Association between bullying, childhood adversities and social capital among adolescents

Reisen, Andressa; Gomes, Daiene Rosa; Viana, Maria Carmen; Salaroli, Luciane Bresciani; Santos Neto, Edson Theodoro dos

doi:10.1590/1413-81232024297.04012024

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THEMATIC ARTICLE • Ciênc. saúde coletiva 29 (7) • July 2024 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232024297.04012024 linkcopy

Association between bullying, childhood adversities and social capital among adolescents

Associação entre bullying, adversidades na infância e capital social entre adolescentes

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

This study aims to analyze the association between bullying behaviors, adverse childhood experiences and social capital in late adolescence. Secondary school students aged 15-19 of a metropolitan region of Brazil were recruited for a sectional epidemiological survey, with a sample of 2,281 students, stratified by municipality of school location. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed from three instruments: Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, Childhood Adversity History Questionnaire and Integrated Questionnaire to Measure Social Capital, in adapted versions. The results showed that the factors associated with bullying victims were gender and adversity in childhood. The factors associated to bullying aggressors were gender, childhood adversities, and cognitive social capital. And the factors associated with bullying aggressor-victims were gender, childhood adversities, and cognitive social capital. It is concluded that bullying is associated with adversity in childhood and also with cognitive social capital and they point out the need to address the causes of violence in order to provide a healthy and safe development for children and adolescents, preventing negative outcomes for physical and mental health.

Key words:
Adolescent; Bullying; Exposure to violence; Social capital; School health

