Measuring the prevalence of peer bullying victimization: Review of studies from Sweden during 1993–2017. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bjereld, Ylva; Augustine, Lilly; Thornberg, Robert
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 119(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105528
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Highlights: Item/s should ask about frequent bullying when measuring current victimization. The broader the measurement that is used, the higher the estimate of the prevalence. The validity of the prevalence in several studies on bullying can be questioned. The measure of bullying should be clear about context (school or elsewhere). The measure of bullying should be clear about perpetrators (students, others). Abstract: Research into the prevalence of bullying is important to enable the correct allocation of resources to prevent and end bullying. One problem when gathering knowledge in how prevalent bullying is, is the considerable variation in percentage points in research studies. The aim of this study was to analyze how the estimated prevalence in Swedish national population-based studies of peer bullying victimization is related to how it is defined and measured. The analysis focused on national population-based studies in Sweden, in order to ensure that the sampling and cultural aspects of data collection were similar throughout the period. Data came from three sources: 1) a scoping review of peer bullying victimization in Sweden, 2) reports from Swedish government agencies and non-government organizations that were not included in the scoping review, and 3) data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Sweden 1993 – 2017 study. The results showed that although the estimated levels of bullying victimization depend on the measurement method, they all followed a similar pattern over time with a higher prevalence of bullying in recent years. The study raised conceptual inconsistencies between bullying, peer aggression, and peer victimization, which are further discussed in relation to prevalence and measurement.