Global prevalence and psychological impact of bullying among children and adolescents: a meta-analysis
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Bullying is a significant public health concern with negative consequences. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to estimate the pooled prevalence and psychological impact of bullying among children and adolescents.
METHODS
A comprehensive search of CINAHL, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted until April 2024. Data were analyzed using the Generalized Linear Mixed Model adopted random-effect model in R software. We assessed heterogeneity using I2 test and Cochran's Q-statistic and study quality using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Moreover, meta-regression and subgroup analyses identified factors contributing to prevalence of bullying.
RESULTS
A total of 116 studies involving 603,231 participants were identified. The pooled prevalence of bullying victims was 25 % (95%CI: 22 %-28 %), followed by 16 % (13 %-20 %) for bullying perpetrators, and 16 % (11 %-21 %) for bully-victims (individuals who experience both roles). We found that bullying has psychological impacts for all groups, including emotional distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, self-harming behavior, suicidal ideation, and suicidal attempts.
LIMITATIONS
The results showed high heterogeneity; however, meta-regression and sub-group analyses were performed to identify potential moderating factors.
CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights that one-quarter of children and adolescents are bullying victims, while perpetrators and bully-victims share a…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 603,231 participants or records.
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