Bullying among school children in postwar bosnia and herzegovina: cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence and characteristics of bullying between two towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina-Stolac, which was exposed to firearm conflict during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Posusje, which was outside of the active combat zone.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, we included 484 primary school pupils attending 4th-8th grade of elementary school, 217 (44.8%) of them from Stolac and 267 (55.2%) from Posusje. The pupils were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire on the experience of bullying.


RESULTS
Every sixth pupil (16.4%) experienced at least one form of bullying almost every day, while 34 (7.0%) pupils constantly bullied other children. Sixth-eighth graders were more often bullies than 4th-5th graders (P=0.044). Girls were most often victims was of bullying, while boys were most often bullies (P=0.036). The expected difference in bullying between the two towns was not observed, except for older pupils in Posusje, who were more violent than their peers in Stolac (P=0.044). Among the analyzed variables of sex, age, town, and school achievement, only male sex was significant predictor of bullying (P=0.010), increasing the relative risk by 3.005 times.


CONCLUSIONS
Bullying among primary school pupils did not differ between areas that experienced war activities in 1992-1995. Our results could be useful in the introduction of specific prevention measures against bullying in postwar situation.
Cerni Obrdalj
Edita
E
Department of Family Medicine, Mostar University School of Medicine, Bijeli Brijeg bb, 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. edita1@net.hr
Rumboldt
Mirjana
M
D000293:Adolescent; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D012574:Schools; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare