Examining ethnic, gender, and developmental differences in the way children report being a victim of "bullying" on self-report measures.
OBJECTIVE
Racial/ethnic differences in children's self-reports of being a frequent victim of bullying were assessed via two commonly used strategies: a definition-based single-item measure and behavior-based multiresponse measure.


METHODS
Logistic regression analyses were conducted on survey data from 24,345 youth to examine ethnic differences in youths' responses to definition-based and behavior-based measures of victimization. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls at different school levels.


RESULTS
Prevalence estimates were higher using the behavior-based measure than definition-based measure. Several ethnic differences emerged, such that African American youth tended to be less likely than their white counterparts to indicate that they were bullied using the definition-based measure. African American girls and African American and Asian middle-school boys who reported being a victim via the behavior-based measure were less likely to report being a frequent victim of "bullying" via the definition-based measure.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence estimates vary considerably by the way in which victimization is assessed. African American youth who were victimized tended to under-report being a victim of "bullying." Self-report studies of bullying should carefully consider the measures used to assess victimization.
Sawyer
Anne L
AL
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. asawyer2@jhsph.edu
Bradshaw
Catherine P
CP
O'Brennan
Lindsey M
LM
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014754:Violence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data