title: Victimization among Peruvian adolescents: insights into mental/emotional health from the Young Lives study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bullying is a global problem among children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore bully victimization in Peru and to identify potential adverse mental health and social outcomes resulting from bully victimization.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study analyzed data from an ongoing prospective cohort of children taking part in the Young Lives study. This study assessed bullying consequences on mental and emotional health in the 3 rounds of data collected among Peruvian adolescents at ages 8, 12, and 15.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bullying by peers was negatively related with age. A factor analysis showed that boys were significantly less likely than girls to suffer emotional and relational problems due to victimization. Additionally, bullying in rounds 2 and 3 of the cohort were significantly correlated with adverse emotional and mental health outcomes in round 3. Lastly, emotional status was positively associated with violent incidences in the schools and at home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows significant problems with emotional and mental stress as early outcomes associated with victimization in Peru. The findings have implications for treating adolescent health issues like peer victimization. Steps should be taken to address bullying and mental/emotional health in Peru in order to combat subsequent mental health problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. camearlister@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Cameron E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lister
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. ray_merrill@byu.edu.
authors.forename: Ray M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Merrill
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. dlvance09@gmail.com.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. josh.west@byu.edu.
authors.forename: Joshua H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. cougar_hall@byu.edu.
authors.forename: Parley C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103 Life Science Building, Provo, UT, 84602. benjamin_crookston@byu.edu.
authors.forename: Benjamin T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Crookston
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D058445:Bullying; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Peru; Young Lives; bullying; mental health; victimization