Search

Bullying victimization remains to be a public health concern in the United States, especially among sexual and ethnic minority youth. However, few studies have examined how school outcomes might be associated with bullying victimization among heterosexual and sexual minority African American youth and the factors that may attenuate that relationship. To address this gap, this study surveyed 462 heterosexual and 102 sexual minority African American youth residing in Chicago's Southside neighborhoods, who participated in the Resiliency Project. Study variables included bullying victimization, school outcomes (i.e., school connectedness, and academic grades), and future orientation. Bullying victimization was associated with a significant increase in feeling disconnected from school among both heterosexual and sexual minority adolescents; however, there was no significant association observed between bullying victimization and receiving low grades among either group. Future orientation did not moderate the association between bullying victimization and school outcomes among heterosexual adolescents; however, positive future orientation did attenuate the association between bullying victimization and feeling disconnected from school among sexual minority adolescents. Prevention programs that focus on promoting school connectedness need to consider the role of future orientation for sexual minority youth.

The current study examines the association between risk behaviors and victimization and race-based victimization amongst U.S.-born and foreign-born Asian, Black, and Latinx adolescents. Data were derived from the U.S. subset of the 2009-2010 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study. Samples include 662 Asian, 2413 Black, and 3188 Latinx adolescents (M = 12.9, SD = 1.75, 48.6% female) in grades 5-10. Univariate analyses, t-test analyses, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Aggressive behavior was associated with victimization for U.S.-born and foreign-born Asian, Black, and Latinx adolescents. Race-based aggressive behavior was correlated for U.S.-born and foreign-born Black and Latinx adolescents. Smoking was positively associated with victimization amongst foreign-born Asian adolescents. Alcohol use was correlated with victimization and race-based victimization amongst foreign-born Latinx adolescents. Marijuana use was related to victimization amongst U.S.-born Black adolescents. Physical fighting was shown to be positively correlated with race-based victimization for U.S.-born Latinx adolescents. Carrying a weapon was associated with victimization and race-based victimization for U.S.-born and foreign-born Latinx adolescents. It was also associated with victimization amongst U.S.-born Asian adolescents. Befriending deviant peers was negatively associated with U.S.-born and foreign-born Black adolescents and U.S.-born Latinx adolescents, but positively associated with U.S.-born Asian adolescents.

Past research has revealed a link between family economic hardship and children's bullying involvement, yet research has not examined the kinds of factors that may mediate this relationship. Our study used data from the National Survey of Children's Health and consisted of a sample of 15,797 children from 12 to 17 years of age who lived with their mothers. We found that family economic hardship was directly related to a child's bullying behavior. Indirect associations were also found between child's bullying and family economic hardship, violence in the home, and mother's parental frustration. Implications for research are discussed.

Guided by the Risk and Resilience Model, the present study aims to generate hypotheses by investigating a wide range of variables that might buffer the association between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms from a convenience sample of African American adolescents in four neighborhoods in Chicago's Southside. Measures for the study included internalizing symptoms, peer victimization, four protective factors (parental closeness, teacher's care, religiosity, and positive future orientation) and covariates (age, sex, and government assistance). Controlling for the covariates, a series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to explore the direct effects of peer victimization and internalizing symptoms and the interaction between peer victimization and the four protective factors. The study found that peer victimization was directly associated with internalizing symptoms. In terms of the interactions, the study found that parental closeness moderated the association between peer victimization and internalizing symptoms. The findings show that parental closeness is an important protective factor that needs to be considered in the research hypotheses. The findings specifically demonstrated the importance of developing hypotheses to test whether parental closeness protects adolescents from internalizing symptoms linked to peer victimization.

Teen dating violence (TDV) and school violence (SV) are two major social problems in adolescence. Until recently, the antecedents of both TDV and SV have been analyzed largely independently of each other. This study analyses and compares the determinants of both TDV and SV, with a focus on physical violence. Based on a comprehensive survey of ninth-grade adolescents at the average age of 15 years (N = 3,800) conducted in the German federal state of Lower Saxony, the findings showed that there is a significant but low correlation between both physical TDV and SV (r = 0.21). Concerning the determinants, we found that males carry out physical SV significantly more often, but physical TDV significantly less often than female respondents. Acquaintance with violent friends shows a stronger correlation with SV but not with TDV. Low self-control and violent media consumption are determinants of both TDV and SV. Empathy as a protective factor and parental violence as another risk factor were found to be only weak and sometimes not significantly correlated with both TDV and SV.

