sociodemographic variables, but many associated variables may represent consequences of WPs rather than (or in addition to) predictors (e.g., differences in PA engagement) or are not modifiable to inform interventions (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity, and family/peer BMI). The purpose of the current study is to explore predictors of changes in WPs among youths. In particular, we examined whether bullying victimization, screen media use, and PA participation influenced the likelihood of youth changing from perceptions of being at “about the right weight” to reporting overweight or underweight perceptions over one year. We also examined whether these relationships differed by sex. 1.1. Screen Media Use The Tripartite Influence Model posits exposure to three primary sources of influence, parents, peers, and media, contributing to the development of body image, mediated by appearance comparisons and internalization of societal appearance standards [36, 37]. Extensive body image research has examined the impact of media exposure, but the majority is exclusive to body dissatisfaction (i.e., the extent to which one experiences displeasure with his or her body) [38], rather than WPs and has been conducted in females only. The influence of screen media use likely varies by type and gender. Past body image literature largely centers around passive media viewing, such as print and television, where the concern was comparisons to celebrities and thin-idealized messages. In newer interactive forms, youth actively give and receive appearance-related feedback with peers. Extant research suggests internet use and social media have similar [39] or worse [40] effects on body satisfaction than traditional forms. Body comparisons to peers, and particularly with close friends, appear to have an equal to stronger influence on body ideals and satisfaction relative to that of celebrities [41–43]. On the other hand, social media may expose youth to the more varied body sizes of their peers, potentially having a normative effect on WPs. In support, experimental evidence shows that individuals view their bodies as smaller after exposure to normal or overweight images, relative to exposure to underweight images [44]. Female body image has generally been considered more responsive to social contexts and mass media [45–47], but this may reflect the focus on overweight concerns, without consideration of muscularity and underweight perceptions that are more common in males [6–8, 48]. 1.2. Bullying Victimization Screen use may influence WP not only through social comparisons but by exposure to cyber-bullying. Weight- or appearance-based teasing online or offline is a common experience during adolescence [49–51], reported by at least one-fifth of youth [49], and prospectively related to body dissatisfaction and monitoring in both boys and girls [52–54]. Compared to their peers, youth who have overweight and obesity are more likely to be targets of bullying and experience more frequent victimization [55–57]. Qualitative evidence suggests that underweight peers are also subject to teasing due to their underdeveloped physique, and boys report concerns about being targeted by stronger peers [58]. Some evidence suggests that links between weight status and victimization are attenuated when body satisfaction or perceived weight is accounted for [59–62]. Several cross-sectional studies demonstrate an association between bullying victimization and WPs of either overweight or underweight [61, 63–65]. Different forms of bullying engagement may lead youths to perceive their weight as overweight or underweight, with relationships potentially varied by gender, but no longitudinal studies have tested bullying as a predictor of WP changes. 1.3. PA Engagement Body-related teasing and peer body surveillance often occur in the context of sports and other physical activities, where appearance tends to be more exposed [58, 66, 67]. Many cross-sectional studies have linked PA engagement to WPs [68, 69], which has typically been interpreted as WPs influencing PA engagement. Indeed, prospective evidence demonstrates underweight and overweight perceptions to predict lower PA than “about right” perceptions [8]; however, scant research has tested the reverse. A recent study found that adolescents who regularly practiced sports outside of school hours had more accurate body size perception than their peers not engaged in any extracurricular PA [70]. Concerns of adverse effects have typically centered around more weight-sensitive and aesthetically focused sports where thinness is considered advantageous, yet activities emphasizing muscularity also present risks for body image disturbance [71, 72]. In males, qualitative research suggests that sport and physical education settings provide important forums to compare their body to peers and discuss muscularity [58, 67, 73]. Adolescent boys report that an athletic, slim, strong, and muscular body aesthetic is necessary for sports participation, with those not conforming to this ideal subjected to teasing [67, 73]. Therefore, PA participation has the potential to be protective for WP or promote underweight or overweight perceptions, depending on context and gender. 