High School Students' Experiences of Bullying and Victimization and the Association With School Health Center Use. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lewis, Catherine; Deardorff, Julianna; Lahiff, Maureen; Soleimanpour, Samira; Sakashita, Kimi; Brindis, Claire D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of school health. Volume 85:Number 5(2015:May)
• Page Start: 318
• Page End: 326
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: School health services -- Periodicals; School children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; 371.71
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12256
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4391

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="josh12256-abs-0001"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <sec id="josh12256-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p id="josh12256-para-0001">Bullying and victimization are ongoing concerns in schools. School health centers (SHCs) are well situated to support affected students because they provide crisis intervention, mental health care, and broader interventions to improve school climate. This study examined the association between urban adolescents' experiences of school‐based bullying and victimization and their use of SHCs.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12256-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>METHODS</title> <p id="josh12256-para-0002">Data was analyzed from 2063 high school students in 5 Northern California school districts using the 2009‐2010 California Healthy Kids Survey. Chi‐square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to measure associations.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12256-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p id="josh12256-para-0003">Students who were bullied or victimized at school had significantly higher odds of using the SHCs compared with students who were not, and were also significantly more likely to report confidentiality concerns. The magnitude of associations was largest for Asian/Pacific Islander students, though this was likely due to greater statistical power. African American students reported victimization experiences at approximately the same rate as their peers, but were significantly less likely to indicate they experienced bullying.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12256-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> <p id="josh12256-para-0004">Findings suggest that SHCs may be an important place to address bullying and victimization at school, but confidentiality concerns are barriers that may be more common among bullied and victimized youth.</p> </sec> </abstract>