Bullying and victimization among black and Hispanic adolescents.
The prevalence of bullying and victimization by gender, grade level, and race/ethnicity was examined among a sample of low socioeconomic, Black and Hispanic 6th- to 12th-graders in a large urban school district in Texas. Bullying and victimization were measured using specific behaviors. Students were classified as bullies (7%), victims (12%), bully-victims (5%), or neither (76%), depending on the number and frequency of reported experiences. For specific types of bullying (e.g., spreading rumors, excluding others), 4.5%-9.4% of students reported participation. Specific types of victimization (e.g., being hit or pushed, picked on) ranged from 6%-12%. Gender differences were not observed for general bullying and victimization, but physical and some verbal types were more prevalent among males. Blacks were more likely to participate in bullying and victimization, and these experiences seemed to peak in the 9th grade. This study adds to the literature as few U.S. studies on both general and specific types of bullying have been conducted among low socioeconomic, racial/ethnic minority students in middle and high school.
Peskin
Melissa Fleschler
MF
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas 77030, USA. Melissa.F.Peskin@uth.tmc.edu
Tortolero
Susan R
SR
Markham
Christine M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011209:Power, Psychological; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001741:Black or African American