Generic placeholder image

Adolescent Psychiatry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2210-6766
ISSN (Online): 2210-6774

Research Article

Maternal Awareness of Adolescent Bullying Victimization in a Low-Income Context

Author(s): Marlene A. Vieira, Bjørn H. Handegård, John A. Rønning, Cristine S. Duarte, Jair J. Mari and Isabel A. Bordin*

Volume 10, Issue 1, 2020

Page: [29 - 40] Pages: 12

DOI: 10.2174/2210676609666190808094820

Abstract

Background: Adolescents and parents often disagree about the perception of bullying victimization since adults tend to underestimate its occurrence.

Objective: This study identifies factors that can influence maternal perception of bullying victimization experienced by her son/daughter in the past 12 months.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a representative sample of in-school adolescents (n=669, 11-15-years) living in Itaboraí city, Brazil (mean age±SE: 13.01±0.07 years; 51.7% females). A 3-stage probabilistic sampling procedure (random selection of census units, eligible households and target child) generated sampling weights. Trained lay interviewers individually applied semi-structured questionnaires to mothers and adolescents in the households. Multivariable logistic regression analysis examined factors potentially influencing maternal perception of bullying victimization experienced by her son/daughter: adolescent gender and age, adolescent self-perceived bullying victimization, exposure to severe physical punishment by parents, internalizing/externalizing behaviour problems identified by the Youth Self-Report/YSR, maternal education and maternal anxiety/depression identified by the 20-item Self-Reporting Questionnaire/SRQ-20.

Results: Univariable logistic regression analysis identified a strong association between adolescent self-perceived bullying victimization and maternal perception of bullying victimization experienced by her son/daughter. Multivariable models showed that adolescent perception influenced maternal perception when adolescents had no clinical internalizing behaviour problems and when mothers had higher education.

Conclusion: Anxious/depressive adolescents may hide victimization incidents, while those with no problems probably reveal these incidents to the mother. Considering that maternal low education is an indicator of low socioeconomic status, which is associated with multiple stressors, less educated mothers may be more likely to interpret these incidents as a common part of growing-up.

Keywords: Bullying, adolescent, mothers, mental health, educational status, awareness.

