title: Why do young adolescents bully? Experience in Malaysian schools.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with bullying behavior among young adolescents in Malaysia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study of four hundred ten 12-year-old adolescents from seven randomly sampled schools in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Sociodemographic features of the adolescents and their parents, bullying behavior (Malaysian Bullying Questionnaire), ADHD symptoms (Conners Rating Scales), and internalizing and externalizing behavior (Child Behaviour Checklist) were obtained from adolescents, parents and teachers, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only male gender (OR=7.071, p=0.01*, CI=1.642-30.446) was a significant sociodemographic factor among bullies. Predominantly hyperactive (OR=2.285, p=0.00*, CI=1.507-3.467) and inattentive ADHD symptoms reported by teachers (OR=1.829, p=0.03*, CI=1.060-3.154) and parents (OR=1.709, p=0.03*, CI=1.046-2.793) were significant risk factors for bullying behavior while combined symptoms reported by young adolescents (OR=0.729, p=0.01*, CI=0.580-0.915) and teachers (OR=0.643, p=0.02*, CI=0.440-0.938) were protective against bullying behavior despite the influence of conduct behavior (OR=3.160, p=0.00*, CI=1.600-6.241). Internalizing behavior, that is, withdrawn (OR=0.653, p=0.04*, CI=0.436-0.977) and somatic complaints (OR=0.619, p=0.01*, CI=0.430-0.889) significantly protect against bullying behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recognizing factors associated with bullying behavior, in particular factors distinctive to the local population, facilitates in strategizing effective interventions for school bullying among young adolescents in Malaysian schools.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address: wan@ppukm.ukm.edu.my.
authors.forename: Wan Salwina
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wan Ismail
authors.forename: Nik Ruzyanei
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Nik Jaafar
authors.forename: Hatta
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sidi
authors.forename: Marhani
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midin
authors.forename: Shamsul Azhar
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*