Bullying in Schools Connected With Family Violence
A recent CDC Study on Bullying from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention showed that bullying behavior isn’t just limited to school settings and can be tied to violence in the home.
The study which was released on April 21, stated that students in middle and high school students who were either bullies or victims were four times more likely to be physically hurt by a family member than those who weren’t. The study was based upon surveys of Massachusetts students. The study also found bullies and victims were about three times more likely to witness family violence.
Previous studies have linked the harassment to substance use, poor grades and mental illness. But that study found that about 44 percent of middle school students and 31 percent of high schoolers are involved in harassment incidents. The CDC stated that by knowing the full range of risks strategies may be created that will result in successful prevention efforts.
“Bullying is a pervasive public health problem requiring comprehensive solutions,” according to the research, published today in the Atlanta-based CDC’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. “The results underscore the importance of primary bullying prevention programs and of comprehensive programs and strategies that involve families.”
Researchers analyzed data from the 2009 Massachusetts Youth Health Survey, which polled 2,859 middle schools students and 2,948 high schools students. Classes and schools were randomly selected, with a probability of school selection proportional to the number of students enrolled.
Almost 27 percent of middle school students were bully victims versus 16 percent of high school students. About 7.5 percent of the middle school students were bullies, compared with 8.4 percent for the high school students.
Students who were both bullies and victims accounted for 9.6 percent of middle school students and 6.5 percent of high school students, the data showed.
The CDC did the study with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Previous studies have linked the harassment to substance use, poor grades and mental illness. But that study found that about 44 percent of middle school students and 31 percent of high schoolers are involved in harassment incidents. The CDC stated that by knowing the full range of risks strategies may be created that will result in successful prevention efforts.
“Bullying is a pervasive public health problem requiring comprehensive solutions,” according to the research, published today in the Atlanta-based CDC’s Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. “The results underscore the importance of primary bullying prevention programs and of comprehensive programs and strategies that involve families.”
Researchers analyzed data from the 2009 Massachusetts Youth Health Survey, which polled 2,859 middle schools students and 2,948 high schools students. Classes and schools were randomly selected, with a probability of school selection proportional to the number of students enrolled.
Almost 27 percent of middle school students were bully victims versus 16 percent of high school students. About 7.5 percent of the middle school students were bullies, compared with 8.4 percent for the high school students.
Students who were both bullies and victims accounted for 9.6 percent of middle school students and 6.5 percent of high school students, the data showed.
The CDC did the study with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Comments