Alizadeh Maralani, F., Mirnasab, M., Hashemi, T. (2016). The predictive role of maternal parenting and stress on pupils’ bullying involvement. J. Interpers. Violence, 0886260516672053
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886260516672053] [PMID: 27701082]
Avilés, J.M., Irurtia, M.J., García-Lopez, L.J., Caballo, V.E. (2011). El maltrato entre iguales: “bullying. Psicol. Conduct., 19, 57.
Bjereld, Y. (2017). If They Only Knew: Bullying Victimization among Children and Youth in the Nordic Countries.PhD diss.. Sweden: University of Gothenburg.https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/52229/3/gupea_2077_52229_3.pdf
Bjereld, Y., Daneback, K., Petzold, M. (2017). Do bullied children have poor relationships with their parents and teachers? A cross-sectional study of Swedish children. Child. Youth Serv. Rev., 73, 347-351.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.01.012]
Bordin, I.A., Duarte, C.S., Peres, C.A., Nascimento, R., Curto, B.M., Paula, C.S. (2009). Severe physical punishment: risk of mental health problems for poor urban children in Brazil. Bull. World Health Organ., 87(5), 336-344.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.07.043125] [PMID: 19551251]
Bordin, I.A., Duarte, C.S., Ribeiro, W.S., Paula, C.S., Coutinho, E.S.F., Sourander, A., Rønning, J.A. (2018). Violence and child mental health in Brazil: The Itaboraí Youth Study methods and findings. Int. J. Methods Psychiatr. Res., 27(2)e1605
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1605] [PMID: 29341329]
Bordin, I.A., Rocha, M.M., Paula, C.S., Teixeira, M.C.T., Achenbach, T.M., Rescorla, L.A., Silvares, E.F. (2013). Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL),Youth Self-Report (YSR) and Teacher’s Report Form(TRF): an overview of the development of the original and Brazilian versions. Cad. Saude Publica, 29(1), 13-28.https://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?pid=S0102-311X2013000500004&script=sci_arttext&tlng=pt
[PMID: 23370021]
Borsa, J.C., Petrucci, G.W., Koller, S.H. (2015). A participação dos pais nas pesquisas sobre o bullying escolar. Psicologia Escolar e Educacional, 19, 41-48.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/2175-3539/2015/0191792]
Mari, J.J., Williams, P. (1986). A validity study of a psychiatric screening questionnaire (SRQ-20) in primary care in the city of Sao Paulo. Br. J. Psychiatry, 148, 23-26.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.148.1.23] [PMID: 3955316]
Gebara, C.F., Ferri, C.P., Bhona, F.M., Vieira, M.T., Lourenço, L.M., Noto, A.R. (2017). Psychosocial factors associated with mother-child violence: a household survey. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol., 52(1), 77-86.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1298-0] [PMID: 27783128]
Demaray, M.K., Malecki, C.K., Secord, S.M., Lyell, K.M. (2013). Agreement among students’, teachers’, and parents’ perceptions of victimization by bullying. Child. Youth Serv. Rev., 35, 2091-2100.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.10.018]
Espinoza, G., Gonzales, N.A., Fuligni, A.J. (2013). Daily school peer victimization experiences among Mexican-American adolescents: associations with psychosocial, physical and school adjustment. J. Youth Adolesc., 42(12), 1775-1788.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9874-4] [PMID: 23238764]
Holt, M.K., Kaufman Kantor, G., Finkelhor, D. (2008). Parent/child concordance about bullying involvement and family characteristics related to bullying and peer victimization. J. Sch. Violence, 8, 42-63.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15388220802067813]
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE) Sinopse do Censo Demográfico 2010 por Estado e Município: População Residente. Retrieved from http://www.censo2010.ibge.gov.br/sinopse/index.php?uf=33&dados=1
Larrañaga, E., Yubero, S., Navarro, R. (2018). Parents’ responses to coping with bullying: Variations by adolescents’ self-reported victimization and parents’ awareness of bullying involvement. Soc. Sci., 7, 121.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/socsci7080121]
Ledwell, M., King, V. (2015). Bullying and internalizing problems: gender differences and the buffering role of parental communication. J. Fam. Issues, 36(5), 543-566.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0192513X13491410] [PMID: 25892837]
Lereya, S.T., Copeland, W.E., Costello, E.J., Wolke, D. (2015). Adult mental health consequences of peer bullying and maltreatment in childhood: two cohorts in two countries. Lancet Psychiatry, 2(6), 524-531.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00165-0] [PMID: 26360448]
Lister, C., Merrill, R.M., Vance, D., West, J.H., Hall, P.C., Crookston, B.T. (2015). Predictors of peer victimization among Peruvian adolescents in the young lives cohort. Int. J. Adolesc. Med. Health, 27(1), 85-91.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2014-0012] [PMID: 25204215]
Malta, D.C., Porto, D.L., Crespo, C.D., Silva, M.M.A., de Andrade, S.S., de Mello, F.C., Monteiro, R., Silva, M.A. (2014). Bullying in Brazilian school children: analysis of the National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE 2012). Rev. Bras. Epidemiol., 17 (Suppl. 1), 92-105.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-4503201400050008] [PMID: 25054256]
Matsunaga, M. (2009). Parents don’t (always) know their children have been bullied: Child-parent discrepancy on bullying and family-level profile of communication standards. Hum. Commun. Res., 35, 221-247.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2009.01345.x]
Mello, F.C., Malta, D.C., Prado, R.R., Farias, M.S., Alencastro, L.C., Silva, M.A. (2016). Bullying and associated factors in adolescents in the Southeast region according to the National School-based Health Survey. Rev. Bras. Epidemiol., 19(4), 866-877.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1980-5497201600040015] [PMID: 28146174]
Menesini, E., Salmivalli, C. (2017). Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions. Psychol. Health Med., 22(sup1) (Suppl. 1), 240-253.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13548506.2017.1279740] [PMID: 28114811]
Mishna, F. (2004). A qualitative study of bullying from multiple perspectives. Child. Schools, 26, 234-247.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cs/26.4.234]