Adolescent bullying is a concern for adolescents, parents, teachers, school officials, and the general public. The purpose of the study is to apply Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems perspective and explore factors that are correlated with bullying perpetration and victimization among 638 urban African American adolescents in Chicago's Southside. Bullying victimization and perpetration are found to be influenced by microsystem-level factors, such as exposure to delinquent peers, teacher support, and neighborhood disorganization. An intervention strategy that involves teachers is particularly important. Anti-bullying intervention and prevention programs in urban schools need to account for the unique situations of urban African American adolescents.

Background: Peer victimization is experienced by an alarming number of youth. A variety of coping strategies may be used by youth to avoid the risk of peer victimization, including behaviors such as avoidance, displaying a tough demeanor, defensive behaviors, establishing a reputation, and forming affiliations with family and community members. However, little research has examined how these coping strategies are simultaneously associated with peer victimization experiences. Objective: The present study explored how these five coping strategies were associated with peer victimization among African American youth living in low-income urban communities, a group of youth at risk for high levels of exposure to violence and victimization. It was hypothesized that more use of these strategies would be associated with less peer victimization. Method: The study comprised of 534 African American youth from low-income communities located in Chicago's Southside. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify which coping strategies, when assessed simultaneously, were associated with a lower risk of peer victimization. Results: Results indicated that defensive behavior was negatively associated with peer victimization. Higher levels of tough demeanor and affiliation with family and community members were associated with higher levels of peer victimization. Coping strategies of avoidance and establishing a reputation were not significantly associated with peer victimization. Conclusion: Peer affiliation does not always contribute to positive outcomes, particularly among adolescents in urban areas. A further examination of the coping strategies and socialization processes of urban African American youth in low-resourced communities is warranted.

Children and adolescents who are overweight or obese are at a heightened risk of bullying involvement. The aim of the literature review is to review empirical research on weight-based bullying published between 2006 and 2016. Extant research was categorised by the following themes: (1) prevalence of weight-based bullying and peer victimisation; (2) weight-based outcomes of bullying and peer victimisation; (3) bullying outcomes of weight gain and obesity; and (4) psychosocial distress and outcomes associated with weight-based bullying. Findings from the studies reviewed suggest that the prevalence of bullying is high in children who are overweight or obese. Moreover, longitudinal studies revealed that childhood bullying experiences can increase the risk of health problems, including weight gain and obesity. Further, children who are overweight or obese are at a heightened risk of bullying and peer victimisation. Finally, weight-based bullying experiences were found to be related to psychosocial problems, including lower motivation for physical activity, higher avoidance and emotional coping strategies, low self-esteem, and academic problems. Implications for practice are also discussed.

Guided by the social-ecological perspective, this study aims to explore how various social climates are associated with school motivation and the future orientation of 597 African American adolescents. We examined the direct and indirect effects of parent factors and school climate on future orientation through school motivation. School motivation was positively associated with a future orientation. Perceived parental expectations and teacher support were positively associated with their school motivation. However, bullying victimization was not negatively associated with school motivation, although greater perceived parental engagement and bullying victimization showed a more positive future orientation. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.

Violence and disorder occurring within schools have received increased attention and scrutiny over the years; however, few have explored how violence and school disorder are influencing the children of immigrants' likelihood of dropping out. The current study draws from a segmented assimilation framework to explore if and how the associations between violence, disorder, and school dropout vary across immigration generations. Data are drawn from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, and the sample for this study consists of 9,870 first- (N = 1,170, 12%), second- (N = 1,540, 16%), and third-plus (N = 1,117, 73%) generation public school students (N = 5,050; 51% female) in 580 public schools. Results indicate that school violence and disorder disrupt the educational progress of adolescents within immigrant families. Additionally, there are distinct racial and ethnic patterns in the link between school violence, disorder, and dropping out. The nuances of these findings and the implications for future research are discussed.

