Trends in risk and protective factors for child bullying perpetration in the United States

Abstract

This study examines trends in prevalence and factors associated with bullying perpetration among children 10-17 years old, using the 2003 and 2007 National Survey of Children's Health. A parent-reported bullying measure and NSCH-designed questions were used to measure factors associated with bullying. The 2003 (n = 48,639) and 2007 (n = 44,152) samples were 51 % male, with mean age of 13.5 (standard deviation 2.3). 23 % of children bullied at least sometimes in 2003 and 15 % bullied in 2007. Parental anger with their child, a child emotional/developmental/behavioral problem, and suboptimal maternal mental health were associated with higher bullying odds in 2003 and 2007, whereas parents talking with their child very/somewhat well, and meeting their child's friends were associated with lower odds. Between 2003 and 2007, parental anger with their child was associated with increasing bullying odds and parents' meeting their child's friends was associated with decreasing odds. Targeting these persistent factors may result in effective bullying-prevention interventions. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.