title: Physical Conditions and Special Needs as Risk Factors of Peer Victimization Among School Children in Taiwan.
abstract: Students with physical symptoms and diseases may be at an increased risk of peer victimization. This study examined the associations of several medical conditions (obesity, asthma, allergy, epilepsy, and diabetes) with experience of physical, verbal, and relational victimization among children. A sample of 6,233 fourth-grade students from 314 elementary schools in Taiwan was recruited for the analysis. The mean age of the sample was 10.5, with an even distribution of gender (50.3% male and 49.7% female). Children with asthma, allergy, and epilepsy reported higher frequencies of peer victimization. Those who took daily medications or received treatment were also at a higher risk of being victimized. Diabetes and obesity were not found to be associated with peer victimization. The findings highlighted that children with physical conditions suffer maltreatment from peers. Sensitivity training should be provided to school health professionals, so they can evaluate the risk of victimization among students with special needs during assessment.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Social Work, College of Social Sciences, National Taipei University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsi-Sheng
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: 2 Department and Graduate Institute of Forensic Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.|3 National Taiwan University Children and Family Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hwa
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Social Work, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: April Chiung-Tao
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Nursing and Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Ying
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Social Work, College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
authors.forename: Yi-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: 7 California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Soar Ching-Yu
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology; D058445:Bullying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: diseases; medical treatment; peer victimization; physical conditions; school children; school nursing