A Multilevel, Statewide Investigation of School District Anti-Bullying Policy Quality and Student Bullying Involvement.
Although nearly all states in the United States require school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies, little research examines the effect of these policies on student bullying and health. Using a statewide sample, we investigated associations between the quality of school district anti-bullying policies and student bullying involvement and adjustment.



School district anti-bullying policies (N = 208) were coded for their quality based on established criteria. District-level data were combined with student reports of bullying involvement, emotional distress, and school connectedness from a state surveillance survey of 6th, 9th, and 12th grade students (N = 93,437).



Results indicated that policy quality was positively related to bullying victimization. Furthermore, students reporting frequent perpetration/victimization who also attended districts with high-quality policies reported more emotional distress and less school connectedness compared with students attending districts with low quality policies. Although statistically significant, the magnitude of these associations was small.



Having a high-quality school district anti-bullying policy is not sufficient to reduce bullying and protect bullying-involved young people. Future studies examining policy implementation will inform best practices in bullying prevention.
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Amy L
AL
Gower
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center, 1337 South Cesar E Chavez Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53204.
Molly
M
Cousin
Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Iris W
IW
Borowsky
D000293:Adolescent; D058445:Bullying / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010379:Peer Group; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
bullying; bullying policy; child and adolescent health; school connectedness; school policy