%0 Journal Article
%T A multilevel, statewide investigation of school district anti-bullying policy quality and student bullying involvement
%J Journal of school health
%D 2017
%A Gower, Amy L.
%A Cousin, Molly
%A Borowsky, Iris Wagman
%V 87
%N 3
%P 174-181
%X BACKGROUND: Although nearly all states in the United States require school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies, little research examines the effect of these policies on student bullying and health. Using a statewide sample, we investigated associations between the quality of school district anti-bullying policies and student bullying involvement and adjustment. <br><br>METHODS: School district anti-bullying policies (N = 208) were coded for their quality based on established criteria. District-level data were combined with student reports of bullying involvement, emotional distress, and school connectedness from a state surveillance survey of 6th, 9th, and 12th grade students (N = 93,437). <br><br>RESULTS: Results indicated that policy quality was positively related to bullying victimization. Furthermore, students reporting frequent perpetration/victimization who also attended districts with high-quality policies reported more emotional distress and less school connectedness compared with students attending districts with low quality policies. Although statistically significant, the magnitude of these associations was small. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Having a high-quality school district anti-bullying policy is not sufficient to reduce bullying and protect bullying-involved young people. Future studies examining policy implementation will inform best practices in bullying prevention.<br><br>© 2017, American School Health Association.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I John Wiley and Sons
%@ 0022-4391
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/josh.12480