2. Methods 2.1. Design The COMPASS (Cannabis use, Obesity, Mental health, PA, Alcohol use, Smoking, Sedentary Behaviour) study is an ongoing (2012–2021) prospective study designed to collect hierarchical longitudinal data once annually from students in grades 9 through 12 and the secondary schools they attend [74]. School boards and schools were purposefully selected based on whether they permitted active-information passive-consent parental permission protocols [74], which are critical for collecting robust data among youth [75]. All grade 9 through 12 students attending participating schools were eligible to participate and could decline at any time. A full description of COMPASS and its methods are available in print [74] or online (http://www.compass.uwaterloo.ca). All procedures were approved by the University of Waterloo and Brock University Office of Research Ethics and appropriate school board committees. 2.2. Participants The current study used linked student-level data from Year 3 (Y3: 2014–2015) and Year 4 (Y4: 2015–2016) of the study. In Y3, data were collected from 42,355 youth (79.3% participation rate) in 87 secondary schools in Ontario (n = 39,013 at 78 schools) and Alberta (n = 3342 at 9 schools). In Y4, data were collected from 40,436 students in 81 schools (9 Alberta schools; 72 Ontario schools (7 withdrew due to labour issues/illness, 1 new school)) [76]. Missing respondents resulted primarily from scheduled free/study periods or absenteeism during data collection. To explore longitudinal changes among respondents, Y3 and Y4 student-level data were linked within schools (80 schools participated in both Y3 and Y4). The process of linking student data across waves is described in more detail by Qian and colleagues [77]. Due to the rolling sample design [74], it was not possible to link students who were in grade 12 at first participation and graduated that year or the grade 9 students that were newly admitted to participating schools in Y4. The other main reasons for nonlinkage included students transferring schools or dropping out, students not providing data for grade or sex (232), students on scheduled free/study periods or absent during data collection, or inaccurate data provided in the linkage measures. A total of 17,880 students were successfully linked for the two years of data collection. The final sample consisted of 17,475 youth, after removing students missing WP data for Y3 (237) and/or Y4 (184). 2.3. Data Collection Tool Student-level data were collected using the COMPASS student questionnaire (Cq), a paper-based survey designed to collect student-reported data on multiple health behaviours, correlates, and demographic variables from full school samples during one classroom period. Cq items were based on the national standards or current national public health guidelines as described elsewhere [74]. The cover page contains measures to create a unique self-generated code for each respondent in a school to ensure the anonymity of participants, while still allowing COMPASS researchers to link each student’s anonymous identifier data over multiple years [78]. 2.4. Measures 2.4.1. WP Consistent with previous studies [8], WP was assessed by asking “how do you describe your weight?” Response options included the following: “very underweight,” “slightly underweight,” “about the right weight,” “slightly overweight,” and “very overweight.” Responses of “very underweight” and “slightly underweight” and of “very overweight” and “slightly overweight” were collapsed into “underweight” and “overweight,” respectively. Changes from perceptions of “about the right weight” to perceptions of “overweight” or to “underweight” were modelled. 