Mathilde M Husky1, Emma Delbasty2, Adina Bitfoi3, Mauro Giovanni Carta4, Dietmar Goelitz5, Ceren Koç6, Sigita Lesinskiene7, Zlatka Mihova8, Roy Otten9, Viviane Kovess-Masfety10. 1. Université de Bordeaux, Laboratoire de psychologie EA4139, 3 ter, place de la Victoire, 33076, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: mathilde.husky@gmail.com. 2. Université de Bordeaux, Faculté de Psychologie, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: emma.delbasty@etud.u-bordeaux.fr. 3. The Romanian League for Mental Health, Bucharest, Romania. Electronic address: adinapetricamd@yahoo.com. 4. Centro di Psichiatria di Consulenza e Psicosomatica Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: mgcarta@tiscali.it. 5. Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Theology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität, Erlangen-Nuernberg, Germany. Electronic address: dietmar.goelitz@fau.de. 6. Yeniden Health and Education Society, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: kocceren@gmail.com. 7. Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Psychiatry, Vilnius, Lithuania. Electronic address: sigita.lesinskiene@mf.vu.lt. 8. New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria. Electronic address: zmihova@doctor.bg. 9. Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, Pluryn, Research & Development, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: royotten@pluryn.nl. 10. Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cite, EA 4057, Paris, France. Electronic address: viviane.kovess-masfety@parisdescartes.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bullying behavior is recognized internationally as a serious issue associated with mental health and functioning problems among children. OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to determine the associations between bullying involvement and self-reported mental health among elementary school children across seven European countries. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The School Children Mental Health in Europe study was conducted in Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkey in 2010 using similar methodology to collect cross-sectional data from children, parents, and teachers. METHODS: The study focused on children who had completed the Dominic Interactive and whose mother and/or teacher had completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (n = 5,183). RESULTS: Overall 14.3 % of children were identified as bullies, 18.2 % as victims and, 19.0 % as both bullies and victims. Despite the low threshold for defining bullying status, children identified as being involved were highly likely to present with self-reported mental health problems: 31.6 % of bully-victims reported any disorder, while 25.4 % of bullies and 23.1 % of victims did. Adjusting for key factors, bullies and bully-victims were significantly more likely to present with any externalizing disorder, while victims were not. Additionally, bully-victim status was associated with significantly greater odds of presenting with each internalizing disorder: phobia (AOR = 1.48, 95 %CI = 1.01-2.19), GAD (AOR = 2.54, 95 %CI = 1.67-3.87), separation anxiety (AOR = 1.88, 95 %CI = 1.43-2.47) and depression (AOR = 2.52, 95 %CI = 1.61-3.93). However, victim status was only associated with GAD (AOR = 1.63, 95 %CI = 1.07-2.48) and bully status with separation anxiety (AOR = 1.44, 95 %CI = 1.07-1.93). CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the association of bullying involvement and child mental health in elementary school children across Europe.
BACKGROUND: Bullying behavior is recognized internationally as a serious issue associated with mental health and functioning problems among children. OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to determine the associations between bullying involvement and self-reported mental health among elementary school children across seven European countries. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: The School Children Mental Health in Europe study was conducted in Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania and Turkey in 2010 using similar methodology to collect cross-sectional data from children, parents, and teachers. METHODS: The study focused on children who had completed the Dominic Interactive and whose mother and/or teacher had completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (n = 5,183). RESULTS: Overall 14.3 % of children were identified as bullies, 18.2 % as victims and, 19.0 % as both bullies and victims. Despite the low threshold for defining bullying status, children identified as being involved were highly likely to present with self-reported mental health problems: 31.6 % of bully-victims reported any disorder, while 25.4 % of bullies and 23.1 % of victims did. Adjusting for key factors, bullies and bully-victims were significantly more likely to present with any externalizing disorder, while victims were not. Additionally, bully-victim status was associated with significantly greater odds of presenting with each internalizing disorder: phobia (AOR = 1.48, 95 %CI = 1.01-2.19), GAD (AOR = 2.54, 95 %CI = 1.67-3.87), separation anxiety (AOR = 1.88, 95 %CI = 1.43-2.47) and depression (AOR = 2.52, 95 %CI = 1.61-3.93). However, victim status was only associated with GAD (AOR = 1.63, 95 %CI = 1.07-2.48) and bully status with separation anxiety (AOR = 1.44, 95 %CI = 1.07-1.93). CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the association of bullying involvement and child mental health in elementary school children across Europe.
Authors: Ana Martínez-Martínez; David Pineda; Manuel Galán; Juan C Marzo; José A Piqueras Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-06-27 Impact factor: 3.390