Trends in Social Inequality in Exposure to Bullying at School 1994-2018
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Published
Sep 13, 2019
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1-7
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Pernille Due
National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mogens Trab Damsgaard
National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Mette Rasmussen
National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Bjørn Evald Holstein
National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-1353 Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
Aims: To examine social inequality in exposure to bullying at school among adolescents and changes in social inequality over time. We applied data from seven nationally representative school surveys in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 in Denmark, the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study.
Methodology: The study population was 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds, response rate 87.9%, N=33,460 with comparable data about exposure to bullying and socioeconomic status. The analyses included 1) absolute social inequality, i.e. percent difference in exposure to bullying between low and high socioeconomic groups and 2) relative social inequality based on logistic regression analyses with odds ratios for exposure to bullying by socioeconomic background.
Results: The prevalence of exposure to bullying decreased from 24.4% in 1994 to 4.9% in 2018. Bullying was significantly most prevalent among schoolchildren from lower socioeconomic groups. The absolute social inequality decreased from 10.7% in 1994 to 3.9% in 2018. The relative social inequality was 1.30 (1.19-1.43) in middle and 1.77 (1.59-1.96) in low socioeconomic group, compared to high. There was no significant change in relative social inequality from 1994 to 2018.
Conclusion: In the period 1994 to 2018 with substantial reduction in exposure to bullying at school there was a decrease in the absolute social inequality and an unchanged relative social inequality in exposure to bullying.
Keywords:
Adolescents, bullying, health behaviour in school-aged children study, social inequality, socioeconomic status, trend study, victimization.
Article Details
How to Cite
Due, P., Damsgaard, M., Rasmussen, M., & Holstein, B. (2019). Trends in Social Inequality in Exposure to Bullying at School 1994-2018. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 32(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.9734/jesbs/2019/v32i130160
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Short communication
References
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Elgar FJ, Gariepy G, Dirks M, Walsh SD, Molcho M, Cosma A, et al. Association of Early-Life Exposure to Income Inequality With Bullying in Adolescence in 40 Countries. JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173: e191181.
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Kyriakides L, Kaloyirou C, Lindsay G. An analysis of the revised olweus bully/victim questionnaire using the rasch measurement model. Br J Educ Psychol. 2006;76:781-801.
Lien N, Friestad C, Klepp KI. Adolescents’ proxy reports of parents’ socioeconomic status: How valid are they. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001;55:731–7.
West P, Sweeting H, Speed E. We really do know what you do: A comparison of reports from 11 year olds and their parents in respect of parental economic activity and occupation. Sociol. 2001;35:539–59.
Pförtner TK, Günther S, Levin KA, Torsheim T, Richter M. The use of parental occupation in adolescent health surveys. An application of ISCO-based measures of occupational status. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2015;69: 177-84.
DOI: 10.1136/jech-2014-204529
Soares S, Brochado S, Barros H, Fraga S. Does cyberbullying prevalence among adolescents relate with country socioeconomic and development indicators? An ecological study of 31 countries. Violence Vict. 2017;32:771-90. DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-15-00139
Carvalho M, Branquinho C, Gaspar de Matos M. Emotional symptoms and risk behaviors in adolescents: Relationships with cyberbullying and implications on well-being. Violence Vict. 2018;33:871-85.
DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-16-00204
Due P, Krølner R, Rasmussen M, Andersen A, Damsgaard MT, Graham H, Holstein BE. Pathways and mechanisms in adolescence contribute to adult health inequalities. Scand J Public Health. 2011; 39(Suppl 6):62-78.
DOI: 10.1177/1403494810395989
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckv029
Due P, Holstein BE, Lynch J, Diderichsen F, Nic Gabhain S, Scheidt P, Currie C. Bullying and symptoms among school-aged children: International comparative cross sectional study in 28 countries. Eur J Public Health. 2005;15:128-32.
Inchley J, Currie D, Young T, Samdal O, Torsheim T, Augustson L, et al. eds. Growing up unequal: Gender and socioeconomic differences in young people’s health and well-being. Copenhagen: World Health Organization; 2016.
Brunstein Klomek A, Marrocco F, Kleinman M, Schonfeld IS, Gould MS. Bullying, depression, and suicidality in adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr. 2007; 46:40-9.
DOI: 10.1521/suli.2008.38.2.166
Vieno A, Gini G, Santinello M. Different forms of bullying and their association to smoking and drinking behavior in Italian adolescents. J School Health. 2011;81: 393-9.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2011.00607.x
Barzilay S, Brunstein Klomek A, Apter A, Carli V, Wasserman C, Hadlaczky G, et al. Bullying victimization and suicide ideation and behavior among adolescents in Europe: A 10-country study. J Adolesc Health. 2017;61:179-86,
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.02.002
Bowser J, Larson JD, Bellmore A, Olson C, Resnik F. Bullying victimization type and feeling unsafe in middle school. J Sch Nurs. 2018;34:256-62.