2.4.2. PA Measures The PA measures have been previously validated [79]. To assess moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), respondents were asked how many minutes of hard- and moderate-intensity PA they engaged in on each of the last 7 days. Consistent with the Canadian PA guidelines for youth [80], students were classified based on whether they had performed at least 60 minutes of daily MVPA on each of the last 7 days. Similarly, students were categorized based on whether they met the three times weekly recommendation for resistance exercise [81], by asking “on how many days in the last 7 days did you do exercises to strengthen or tone your muscles (e.g., push-ups, sit-ups, and weight training)?” Other PA items assessed whether respondents participated in competitive sports teams against other schools (e.g., varsity sports), league or team sports outside of school, and school-organized PA at noon, before, or after school (e.g., intramurals and noncompetitive clubs). 2.4.3. Screen Use Using previously validated measures [82], screen time was assessed by asking students the average time in hours and minutes per day that they spent: “watching/streaming TV shows or movies,” “playing video/computer games,” “talking on the phone,” “surfing the internet,” and “texting, messaging, emailing.” Responses were categorized based on whether they exceeded two hours per day on average for each type of screen use. 2.4.4. Bullying Victimization Bullying victimization was assessed by the following question: “in the last 30 days, in what ways were you bullied by other students? (mark all that apply).” Provided response options included the following: “I have not been bullied in the last 30 days,” “physical attacks (e.g., getting beaten up, pushed, or kicked),” “verbal attacks (e.g., getting teased, threatened, or having rumours spread about you),” “cyber-attacks (e.g., being sent mean text messages or having rumours spread about you on the internet),” and “had someone steal from you or damage your things.” Responses were dichotomized according to whether they reported having experienced each form of bullying in the last 30 days. 2.4.5. Covariate and Stratifying Measures Models were adjusted for student-reported race/ethnicity (white, nonwhite minority (black, Asian, indigenous [Métis, Inuit, First Nations], Hispanic/Latin American, others), grade (9–12), and BMI (kg/m²) category (recoded as underweight, normal weight, overweight/obesity, and missing). BMI classifications were determined based on student-reported height and weight [83] and the World Health Organization’s [78] age- and sex-adjusted cutoff points. The weight status measure has been found to be reliable, valid, and valuable for use when objective methods are not feasible [84]. Missing BMI was included as category, due to the high amount of missing data (due to missing height, weight, age, or sex). Regression models were stratified by student-reported sex (male, female). 2.5. Analyses All analyses were performed using the statistical package SAS 9.4. Descriptive statistics were calculated by sex. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) models were used, with independent working correlation for multinomial outcomes [85]. The GEE model is an extension of generalized linear models to correlated data, simply modelling the mean response and treating covariance as nuisance. It produces consistent estimates for regression parameters. Models tested Y4 measures of types of PA participation, bullying victimization, and screen use as predictors of changes to Y4 WPs of “overweight” or “underweight” (reference category: Y4 “about the right weight”), adjusting for Y3 covariates (grade, ethnicity, BMI classification), in youth with a Y3 WP of “about the right weight.” Models were stratified by sex and adjusted for Y3 covariates (grade, ethnicity, BMI classification). Schools were included in the models as clusters to take account of within-school correlation. 3. Results 3.1. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics for all variables in Y3 are presented in Table 1. The majority of the sample identified as white (72.6% females; 68.3% males) and 52.3% as indicated they were female. Females were more likely than males to report experiences of verbal bullying or cyber-bullying victimization in the last 30 days (16.9% vs. 11.9% and 7.5% vs. 2.2%, respectively), while males were more likely to report physical attacks (3.2% vs. 1.2%) or having their belongings stolen or damaged (3.1% vs. 2.3%) than females. More males than females met the MVPA (58.1% vs. 47.5%) and resistance exercise guidelines (57.4% vs. 50.3%) and played competitive (41.9% vs. 37.6%) and noncompetitive school sports (48.4% vs. 39.6%), while more females played sports outside of school than males (45.3% vs. 39.9%). A higher portion of males played video/computer games in excess of 2 hours a day (49.1% vs. 10.5%); females outnumbered males in exceeding 2 hours per day for all other forms of screen use. Female (n = 9225) Male (n = 8655) Chi-square % (n)b % (n)b value Grade 9 35.7 (3295) 38.0 (3286) <0.0001 10 34.8 (3209) 34.5 (2989) 11 28.2 (2601) 25.6 (2214) 12 1.3 (120) 1.9 (166) Ethnicity White 72.6 (6698) 68.3 (5911) <0.0001 Nonwhite 27.4 (2527) 31.7 (2744) BMI classificationa Underweight 1.3 (117) 1.6 (135) <0.0001 Normal weight 59.5 (5492) 51.9 (4490) Overweight/obesity 15.0 (1383) 25.6 (2217) Missing BMI 24.2 (2233) 20.9 (1813) WP Underweight 11.0 (1006) 21.9 (1864) <0.0001 “About right” 57.5 (5237) 55.9 (4767) Overweight 31.5 (2872) 22.2 (1897) PA School-organized PA (e.g., intramurals) Yes 39.6 (3631) 48.4 (4135) <0.0001 No 60.4 (5535) 51.6 (4415) School league/team sports (e.g., varsity) Yes 37.6 (3445) 41.9 (3588) <0.0001 No 62.4 (5710) 58.1 (4974) League/team sports outside of school Yes 47.5 (4338) 58.1 (4975) <0.0001 No 52.5 (4797) 41.9 (3587) Met MVPA guidelinesc Yes 47.5 (4338) 58.1 (4975) <0.0001 No 52.5 (4797) 41.9 (3587) Met resistance exercise guidelinesc Yes 50.3 (4601) 57.4 (4900) <0.0001 No 49.7 (4552) 42.6 (3644) Screen time TV/movies ≤2 hours/day 43.6 (4012) 47.6 (4112) <0.0001 >2 hours/day 56.4 (5200) 52.4 (4526) Video/computer games ≤2 hours/day 89.5 (8248) 50.9 (4398) <0.0001 >2 hours/day 10.5 (964) 49.1 (4240) Surfing the Internet ≤2 hours/day 48.1 (4432) 61.7 (5327) <0.0001 >2 hours/day 51.9 (4780) 38.3 (3311) Talking on the telephone ≤2 hours/day 89.1 (8204) 94.0 (8117) <0.0001 >2 hours/day 10.9 (1008) 6.0 (521) Texting/messaging/emailing ≤2 hours/day 48.1 (4429) 67.6 (5842) <0.0001 >2 hours/day 51.9 (4780) 32.4 (2796) Bullying victimization in the last 30 days Physical Yes 1.2 (107) 3.2 (273) <0.0001 No 98.8 (9118) 96.8 (8382) Verbal Yes 16.9 (1557) 11.9 (1031) <0.0001 No 83.1 (7668) 88.1 (7624) Cyber Yes 7.5 (692) 2.2 (191) <0.0001 No 92.5 (8533) 97.8 (8464) Stolen/damaged belongings Yes 2.3 (214) 3.1 (265) <0.0001 No 97.7 (9011) 96.9 (8390) aBMI classification based on self-reported height and weight and age- and sex-adjusted cutoffs. bNumbers may not add to total due to rounding and/or missing data. cBased on PA guidelines for youths doing at least 60 min/day of MVPA and strengthening exercises at least 3 days/week.
... Entre los factores asociados al acoso escolar se encuentra: estado socioeconómico, edad, sexo, nivel académico, consumo de drogas 8 , orientación sexual 9 , estado nutricional 10 , entre otros; es una situación latente en todos los estratos socioeconómicos 11 ; según la edad y sexo, algunos estudios demuestran que el acoso en los varones es más frecuente que en las mujeres y a medida que se incrementa la edad hay menor probabilidad de sufrirlo 12 . En cuanto al estado nutricional, se ha Jimbo Jimbo Ana Cristina, Huiracocha Tutivén María de Lourdes, Bermeo Guartambel Ximena Margoth reportado en infantes escolares como un factor asociado a la presencia de bullying, la obesidad; pues el peso se considera un predictor tanto para ser víctima de intimidación o de comportamientos de amenaza; es decir, de agresor 13,14 . A su vez, se ha observado que se asocia con una mayor probabilidad de sobrepeso entre las mujeres 15 . ...
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Introducción: el bullying acontece en aproximadamente 246 millones de niños y adolescentes a nivel mundial, en Ecuador 2 de cada 10 menores son los afectados, se asocia a factores biopsicosociales, entre ellos la malnutrición. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de bullying en niños y adolescentes, sus diferentes roles y su asociación con la malnutrición. Metodología: estudio cuantitativo, analítico y transversal, realizado en la emergencia pediátrica del Hospital “José Carrasco Arteaga” durante el 2019; la muestra fue conformada por 325 pacientes con edades comprendidas entre 9 a 15 años, a quienes se aplicó el test European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (EBIPQ) para determinar la presencia de bullying; además, se calculó el Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC) para determinar el estado nutricional de los participantes. Para establecer la relación con la malnutrición se utilizó la prueba de Chi cuadrado y para la correlación se empleó Taub- Kendall. Resultados: la prevalencia de bullying fue 41.8%, 50.7% para el sexo masculino y 49.3 % en el sexo femenino; el 71.3% fueron adolescentes, el 64% presentaron un adecuado estado nutricional. No se encontró asociación estadística entre bullying y malnutrición. Conclusiones: la prevalencia de bullying es similar en niños y adolescentes de ambos sexos, destacando que su estado nutricional no se encontró alterado, además, no constituye una condición para ejercer el rol de víctima, agresor o víctima agresor.