Mishna, F., Pepler, D., Wiener, J. (2006). Factors associated with perceptions and responses to bullying situations by children, parents, teachers, and principals. Vict. Offenders, 1, 255-288.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15564880600626163]
Moore, S.E., Norman, R.E., Suetani, S., Thomas, H.J., Sly, P.D., Scott, J.G. (2017). Consequences of bullying victimization in childhood and adolescence: A systematic review and meta-analysis. World J. Psychiatry, 7(1), 60-76.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v7.i1.60] [PMID: 28401049]
Nocentini, A., Fiorentini, G., Di Paola, L., Menesini, E. (2018). Parents, family characteristics and bullying behavior: A systematic review. Aggression and violent behavior, 45, 41-50.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb. 2018.07.010.]
Oliveira, W.A., Silva, J.L.D., Sampaio, J.M.C., Silva, M.A.I. (2017). Students’ health: an integrative review on family and bullying. Cien. Saude Colet., 22(5), 1553-1564.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232017225.09802015] [PMID: 28538926]
Olweus, D. (2013). School bullying: development and some important challenges. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol., 9, 751-780.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050212-185516] [PMID: 23297789]
Pigozi, P.L., Machado, A.L. (2015). Bullying during adolescence in Brazil: an overview. Cien. Saude Colet., 20(11), 3509-3522.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1413-812320152011.05292014] [PMID: 26602728]
Rigby, K. (2013). Bullying in schools and its relation to parenting and family life. Fam. Matters, 92, 61.https://ap01-a.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/delivery/61USOUTHAUS_INST/12143252170001831
Rønning, J.A., Sourander, A., Kumpulainen, K., Tamminen, T., Niemelä, S., Moilanen, I., Helenius, H., Piha, J., Almqvist, F. (2009). Cross-informant agreement about bullying and victimization among eight-year-olds: whose information best predicts psychiatric caseness 10-15 years later? Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol., 44(1), 15-22.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0395-0] [PMID: 18604618]
Rønning, J.A., Thorvaldsen, S., Egeberg, G. (2017). Well-being in an arctic city. Designing a longitudinal study on student relationships and perceived quality of life.The Interconnected Arctic - UArctic Congress 2016. (pp. 185-194). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-57532-2_19
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57532-2_19]
Runyan, D.K., Shankar, V., Hassan, F., Hunter, W.M., Jain, D., Paula, C.S., Bangdiwala, S.I., Ramiro, L.S., Muñoz, S.R., Vizcarra, B., Bordin, I.A. (2010). International variations in harsh child discipline. Pediatrics, 126(3), e701-e711.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2008-2374] [PMID: 20679301]
Sawyer, J.L., Mishna, F., Pepler, D., Wiener, J. (2011). The missing voice: parents’ perspectives of bullying. Child. Youth Serv. Rev., 33, 1795-1803.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.05.010]
Stavrinides, P., Nikiforou, M., Georgiou, S. (2015). Do mothers know? Longitudinal associations between parental knowledge, bullying, and victimization. J. Soc. Pers. Relat., 32, 180-196.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0265407514525889]
Sourander, A., Gyllenberg, D., Brunstein Klomek, A., Sillanmäki, L., Ilola, A.M., Kumpulainen, K. (2016). Association of bullying behavior at 8 years of age and use of specialized services for psychiatric disorders by 29 years of age. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(2), 159-165.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.2419] [PMID: 26650586]
Thomas, H.J., Connor, J.P., Lawrence, D.M., Hafekost, J.M., Zubrick, S.R., Scott, J.G. (2017). Prevalence and correlates of bullying victimisation and perpetration in a nationally representative sample of Australian youth. Aust. N. Z. J. Psychiatry, 51(9), 909-920.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867417707819] [PMID: 28513190]
Tippett, N., Wolke, D. (2014). Socioeconomic status and bullying: A meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health, 104, e48-e59.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301960]
Vergara, G.A., Stewart, J.G., Cosby, E.A., Lincoln, S.H., Auerbach, R.P. (2019). Non-Suicidal self-injury and suicide in depressed Adolescents: Impact of peer victimization and bullying. J. Affect. Disord., 245, 744-749.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.084] [PMID: 30448758]
von Rueden, U., Gosch, A., Rajmil, L., Bisegger, C., Ravens-Sieberer, U. (2006). Socioeconomic determinants of health related quality of life in childhood and adolescence: results from a European study. J. Epidemiol. Community Health, 60(2), 130-135.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2005.039792] [PMID: 16415261]
Wolke, D., Lereya, S.T. (2015). Long-term effects of bullying. Arch. Dis. Child., 100(9), 879-885.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-306667] [PMID: 25670406]
World Health Organization (WHO). (1994). A User’s Guide to the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ). Geneva: World Health Organization, 1-84. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/61113/WHO_MNH_PSF_94.8.pdf;jsessionid=9CCD4DDEE15D1C89109884CCD1E29CD1?sequence=1
Zwierzynska, K., Wolke, D., Lereya, T.S. (2013). Peer victimization in childhood and internalizing problems in adolescence: a prospective longitudinal study. J. Abnorm. Child Psychol., 41(2), 309-323.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10802-012-9678-8] [PMID: 22956274]
Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R., Del Rey, R. (2015a). Scientific research on bullying and cyberbullying: Where have we been and where are we going. Aggress. Violent. Behav., 24, 188-198.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.05.015]
Zych, I., Ortega-Ruiz, R., Del Rey, R. (2015b). Systematic review of theoretical studies on bullying and cyberbullying: Facts, knowledge, prevention, and intervention. Aggress. Violent. Behav., 23, 1-21.
[http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2015.10.001]

© 2024 Bentham Science Publishers | Privacy Policy