Face-to-face and cyberbullying are associated with adverse behavioral or health problems. However, little is known about the association between multiple types of bullying and substance use. The current cross-sectional study compares the association among face-to-face and cyberbullying (bully-only, victim-only, bully/victim, non-involved) and multiple forms of substance use (cigarette use, alcohol use, drunkenness, marijuana use) from a sample of 6th-10th grade students. Data were derived from the 2005-2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study (N = 7189). Zero-inflated Poisson regression analyses of substance use on bullying involvement were conducted, controlling for social-ecological factors. For face-to-face bullying, being bully-only was positively associated with all forms of substance use and being bully/victim was correlated with alcohol use. In the case of cyberbullying, being bully-only and bully/victim increased the incidents of all types of substance use, while being victim-only was only correlated with cigarette and alcohol usage. Further, results indicated that there were some interaction effects of parental monitoring and delinquent friends on the link between face-to-face bullying and substance use. The study findings contribute to scholarship on the linkages among face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying, and substance use within a social-ecological framework which has major implications for school mental health. More specifically, these findings can be useful for school practitioners and health care providers in developing and implementing prevention and intervention programs that address multiple risk behaviors among adolescents.

The focus of this study is to investigate school bonding among adolescents in immigrant families using a segmented assimilation theoretical framework. Data are drawn from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, a nationally representative sample of 10th graders. We focus on a subsample consisting of 9,870 first- (N = 1,170, 12 %), second- (N = 1,540, 16 %), and third-plus-generation (N = 7,160, 73%) students in 580 public schools. Our findings suggest that adolescents' school bond seems to diminish or "decline" as the children of immigrants assimilate. Implications for research on racial/ethnic and immigrant generational disparities in adolescent social bonds to school are also discussed.

Background: Despite the growing presence of immigrant families in the US, little is known about physical fighting in school among youth from those families. Objective: The present study examines the social-ecological determinants of school physical fighting among youth in immigrant families. Implications for practice are also discussed. Method: Using the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study data set, the study sample consisted of 4288 immigrant students in 9th-12th grade. Models were estimated using multivariate logistic regression. Variables in the individual, family, friend/peer, and school contexts were included by fitting four hierarchical logistic models to the data. Results: Results indicated that youth in immigrant families who are males, in lower grade level, racial/ethnic minorities, and of low family socio-economic status (individual) were likely to engage in physical fights. Youth in immigrant families who feel detached from their parents (family); speak another language with friends (friend/peer); and perceive school discipline to be unfair, feel discriminated against by teachers, and who perceive school crimes to be a problem (school) are also at an elevated risk of physical fights. Conclusion: Findings from the study contribute to a growing body of research on youth in immigrant families.

This article provides an ecological framework for understanding adolescent-initiated parent abuse. We review research on adolescent-initiated parent abuse, identifying sociodemographic characteristics of perpetrators and victims (e.g., gender, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status [SES]). Bronfenbrenner's [1] ecological systems theory is applied, which examines the risk and protective factors for adolescent-initiated parent abuse within "micro"- (maltreatment, domestic violence, parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies), "meso"- (peer influence), "exo"- (media influence), "macro"- (gender role socialization), and "chronosystem" (change in family structure) levels. Findings from our review suggest that older and White children are significantly more likely to abuse their parents. Females are selective in the target of their aggression, while males target family members in general. Mothers are significantly more likely to be abused than fathers. However, researchers also report variations in the association between SES and parent abuse. Domestic violence and child maltreatment are risk factors, while findings on parenting behavior and disciplinary strategies are mixed. Peer influence, exposure to media violence, gender role socialization, and change in family structure can potentially increase the risk of parent abuse. Practice and research implications are also discussed. An ecological systems framework allows for an examination of how various contexts interact and influence parent abuse behavior, and can provide needed directions for further research.

This article examines major risk factors for suicide among sexual minority youth using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Although suicidal behavior among sexual minority youth is a major public concern in the United States, understanding of this phenomenon has been limited since the majority of empirical research studies have addressed individual level characteristics without much consideration to the larger environmental contexts. This review integrates past and current empirical findings on suicidal behaviors of sexual minority youth within the context of "micro-", "meso-", "exo-", "macro-", and "chrono-"systems levels. Finally, it draws implications for assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies.