... size. Previous research has found greater overt (i.e., direct), as opposed to relational (i.e., indirect), perpetration among adolescents who reported a higher BMI (Schell-Busey et al., 2017). Youth who are physically bullied may recognize their size as a strength in a physical power differential situation, potentially elevating appreciation for one's body, i.e., BE. ...
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Introduction The present study examined the relationships between bullying victimization experiences, body esteem (BE), and body dissatisfaction (BD) by obesity status. Methods Using a cross‐sectional design, adolescents (10‐16y) from the U.S. completed surveys. Weight and height were objectively assessed. Bullying was assessed using the Personal Experiences Checklist, with a total score that included three subscales (cyber, verbal‐relational, and physical). BE was assessed using total score on the BE Scale, and BD was assessed using the Body Image Assessment for Pre‐Adolescents, operationalized as the discrepancy between current and ideal body figure. Linear regression models, controlling for sociodemographics, were used to examine obesity status (with vs. without obesity) and sex as moderators of the relationships between bullying, BE, and BD. Results On average, adolescents (n = 328) were 12.6 ± 1.9 y, 45.4% male, 58.2% White, 35.7% Black, and 36.0% had obesity. Obesity status moderated the relationship between bullying experiences and BE, such that these relationships were only significant (B = −0.38, p<.05) among adolescents with obesity compared to adolescents without obesity. In both groups, greater verbal‐relational bullying experiences were associated with lower BE, while greater physical bullying experiences were related to higher BE only among adolescents with obesity. In adolescent girls without obesity, greater cyberbullying experiences were associated with lower BD. Conclusions The findings suggest different associations between sub‐types of bullying victimization experiences and BE and BD, highlighting the importance of examining these associations separately by obesity status.
... A previous study found a positive correlation between the consumption of psychoactive substances, specifically cigarettes and alcohol, and maladaptive behaviors such as bullying perpetration [11]. A higher Body Mass Index (BMI) was also positively linked to bullying perpetration [12], with a greater prevalence of obese or overweight students among bullies [13]. ...
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Background: Presently, 1 in 4 Lebanese adolescents is involved in bullying, with 12% being perpetrators. In Lebanon, around 90% of bullying incidents occur in schools. Given the lack of studies assessing individual and contextual variables associated with bullying perpetration in Lebanon, this study aims to identify and target risk factors of bullying perpetration among Lebanese adolescents, which would serve future prevention and intervention programs. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and May 2019 using a proportionate random sample of schools from all Lebanese districts. Out of the 2000 questionnaires distributed, 1810 (90.5%) were completed and collected back. Results: Results showed that 831 (49.1%, CI: 0.46 – 0.51) participants had bullied other people. Items on the bullying scale converged on a one-factor solution with Eigenvalues greater than 1, accounting for a total of 73.63% of the variance (αCronbach=0.955). Higher psychological (Beta=0.12), sexual (Beta=0.26), neglect (Beta=0.08), and physical abuse (Beta=0.13), higher internet addiction (Beta=0.07), higher social fear (Beta=0.10), and having separated parents (Beta=1.60) were significantly associated with more bullying perpetration. Higher social avoidance (Beta=-0.03) was significantly associated with less bullying perpetration. Conclusion: This study has public health value and could shed light on social and psychological factors related to bullying perpetration among adolescents.
