Bullies, victims and bully-victims Impact on health profile

Abstract

Bullying affects an important number of students in school today. Following the concept of health defended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which focuses on physical, mental and social well-being, in this paper we will present some results of a study concerning the relation between involvement in bullying and some health behaviors (self-esteem, mental health, psychosomatic symptoms and substance use). Data were collected from a random sample, using the Health Behaviours in School-Aged Children (HBSC) used by the WHO, the Susan Harter Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, a Peer Nomination Inventory and a Sociometric Questionnaire. A total of 581 Portuguese adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, who attended eleven public middle schools in the Lisbon region, were selected. The students were defined as bullies, victims, bully-victims and not involved, on the basis of the Peer Nomination Inventory. Results show a connection between these four groups and some health behaviors, providing a distinctive profile for each one. In general, bullies show a more positive health profile compared to victims, with the exception of substance use. Bully-victims show the most controversial profile, similar to bullies in their higher levels of self-esteem and self-confidence, but also similar to victims in their higher levels of rejection and weakness.