Prevalence of Bullying and Its Co-Occurrence with Aggression and Mental Health Problems among Greek Adolescents Attending Urban Schools

Background: Bullying is one widespread violence type that threatens adolescent’s well-being in family,school, and neighborhood. This study aimed to estimate the percentages of the last ۱۲ months bullyingbehaviors- types among Greek adolescents, and to identify the associations between these behaviors andadolescents’ aggression and mental health- behavioral problems.Study design: A cross-sectional study.Methods: The sample consisted of ۱۹۳۴ adolescents, attending the second grade of ۴۵ randomly selectedpublic and private high schools and senior high schools, of the Greater Athens Metropolitan Area. Bullyinginvolvement was examined by four questions, evaluating the occurrence and type of bullying. The Bussand Perry Questionnaire and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire were administrated in order toestimate adolescents’ aggression and mental health-behavioral problems, respectively. Information aboutadolescents’ individual and family characteristics was also collected.Results: Overall, ۱۸.۴% of participants reported bullying involvement at school, as a victim (۱۱.۰%), abully (۵.۰%), or both (۲.۴%), while verbal bullying was the most common type. Compared to uninvolvedparticipants, victims were significantly more likely to report emotional symptoms and peer problems,bullies were more likely to report physical aggression, and bully-victims physical aggression, hostility, andlower prosocial behavior.Conclusions: Approximately one out of five adolescents were involved in bullying in the past year atschool, reporting aggressive behaviors, emotional problems, and/or social difficulties. Further longitudinalresearch would increase understanding of the mechanisms of bullying involvement and may lead topreventative interventions promoting positive peer interactions in schools.

Keywords:

Bullying , Adolescence , Prevalence , Mental health