Population-Based Studies of Bullying in Young Children

Abstract

School bullying is defined as repeated and intentional aggression toward the peers who have difficulty to stop or counteract such harassment.1,2 Bullying and victimization have serious negative effects on health and functioning of children.3-5 Detecting and preventing bullying problems early in the schooling process is an opportunity to protect children from long-lasting adverse health consequences.6,7 A comprehensive understanding of school bullying, its prevalence and the associated with it risk factors form the basis of evidence-based prevention programs. Whereas the importance of early preventive efforts has been widely recognized8,9, studies of bullying among young elementary school children remain scarce, as most of research is usually carried out among adolescents. With the help of large, prospective, population- based studies of children from preschool age onwards, we can gain a better understanding of the risk factors associated with bullying. This thesis describes several population-based studies that address bullying involvement in early elementary school, with a specific focus on its assessment, prevalence and early-age predictors.