DOI: 10.1177/1059840518760983
Harel-Fisch Y, Walsh SD, Fogel-Grinvald H, Amitai G, Pickett W, Molcho M, et al. Negative school perceptions and involvement in school bullying: A universal relationship across 40 countries. J Adolesc. 2011;34:639-52.
DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.09.008
Hutson E. Integrative review of qualitative research on the emotional experience of bullying victimization in youth. J Sch Nurs. 2018;34:51-59.
DOI: 10.1177/1059840517740192
Copeland WE, Wolke D, Angold A, Costello EJ. Adult psychiatric outcomes of bullying and being bullied by peers in childhood and adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70:419-26.
DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.504
Lund R, Nielsen KK, Hansen DH, Kriegbaum M, Molbo D, Due P, Christensen U. Exposure to bullying at school and depression in adulthood: A study of Danish men born in 1953. Eur J Public Health. 2009;19:111-6.
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckn101
Takizawa R, Maughan B, Arseneault L. Adult health outcomes of childhood bullying victimization: Evidence from a five-decade longitudinal British birth cohort. Am J Psychiatr. 2014;171:777-84.
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2014
Wolke D, Copeland WE, Angold A, Costello EJ. Impact of bullying in childhood on adult health, wealth, crime, and social outcomes. Psychol Sci. 2013;24:1958-70. DOI: 10.1177/0956797613481608
Winsper C, Lereya T, Zanarini M, Wolke D. Involvement in bullying and suicide-related behavior at 11 years: A prospective birth cohort study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatr. 2012;51:271-82.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.01.001
Due P, Merlo J, Harel-Fisch Y, Damsgaard MT, Holstein BE, Hetland J. Socioeconomic inequality in exposure to bullying during adolescence: A comparative cross-sectional, multilevel study in 35 countries. Am J Public Health. 2009;99:907-14.
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2008.139303
Tippett N, Wolke D. Socioeconomic status and bullying: A meta analysis. Am J Public Health. 2014;104:e48-59.
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301960
Elgar FJ, Gariepy G, Dirks M, Walsh SD, Molcho M, Cosma A, et al. Association of Early-Life Exposure to Income Inequality With Bullying in Adolescence in 40 Countries. JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173: e191181.
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1181
Bradshaw CP. Translating research to practice in bullying prevention. Am Psychol. 2015;70:322-32.
DOI: 10.1037/a0039114
Due P, Damsgaard MT, Lund R, Holstein BE. Is bullying equally harmful for rich and poor children? A study of bullying and depression from age 15 to 27. Eur J Public Health. 2009;19:464-9.
DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckp099
Roberts C, Freeman J, Samdal O, Schnohr CW, de Looze ME, Gabhainn SN, et al. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study: Methodological developments and current tensions. Int J Public Health. 2009;54:140-50.
DOI: 10.1007/s00038-009-5405-9
Kyriakides L, Kaloyirou C, Lindsay G. An analysis of the revised olweus bully/victim questionnaire using the rasch measurement model. Br J Educ Psychol. 2006;76:781-801.
Lien N, Friestad C, Klepp KI. Adolescents’ proxy reports of parents’ socioeconomic status: How valid are they. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2001;55:731–7.
West P, Sweeting H, Speed E. We really do know what you do: A comparison of reports from 11 year olds and their parents in respect of parental economic activity and occupation. Sociol. 2001;35:539–59.
Pförtner TK, Günther S, Levin KA, Torsheim T, Richter M. The use of parental occupation in adolescent health surveys. An application of ISCO-based measures of occupational status. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2015;69: 177-84.
DOI: 10.1136/jech-2014-204529
Soares S, Brochado S, Barros H, Fraga S. Does cyberbullying prevalence among adolescents relate with country socioeconomic and development indicators? An ecological study of 31 countries. Violence Vict. 2017;32:771-90. DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-15-00139
Carvalho M, Branquinho C, Gaspar de Matos M. Emotional symptoms and risk behaviors in adolescents: Relationships with cyberbullying and implications on well-being. Violence Vict. 2018;33:871-85.
DOI: 10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-16-00204
Due P, Krølner R, Rasmussen M, Andersen A, Damsgaard MT, Graham H, Holstein BE. Pathways and mechanisms in adolescence contribute to adult health inequalities. Scand J Public Health. 2011; 39(Suppl 6):62-78.
DOI: 10.1177/1403494810395989