Position papers of the Society for Adolescent MedicineBullying and peer victimization: Position paper of the Society for Adolescent Medicine
Section snippets
Definition
The scientific literature on aggressive peer relations makes use of several different terms, including bullying, harassment and victimization. Although there may be subtle differences between these terms, they are all used to refer to behavior that is 1) aggressive or intended to harm; 2) carried out repeatedly and over time; and 3) occurs in an interpersonal relationship where a power imbalance exists [1]. A distinction is also made between direct and indirect behaviors. Direct bullying
Scope of the problem
It is estimated that up to three-quarters of young adolescents experience some types of bullying (such as rumors, name calling or public ridicule) and up to one-third report more extreme experiences of coercion or inappropriate touching [4]. In a large study of children in grades 6 through 10, 30% reported moderate or frequent involvement as a victim and/or perpetrator of bullying [5]. Direct bullying is more common among males, and indirect is more common among females [6]. Black youth report
Individual characteristics of victims
Youth who are victimized tend to be perceived as physically weaker and have fewer friends than those who are not victimized [8], [9], [10]. Gay, lesbian or bisexual adolescents are more likely to be victimized than their heterosexual peers [11], and overweight and obese adolescents suffer more harassment than normal weight teens, particularly among girls [12].
Consequences for victims
An Australian study found that victimization in middle adolescence predicted poorer physical health in later adolescence, controlling for baseline health status [13]. The psychosocial consequences of bullying are also significant: victims of bullying have reported increased rates of depression, suicidal ideation and loneliness [2], [5]. One study in particular showed that young people who had been bullied repeatedly throughout middle adolescence had lower self-esteem and higher depressive
Individual characteristics of perpetrators
Young people who engage in bullying behaviors tend to have higher levels of overall conduct problems [7], and are more likely to be involved in violence-related behaviors, such as weapon carrying and frequent fighting. These associations appear to persist into adulthood. For example, Olweus studied former bullies and found a 4-fold increase in criminal behavior at age 24 [17]. Sixty percent of the bullies had one conviction and 35 to 40% had 3 or more convictions.
It is important to note that
Environmental factors associated with bullying behavior
A variety of socio-environmental factors have been associated with the development of aggressive behavior in adolescence. General family characteristics, such as low involvement with parents, low parental warmth, low family cohesion and single-parent family structure have been found to be related to greater bullying among young people [8], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25]. Childhood experiences more germane to aggression, such as spanking and other physical discipline, inconsistent punishment,
Interventions to reduce bullying behavior
Comprehensive school-based interventions aimed at reducing bullying behavior attempt to reduce opportunities and rewards for bullying by publicizing school-wide rules; training teachers to recognize and halt bullying; holding classroom discussions; implementing curricular activities; and meeting individually with bullies, victims and their parents. Evaluations of these programs have shown mixed results [33]. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, developed in Norway by one of the leading
Positions
The Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM) supports the following positions:
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Bullying among peers, although common, is not acceptable social behavior among youth. Adults and adolescents are encouraged to prevent bullying behavior and to change the perception that such behavior is normative.
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Health care providers should be familiar with the characteristics of youth that may be involved in bullying, either as aggressors or victims. They need to be sensitive to signs and symptoms of bullying,
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Cited by (103)
Resilience mediates the association between school bullying victimization and self-harm in Chinese adolescents
2020, Journal of Affective DisordersBullying: the role of the clinician in prevention and intervention
2020, Clinician's Toolkit for Children's Behavioral HealthChildhood Bullying: Screening and Intervening Practices of Pediatric Primary Care Providers
2019, Journal of Pediatric Health CareCitation Excerpt :Multiple national pediatric organizations include a policy or position statement on bullying, such as the National Association of School Nurses, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the World Health Organization, and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. These statements, however, do not discuss specific screening methods to identify youth who have been involved with bullying (Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, 2009; Eisenberg & Aalsma, 2005; National Association of School Nurses, 2018; World Health Organization, 2015). These generalized position statements also do not include recommendations for evidence-based interventions to treat youth after they have been involved with bullying.
Bullying: What the PNP Needs to Know
2018, Journal of Pediatric Health CareThe Healthy Context Paradox: When Reducing Bullying comes at a Cost to Certain Victims
2022, Spanish Journal of Psychology