207193 Where does bullying take place among adolescents when they are at school?

Wednesday, November 11, 2009: 11:00 AM

H. Wesley Perkins, PhD , Department of Antrhopology and Sociology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
Jessica M. Perkins, MS , Department of Health Policy, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
David W. Craig, PhD , Department of Chemistry, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
  
Bullying is a significant public health concern for adolescents in the United States and in many other countries. Both engaging in bullying behavior and being a victim are associated with negative health outcomes. Not much is known, however, regarding where bullying takes place within the school context. Anonymous online surveys were conducted to assess the location of bullying incidents in school contexts among youth in 20 middle schools (grades 6 to 8) from 2006 to 2008 in New Jersey and New York (n= 10,728). Students reported if they had experienced any of seven types of bullying-related behaviors (physical bullying, belongings taken, forced behavior, teased, called names, rumors spread, physically threatened) and all the places where each type of bullying was experienced (playground, lunch room, classroom, gym, hallways, bathroom, bus, or email/phone message). Prevalence of victimization ranged from 5% to 38% depending on the type of bullying and the location. Overall, prevalence of victimization was equally or more likely to occur in the classroom as in other locations.

Learning Objectives:
1. Compare the prevalence of bullying in various school settings. 2. Describe strategies that combat bullying.

Keywords: Violence Prevention, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: H. WESLEY PERKINS received the B.A. in Sociology from Purdue University, an M.Div. degree from Yale University Divinity School, and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from Yale University. He is Professor of Sociology in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. In 1993 he was honored with Hobart and William Smith's faculty prize for outstanding scholarship and in 1997 he received the faculty prize for outstanding service to the college community honoring his work to reduce alcohol abuse among students. He is Project Director of the Alcohol Education Project and the Youth, Health, and Safety Project at Hobart and William Smith, an initiative providing research, educational resources, and strategies to reduce alcohol, other drug abuse, bullying and other negative behaviors and outcomes throughout the U.S. and internationally. In 1999 and again in 2005 the Project received a national award from the U.S. Department of Education as a Model Prevention Program in Higher Education.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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