This article reviews current research findings and presents a conceptual framework for better understanding the relationship between bullying victimization (hereafter referred to as victimization) and substance misuse (hereafter referred to as SM) among adolescents. Although victimization and SM may appear to be separate problems, research suggests an intriguing relationship between the 2. We present a brief, empirical overview of the direct association between victimization and adolescent SM, followed by a proposed conceptual framework that includes co-occurring risk factors for victimization and SM within family, peer, and school and community contexts. Next, we discuss potential mediators linking victimization and SM, such as internalizing problems, traumatic stress, low academic performance, and school truancy and absence. We then identify potential moderating influences of age, gender and sex, social supports, and school connectedness that could amplify or abate the association between victimization and SM. Finally, we discuss practice and policy implications.

The present study investigates whether less computer access is associated with an increase or decrease in cyberbullying and face-to-face bullying victimization. Data were derived from the 2009–2010 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children U.S. Study, consisting of 12,642 adolescents aged 11, 13, and 15 years (Mage = 12.95). We found that less computer usage was negatively associated with cyberbullying victimization and face-to-face bullying victimization. The findings from the study have implications for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explores variations among racially/ethnically diverse adolescents regarding parents' role in mitigating internalizing problems. Adolescents with a higher level of parental awareness, ease of talking to parents, and parental support were less likely to show internalizing problems. Parental awareness was negatively associated with internalizing problems among Whites and Hispanics. The ease of talking to parents was significant for all groups except for American Indians/Alaska Natives. These findings can inform culturally relevant treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between the various dimensions of parenting and adolescent bullying have been widely studied, but it is unclear whether these associations vary by race/ethnicity and grade. The current study utilized the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children data in the United States for the investigation. The findings show that supportive parenting and permissive parenting were negatively associated with bullying victimization. However, controlling parenting and neglectful parenting were positively associated with bullying victimization. The results further revealed that the dimensions of parenting were similarly associated with bullying victimization across racial/ethnic groups. Parenting was also similarly associated with bullying victimization for both middle and high school students, except for supportive parenting, where middle school students with more parental support reported less bullying victimization. The implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Guided by the routine activity theory, the current study proposes and tests pathways by which an absence of a capable guardian can contribute to interactions with motivated offenders and suitable targets, increasing the likelihood of teasing others and using alcohol. Sample: The study participants consisted of 612 African American adolescents in four low‐income neighborhoods in Chicago's Southside. Measures: Measures include alcohol use, absence of a capable guardian, the presence of a motivated offender, target suitability, and teasing. Covariates include age, biological sex, and government assistance. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results: The absence of a capable guardian variable positively correlated with the presence of a motivated offender. The presence of a motivated offender variable was positively associated with target suitability, which was positively related to teasing and alcohol use. The presence of a motivated offender and target suitability variables were positively associated with teasing and alcohol use. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of capable guardians and potentially have implications for nursing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the types of drugs likely to be used by bullies, victims, and bully/victims. Participants comprise African American adolescents from three high schools, one youth church group, two community youth programs, and four public venues in low-income communities in Chicago's Southside. A series of logistic regression analyses and latent class analyses were employed. Victims are likely to use alcohol, marijuana, and lean/krokodil. Bullies were likely to use alcohol and marijuana. Bully/victims were not at risk of any of the substances. Our LCA findings revealed a lower occurrence of substance use among victims although 30% used alcohol and marijuana; more than half of bullies showed high levels of alcohol, marijuana, and lean/krokodil use; a diverse pattern of drug use was shown among bully/victims although their lean/krokodil and crack/cocaine use was higher than other subgroups of bullying. The drugs of choice for African American bullies, victims, or bully/victims are variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-national research investigated nationally representative adolescents from South Korea and the United States, explored similarities and differences in latent profiles of bullying victimization between countries, and examined individual- and school-level variables that predict such latent profiles supported by the Social Disorganization Theory. The fourth-grade sample of the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study from South Korea (N = 4,669) and the United States (N = 10,029) was used to conduct a latent profile analysis based on eight items of the bullying victimization questionnaire. Multilevel logistic regression was conducted using latent profiles as dependent variables. Independent variables include individual-level (material goods, school absence, academic interest, school belonging) and school-level (concentration of affluent families, school resources, the severity of delinquency, academic commitment) factors. More similarities existed than differences in the latent groups of bullying victimization between South Korea (rare, low-moderate, verbal-relational-physical, and multi-risk) and the United States (rare, low-moderate, verbal-relational, and multi-risk). Evidence for school-level variables as predictors of bullying victimization profiles was stronger for adolescents in the United States, with a concentration of affluent families and severity of delinquency being significant in four of the six models. For the South Korean sample, the severity of delinquency predicted bullying victimization in only one model. Examination of both individual- and school-level factors that predict unique bullying victimization experiences grounded in Social Disorganization Theory may be informative for addressing key areas of intervention—especially at the school-level context in which victimization primarily takes place and where anti-bullying intervention programs are often provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As studies have documented, children and adolescents who are identified as bullies, bully victims, or both are at an elevated risk of being involved in other forms of violence, for example, dating violence and sexual violence. Moreover, those who are exposed to violence (e.g., exposure to community violence) have increased odds of being involved in bullying. This special issue brings together scholars from a variety of disciplines (e.g., psychology, criminology/criminal justice, and social work) to investigate how involvement in bullying and other forms of violence are interrelated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying and childhood obesity are public health concerns in the United States. While obesity has been found to be associated with bullying victimization, it is less clear how it is differentially associated with biological sex and grade level across varying patterns of bullying victimization. Based on the subset of U.S. students in the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study, patterns of co-occurring bullying victimization and sex and grade level differences in the association between the patterns of bullying victimization and weight status were examined among 9,124 students in Grades 5 to 10. The latent class analysis revealed three patterns of bullying victimization: verbal-relational victimization (Class 1), all-type victimization (Class 2), and noninvolved pattern (Class 3). The results found that females had a higher likelihood of being in Class 1 than males. Moreover, fifth to sixth and seventh to eighth-graders were more likely than ninth to tenth graders to be in both Class 1 and Class 2. Obese males and overweight females were more likely to be in Class 1 and Class 2 than in Class 3. In addition, obesity and overweight status were positively associated with bullying victimization among fifth to sixth and seven to eighth-graders. However, no significant association was found between obesity and overweight status and bullying victimization among ninth to tenth graders. Findings from the study suggest that school-based strategies, especially sex- and age-specific programs, need to take into consideration the bullying involvement of students who are overweight or obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to explore whether talking with parents, siblings, and friends will moderate the association between peer victimization and adverse outcomes (internalizing problems, alcohol/tobacco use, and delinquent friend affiliation). Data were derived from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children, 2009 to 2010 cohort study in the United States (n = 12,642). Bivariate, logistic regression and ordinal least squares regression analyses were conducted. Peer victimization was found to be associated with all the adverse outcomes. Although ease of talking with parents had a lower likelihood of alcohol/tobacco use, it increased alcohol/tobacco risk when peer victimization increased. Ease of talking with friends showed a higher likelihood of alcohol/tobacco use, but the likelihood was lower when peer victimization increased. Ease of talking with parents and ease of talking with friends both lowered the likelihood of delinquent friend affiliation; however, ease of talking with parents increased the risk of delinquent friend affiliation when peer victimization increased. Moreover, ease of talking with friends decreased the risk of internalizing problems, although it increased the risk of such behaviors when peer victimization increased. Talking with siblings did not buffer the association between peer victimization and adverse outcomes. Implications for practice are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research indicates that racial and ethnic minority adolescents show an increased risk for bullying involvement. However, research on racial and ethnic differences in bullying has mainly focused on the differences between Whites and African American adolescents in the U.S.A. Research on the bullying perpetration of foreign-born students is scarce. To fill this gap in the literature, this study utilizes the immigrant paradox to compare the prevalence rates and correlates of bullying perpetration between foreign-born and U.S.-born Hispanic/Latino adolescents. Data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children, 2009 to 2010 cohort study in the United States were used. The sample included 1,451 Hispanic/Latino adolescents from which 287 were foreign-born (M age = 13.32, SD = 1.68; 55% girls) and 1,164 were U.S.-born (M age = 13.05, SD = 1.68; 51.4% girls). Self-report questionnaires were administered to measure bullying involvement, substance abuse, befriending deviant peers, physical fight, demographic variables, and family characteristics. Findings showed that foreign-born adolescents did not differ from U.S.-born Hispanic/Latino adolescents (9.8% vs. 9.9%) regarding bullying perpetration. In addition, logistic regression analyses revealed that only bullying victimization was a common correlate for bullying perpetration across both groups. For foreign-born Hispanic/Latino adolescents, only befriending deviant peers was significantly associated with bullying perpetration. For the U.S.-born group, alcohol use and physical fights increased the odds of bullying perpetration. Implications for future research (e.g., the significance of the intersection of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class) and practice (e.g., the need to foster a positive school climate) will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Informed by attachment theory, the current study explores whether the association between bullying victimization and STIs acquisition among African American youth is moderated by general parental communication or parental communication about sex. Method : Data were collected from 546 African American adolescents in four neighborhoods in Chicago's South Side. Univariate analyses, Spearman's rank-order correlation analyses, and hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: A positive association between bullying victimization and STIs acquisition was found. General parental communication did not moderate the association between bullying victimization and STIs acquisition. However, parental communication about sex did moderate the association between bullying victimization and youth STIs acquisition. Discussion: The study has important implications for developing interventions to address the adverse consequences of bully victimization that emphasize parental communication about sex as a major component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although the association between bullying victimization and internalizing problems is well established, internalizing problems experienced by foreign-born and U.S.-born racial and ethnic minority adolescents in the United States who are victims of bullying are not well understood. This study explores the psychological effects of bullying victimization on foreign-born and U.S.-born Latino/Hispanic and Asian adolescents in the United States and investigates the moderating effects of parental monitoring. Findings may help identify protective factors for bullying victimization. Method: Data were from the 2009–2010 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study. The study sample comprised 3,349 Latino/Hispanic and 681 Asian American adolescents ages 10–17 from various locations in the United States. Analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and hierarchical multivariate regression analyses for foreign-born and U.S.-born adolescents. Results: Foreign-born adolescents were more likely to be bullied than U.S.-born adolescents. For both groups, being bullied increased the likelihood of internalizing problems. Parental monitoring moderated the relationship between bullying victimization and internalizing problems among foreign-born adolescents only. Conclusion: Foreign-born adolescents whose parents monitor their children were less likely to exhibit internalizing problems when bullied. Implications for practitioners working with racial and ethnic minority adolescents in the United States are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Children and adolescents who are victimized by their peers are at an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Bullying and suicide are major public health concerns; however, studies have not fully addressed the link between peer victimization and suicidal behavior among urban African American youth. The current study proposed and explored the pathways from peer victimization to suicidal thoughts via internalizing behaviors (i.e., low self‐esteem, depression, and hopelessness). Design and Methods: The sample consisted of 638 African American adolescents (aged 12–22) from low‐income communities in Chicago's Southside. A path model using the structural equation model was employed, controlling for biological sex, age, and government assistance. Results: The study found that victims of bullying are likely to develop low self‐esteem and depression, and depression can contribute to feelings of hopelessness, thereby increasing suicidal risks. Conclusions: Understanding the pathways from bullying victimization to suicidal thoughts is beneficial for nurse practitioners who assess and provide services and treatment to adolescents. Practice Implications: Because of limited resources in urban schools, anti‐bullying programs need to be cost‐effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African American heterosexual and sexual minority (SM) adolescents report widespread bullying victimization (BV), which is associated with poorer psychosocial functioning. However, studies examining potential protective factors that moderate this association are limited. Using data from a cross‐sectional study conducted in Chicago, we examined the association between BV and psychosocial functioning among a sample of heterosexual (n = 475) and SM (n = 105) African American adolescents and examined whether four empirically‐supported protective factors moderated these associations. Among SM adolescents, having close parents was protective against psychosomatic symptoms for those who reported high BV and having caring teachers was protective against substance use for those who reported both high and low BV. Among heterosexual adolescents, having close parents was protective against substance use for those who reported high BV but having high neighborhood support exacerbated the risk of developing psychosomatic symptoms for those who reported high BV. Implications for school and parental‐based interventions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the applicability of the Social Disorganization Theory, General Strain Theory, and Social Control Theory in the exploration of violent delinquency in Chicago's Southside. The study participants included 546 adolescents in Chicago. