Youth transitions in bullying and victimization status: A latent class analysis

Background: Bullying in schools is a significant public health concern associated with serious mental health consequences. One in four youth in the U.S. report bullying others and/or being a victim of bullying. However, little research has examined how youth transition in and out of bullying roles. Developmental literature suggests middle school is characterized by attempts to assert dominance and status within the peer group that result in increased bullying. This study utilizes a longitudinal sample of youth transitioning from elementary to middle school to determine changes in bully and victim status over time. Methods: A cohort of students from 14 ethnically-diverse elementary schools in Denver (N=410) completed the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Latent class analysis was used to determine bully/victim group membership in each grade. Then, transitions across the three time points were assessed. Results: In fourth grade, youth fell into four groups: uninvolved(46%), victims(25%), bullies(20%), and bully/victims(10%). At fifth and sixth grade, only three groups emerged; no pure bully group was identified. Youth transitioned across groups in 34 unique patterns. Only 25% of youth stayed in one group across all time points. Conclusion: While the majority of youth remain uninvolved, many youth experience short episodes of bullying others or being bullied. Youth appear to change status most in their transition to middle school, supporting the assertion that youth need to establish status during this transition period. Interventions should aim to change individual and school-wide responses to bullying, particularly during transitions to middle school.