Bullying victimization among Brazilian students: Results of the national survey of school health (PENSE)

Abstract

Objective: to identify bullying victimization among Brazilian students and analyze its association with individual and contextual variables. Method: cross-sectional, population-based study with data collected by the National Survey of School Health. A total of 109,104 9th grade students from public and private schools participated. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. We tested a model of association between bullying and sociodemographic variables (age, self-reported race, and mothers’ education), mental health (loneliness, insomnia, and lack of friends), family context (being spanked at home), school absenteeism (missing classes), and risk behavior (drug experimentation). Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted. Results: the prevalence of victimization was 7.2%. Boys and girls aged 14 and 15 years old less frequently experienced bullying, while girls younger than 13 years old more frequently experienced bullying (OR: 1.48, CI95%: 1.02-2.15). Indigenous boys (OR: 1.37, CI95%: 1.15-1.65), Afro-descendant girls (OR: 1.24, CI95%: 1.09-1.40) Asian-descendant girls (OR: 1.43, CI95%: 1.21-1.70) were more frequently victims. Loneliness, lack of friends, insomnia, missing classes, domestic violence, and low level of mother’s education were associated with victimization among both boys and girls while drug use was associated only with girls (OR: 1.19, CI95%: 1.03-1.37). Conclusion: the results indicate that bullying victimization interferes in the education and health of students. These findings can support interventions intended to facilitate coping and promote health in schools.