Early risk factors for being a bully, victim, or bully/victim in late elementary and early secondary education. The longitudinal TRAILS study
2011

Early Risk Factors for Bullying in Children

Sample size: 982 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Jansen Danielle EMC, Veenstra René, Ormel Johan, Verhulst Frank C, Reijneveld Sijmen A

Primary Institution: University Medical Center Groningen

Hypothesis

How do preschool behaviors and family characteristics impact later involvement in bullying?

Conclusion

Preschool behavioral, emotional, and motor problems, socioeconomic status, and family breakup are related to involvement in bullying at a later age.

Supporting Evidence

  • Children with preschool anxiety were less likely to be bully/victims.
  • Children from low socioeconomic status families were more likely to be involved in bullying.
  • Good motor functioning was associated with being a bully and less likely to be a victim.

Takeaway

Kids who have problems with behavior or come from families with issues are more likely to be involved in bullying when they get older.

Methodology

The study used longitudinal data from the TRAILS survey, assessing preschool behaviors and family characteristics to predict bullying involvement at ages 11 and 13.5.

Potential Biases

Parental reports may be affected by inaccuracies in memory related to their child's bullying status.

Limitations

Retrospective reports of preschool behavior may introduce recall bias.

Participant Demographics

The sample included 982 children, with 51.2% girls at T1.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2458-11-440

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication