Correlates of bullying and its relationship with psychiatric disorders in Lebanese adolescents. (March 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Halabi, Fadi; Ghandour, Lilian; Dib, Racha; Zeinoun, Pia; Maalouf, Fadi T.
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 261(2018)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 101
• Publication Date: 2018-03
• Subjects: Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2017.12.039
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding the contextual determinants of bullying behavior is pivotal for effective interventions. This paper describes the prevalence of bullying, its socio-demographic correlates and factors influencing its relationship with psychiatric disorders among a population-based sample of adolescents from Beirut recruited through a two-stage cluster sampling design. Recruited participants (n = 510) and their parents completed a battery of questionnaires and interviews including the Development and Wellbeing Assessment (DAWBA) and the Peer-Relations Questionnaire (PRQ). We found that around 30% of the adolescent participants were involved in bullying. Younger age, lower family income, lower parental education, receiving private tutoring, having an anxiety disorder and having a disruptive behavior disorder were correlated with being bullied by peers while lower family income, repeating a school-grade, and having a disruptive behavior disorder were associated with bullying others. Several factors including gender, age group, family income, and attending private versus public schools moderated the relationship between bullying behavior and having psychiatric disorders. Our findings thus highlight the complexity of the association between psychiatric disorders and bullying in settings like Lebanon, Highlights: Understanding the contextual factors surrounding bullying will help develop more effective intervention strategies. Around 30% of the adolescents in the study reported frequent involvement in bullying behavior. Predictors of being bullied included younger age, lower socioeconomic status, private tutoring and anxiety or disruptive behavior disorder. Predictors of bullying others were lower family income, repeating a school-grade and having disruptive behavior disorder.