Citation

Gloppen KM, Gower AL, McMorris BJ, Eisenberg ME. J. Sch. Health 2017; 87(11): 832-841.

Affiliation

University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware St. SE, Suite 353, Minneapolis, MN 55414.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, American School Health Association, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/josh.12557

PMID

29023840

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Peer harassment can have serious implications for students' success and well-being, and prevention programs need to consider the school context. This study aimed to: (1) identify groups of similar schools based on their risk and protective factors and demographic characteristics and (2) examine associations between school profiles and students' bullying involvement.

METHODS: Data came from 505 schools and 122,106 students who completed the 2013 Minnesota Student Survey. School-level risk and protective factors and demographic characteristics were included in a latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify profiles of schools. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess associations between school profiles and peer harassment.

RESULTS: Six qualitatively different school profiles were identified. Unadjusted models showed that schools with higher levels of risk had greater odds of peer harassment. However, after controlling for student-level risk and protection, regardless of school-level risk, students in metro-area schools with a more diverse student body reported lower odds of bullying involvement.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of the social environment into peer harassment. In addition to addressing student-level risk and protection, larger community factors and norms also need to be taken into account for developing, selecting, and implementing the most effective approaches to bullying prevention.

© 2017, American School Health Association.

Language: en

Keywords

bullying; emotional health; program planning; school harassment; school health policy