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Supporting the Social Disorganization Theory, affiliation with delinquent peers mediated the association between poor neighborhood conditions and delinquency. Supporting the General Strain Theory, emotional distress mediated the relationship between peer victimization and delinquency. Inconsistent with the Social Control Theory, however, religiosity did not buffer the relationship between feeling disconnected from parents and delinquency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This cross-sectional study examined the frequency of different forms of bullying victimization (verbal, physical, and social), predictors of victimization, and whether bullying is reported to an adult. The study utilized a community sample of 150 Arab American adolescents, age 12 to 16 years. The Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument-Victimization Scale was used to determine the participant's experiences of victimization in the past year. The adolescents indicated where bullying occurred, why, and whether they reported the incidence to an adult. Approximately 30% of the study sample reported that victimization occurred occasionally (once a month or more frequent). Classrooms and hallways were the most common locations where bullying had occurred. Country-of-origin and obesity were the most frequent reasons for victimization. Predictors varied among the different forms of victimization; however, cyber-victimization [OR = 24.5; 95% CI 5–119.5)], perceived problematic attire [OR = 8.4; 95% CI 2.2–31.9)], female gender [OR = 5.2; 95% CI 1.2–22.7)], and being overweight [OR = 0.14; 95% CI 0.01–2.6)] all predicted overall victimization. Our findings provide a foundation for future research focusing on Arab American adolescents, an underrepresented population, more research is needed to understand the scope of bullying victimization among Arab American adolescents. This study will inform future intervention research and practice to consider victimization and related factors among Arab American adolescents. Culturally sensitive and multilevel interventions are imperative to decrease bullying victimization among Arab American adolescents and prevent negative effects on their health and families. • Approximately 30% of this Arab American community sample reported victimization at least once a month in the past year. • Classrooms and hallways were the most common locations where bullying had occurred. • Country-of-origin and obesity were the most frequent reasons for victimization. • Cyber-victimization, perceived problematic attire, female gender, and being overweight all predicted overall victimization. • Current interventions need to address the unique victimization experience of Arab American adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to examine whether different types of involvement in bullying, together with a set of social-ecological correlates, were associated with alcohol and marijuana use for female and male adolescents. Methods: This study utilized data derived from the U.S. division of the 2005–2006 Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study, which include 7,084 U.S. 6th–10th graders (3,353 males and 3,731 females) in public and private schools. Results: The results showed that although some forms of involvement in bullying were associated with alcohol and marijuana use, some of these associations became non-significant when the social-ecological covariates were included in the models. The final logistic regression models revealed that being a traditional bully-victim increased the risk of alcohol use for males while being a traditional bully and cyber victim increased the risk of alcohol use for females. In addition, being a cyberbully increased the risk of marijuana use for males. While parental monitoring decreased the risk, delinquent peers increased the risk of both alcohol and marijuana use for both sexes. Parent/guardian support decreased the risk of alcohol use for females. The likelihood of alcohol use and marijuana use increased with age for both sexes, while being an African American was linked with a lower risk of alcohol and marijuana use among males. Conclusions/Importance: Our findings demonstrate the importance of examining the link between bullying involvement and substance use, together with social-ecological correlates for female and male adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to explore the link between peer victimization and substance use and tested the mediating role of internalizing problems in urban African American adolescents in Chicago. Six hundred and thirty-eight adolescents in Chicago's Southside participated in the study. Results from the hierarchical linear regression analysis showed that youth who reported peer victimization were at risk of internalizing problems. Those who were bullied by their peers were more likely to display internalizing problems, which was also significantly associated with substance use. Consistent with the self-medication hypothesis, findings from the study suggest that bullied youth are likely to display internalizing problems and turn to substance use. Implications for mental health practice in school settings are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]