Associations between the group processes of bullying and adolescent substance use.
The adverse impact of bullying and victimization on substance use among youth has received increasing attention. Bullying is a specific type of aggressive behavior that not only involves bullies and victims but also followers, who actively support or reinforce the bully; defenders, who intervene to defend or assist the victim; or outsiders who passively observe or ignore the bullying. Limited research to date has linked these five bullying role behaviors to substance use. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between each of the bullying role behaviors and adolescent alcohol and tobacco use. Participants were 1255 (748 female) students (Mage=15.3, age range: 13-17years) in Grades 9 (n=714) and 11 (n=541). Bullying role behaviors, alcohol and tobacco onset and intensity, and alcohol-related harms were assessed. Results revealed an association between pro-bullying behavior (bullying and following) and all substance use variables, and between defender behavior and smoking and alcohol-related harm. No relationship between victimization, or outsider behavior, and substance use was found after controlling for the other bullying roles. The findings highlight the complex relationship between bullying roles, alcohol and tobacco use and alcohol-related harm in adolescents.
Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia; The Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: c6.quinn@qut.edu.au.
Catherine A
CA
Quinn
The Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Sally
S
Fitzpatrick
The Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
Kay
K
Bussey
Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI), School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia.
Leanne
L
Hides
Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Gary C K
GC
Chan
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D058445:Bullying; D000073865:Cigarette Smoking; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D010379:Peer Group; D012380:Role; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D000066608:Underage Drinking / Q000523:psychology
Adolescent; Alcohol; Bully; Defender; Tobacco; Victim