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Obese youth are at increased risk for peer victimization, which may heighten their risk of psychosocial problems and physical activity avoidance, and lower the effectiveness of professional and lifestyle weight-loss initiatives. Little is known about obese adolescents' risk for victimization from cyber-bullying and how this relates to psychosocial functioning and healthy lifestyle barriers. The purpose of the study was to assess traditional and cyber-victimization among adolescents with severe obesity and its relation to psychosocial distress and barriers to healthy lifestyles. A sample of 102 obese adolescents (mean age = 15.32 +/-1.71) in residential treatment was matched with 102 normal-weight youngsters from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (mean age = 15.30 +/-1.73). Adolescents with obesity were significantly more often cyber-victimized than normal-weight peers. Obese youth victimized by traditional bullying experienced lower quality of life, lower motivation for physical activity and higher avoidance and emotional coping towards healthy lifestyles than those non-victimized. Obese cyber-victims experienced significantly higher suicidal ideation. Traditional and cyber-victimization may hinder treatment effectiveness and healthy lifestyle change in adolescents with obesity. Health professionals should pro-actively address peer victimization and psychosocial functioning during multidisciplinary obesity treatment. Schools could contribute to a better physical and psychosocial health of obese youth by implementing multi-behavioral health-promotion programs.
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The current study investigates the longitudinal association, across a 1-year period, between self-esteem and narcissism with bullying and peer victimization. The sample consisted of 1,416 (50.1% girls) Greek Cypriot early adolescents (M age = 12.89) who completed a battery of self-report measures. The small correlation found between self-esteem and narcissism suggests that the two constructs are distinct from one another. Results from the Hierarchical Linear Regression analyses suggested that the combination of low self-esteem (i.e., fragile self-concept) with high narcissism (i.e., grandiose self-view) may contribute to the continuation of both bullying and victimization. Person-centered analyses clarified narcissism predicted membership into “bully” and “bully-victim” groups, although “bullies” were distinguished by low self-esteem when compared with uninvolved children. Current findings can help provide an explanation of the inconsistency reported in the literature in terms of the association between self-esteem and bullying behavior, in that low self-esteem is more strongly associated with bullying for narcissistic youth.
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Little is known about how ethnic identity influences bullying. Using a racially diverse sample, we examine how within-race perceptions match experiences. We utilize bivariate probit regression to examine the correlation between actual and perceived victimization and bullying experiences. Results suggest no differences in victimization by ethnicity but perceived victimization differed across groups. Perceived and actual bullying differed across all groups. School climate acted as a protective factor against bullying and victimization, but school diversity increased the likelihood of bullying by whites and Latinos. These findings shed light on the importance of ethnic identity in understanding the etiology of bullying.
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Preventing bullying requires a comprehensive approach that includes a focus on school climate. We review the climate features shown to reduce bullying, then illustrate how School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) applies these principles in practice. SWPBIS, grounded in multiple theories—behaviorism, social learning theory, prevention science, and systems change—is designed to build a positive school climate by defining and consistently reinforcing positive behavioral norms. SWPBIS focuses on teaching and acknowledging positive behavior and addressing environmental conditions that exacerbate problem behavior. This positive approach changes behavior without the negative interactions associated with punitive discipline while establishing school climates that promote protective factors and mitigate risk factors. Schools implementing SWPBIS have reported less bullying and student victimization, fewer problem behaviors, and increased feelings of safety.
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Research suggests that overweight and obese youth are stigmatized in contemporary society, and are more likely than normal weight youth to become the victims of bullying. In the current study meta-analyses were performed to analyze to what extent overweight and obese youths are more likely than normal weight youths to be the victims of bullying. The databases Psychinfo, ERIC and Medline were searched for relevant articles. Retrieved articles were scanned to find further articles. Language was not used as an exclusion criterion. A total of 14 articles (N=55,231) were included in a meta-analysis on bullying and overweight youths, and a total of 16 articles (N=60,036) were included in a meta-analysis on bullying and obese youths. The results suggested that both overweight and obese youths were more likely to be victims of bullying. The results were not moderated by gender, overweight and obese boys and girls were equally likely to be victimized. Results remained significant after adjustment for publication bias. Both overweight and obesity are risk factors for being a victim of bullying.International Journal of Obesity accepted article preview online, 08 July 2014; doi:10.1038/ijo.2014.117.