	Not involved n = 1,192 (57.3%)			Victims n = 567 (24.9%)			Aggressors (n = 237; 10.4%)			Victim-aggressors (n = 285; 12.5%)			P- value^b
	N	%	95%CI	N	%	95%CI	N	%	95%CI	N	%	95%CI
Age (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100 0		285	100.0		0.002
15 and 16 years old (n = 1,268)	620	52.0	45.4 - 58.6	340	60.0	53.5 - 66.5	129	54.4	47.8 - 61.0	179	65.8	59.5 - 72.1
17 years old (n = 576)	322	27.0	21.1 - 32.9	131	23.1	17.5 - 28.7	69	29.1	23.1 - 35.1	54	19.0	13.8 - 24.2
18 and 19 years old (n = 437)	250	21.0	15.6 - 26.4	96	16.9	11.9 - 21.9	39	16.5	11.6 - 21.4	52	18.2	13.1 - 23.3
Gender (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0		< 0.001
Female (n = 1,368)	801	67.2	61.0 - 73.4	334	58.9	52.4 - 65.4	122	51.5	44.9 - 58.1	111	39.0	32.5 - 45.5
Male (n = 913)	391	32.8	26.6 - 39.0	233	41.1	34.6 - 47.6	115	48.5	41.9 - 55.1	174	61.0	54.5 - 67.5
Race-color (n = 2,279)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		236	100.0		284	100.0		0.364
White (n = 653)	341	28.6	22.6 - 34.6	169	29.8	23.7 - 35.9	60	25.4	19.6 - 31.2	83	29.2	23.2 - 35.2
Black (n = 403)	197	16.5	11.6 - 21.4	105	18.5	13.3 - 23.7	51	21.6	16.1 - 27.1	50	17.6	12.5 - 22.7
Multiracial (n = 1,036)	547	45.9	39.3 - 52.5	251	44.3	37.7 - 50.9	105	44.5	37.9 - 51.1	133	46.8	40.2 - 53.4
Yellow (n = 145)	86	7.2	3.8 - 10.6	35	6.2	5.6 - 6.8	14	6.0	2.8 - 9.2	10	3.5	1.1 - 5.9
Indigenous (n = 42)	21	1.8	0.0 - 3.6	7	1.2	-0.2 - 2.6	6	2.5	0.4 - 4.6	8	2.8	0.6 - 5.0
School network (n = 2,280) ^a	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		236	100.0		285	100.0		0.297
Public (n = 2,005)	1,063	89.2	85.1 - 93.3	490	86.4	81.8 - 91.0	204	86.4	81.8 - 91.0	248	87.0	82.5 - 91.5
Private (n = 275)	129	10.8	6.7 - 14.9	77	13.6	9.0 - 18.2	32	13.6	9.0 - 18.2	37	13.0	8.5 - 17.5
High-school year (n = 2,281) ^a	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0		< 0.001
First year (n = 1,088)	521	43.7	37.1 - 50.3	298	52.5	45.9 - 59.1	118	49.8	43.1 - 56.5	151	52.9	46.3 - 59.5
Second year (n = 615)	318	26.7	20.8 - 32.6	156	27.5	26.3 - 28.7	65	27.4	26.2 - 28.6	76	26.7	20.8 - 32.6
Third and fourth years (n = 578)	353	29.6	28.4 - 30.8	113	20.0	14.7 - 25.3	54	22.8	17.2 - 28.4	58	20.4	15.0 - 25.8
Shift (n = 2,268) ^a	1,184	100.0		565	100.0		235	100.0		284	100.0		0.437
Morning (n = 1,861)	965	81.5	76.3 - 86.7	461	81.6	76.4 - 86.3	192	81.7	76.6 - 86.8	243	85.6	80.9 - 90.3
Afternoon (n = 407)	219	18.5	13.3 - 23.7	104	18.4	13.2 - 23.6	43	18.3	13.2 - 52.4	41	14.4	9.7 - 19.1
Adolescent’s paid job (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0		0.431
No (n = 1,752)	931	78.1	72.6 - 83.6	430	75.8	70.1 - 81.5	180	75.9	70.2 - 81.6	211	74.0	68.2 - 79.8
Yes (n = 529)	261	21.9	20.8 - 23.0	137	24.1	18.4 - 29.8	57	24.1	18.4 - 29.8	74	26.0	20.2 - 31.8
Years living at that address (n = 2,258) ^a	1,178	100.0		564	100.0		234	100.0		282	100.0		0.675
Up to 10 years (n = 1,100)	570	48.4	41.8 - 55.0	280	49.6	42.9 - 56.3	107	45.1	38.5 - 51.7	143	50.7	44.0 - 57.4
Over 10 years (n = 1,158)	608	51.6	45.0 - 58.2	284	50.4	43.7 - 57.1	127	54.9	47.5 - 62.3	139	49.3	42.6 - 56.0
Basic sanitation (n = 2,199) ^a	1,154	100.0		543	100.0		227	100.0		275	100.0		0.177
No (n = 525)	257	22.3	16.8 - 27.8	147	27.1	21.2 - 33.0	57	25.1	19.3 - 30.9	64	23.3	17.7 - 28.9
Yes (n = 1,674)	897	77.7	72.2 - 83.2	396	72.9	67.0 - 78.8	170	74.9	69.1 - 80.7	211	76.7	71.7 - 82.3
Number of residents in the household (n = 2280) ^a	1,192	100.0		566	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0		0.387
Up to 5 people (n = 1,965)	1027	86.2	81.6 - 90.8	480	84.8	80.0 - 89.6	212	89.5	85.4 - 93.6	246	86.3	81.7 - 90.9
Over 5 people (n = 315)	165	13.8	12.9 - 14.7	86	15.2	67.0 - 78.8	25	10.5	6.4 - 14.6	39	13.7	9.1 - 18.3
Parental divorce (n = 2,262)	1,182	100.0		559	100.0		236	100.0		285	100.0		0.008
No (n = 1323)	728	61.6	55.1 - 68.1	319	57.1	50.5 - 63.7	126	53.4	46.8 - 60.0	150	52.6	46.0 - 59.2
Yes (n = 939)	454	38.4	31.9 - 44.9	240	42.9	36.3 - 49.5	110	46.6	40.0 - 53.2	135	47.3	40.7 - 53.9
Head of the family’s educational background (n = 2,234) ^a	1,171	100.0		554	100.0		233	100.0		276	100.0		0.248
Elementary (n = 1,048)	571	48.8	42.1 - 55.5	255	46.0	39.4 - 52.6	99	42.5	35.9 - 49.1	123	44.6	38.0 - 51.2
Secondary (n = 765)	400	34.1	27.8 - 40.4	180	32.5	26.3 - 38.7	86	36.9	30.5 - 43.3	99	35.9	29.5 - 42.3
Higher (n = 421)	200	17.1	12.1 - 22.1	119	21.5	16.0 - 27.0	48	20.6	15.2 - 26.0	54	19.5	14.2 - 24.8
Total family income (n = 1,772) ^a	913	100.0		442	100.0		199	100.0		218	100.0		0.150
Up to 1 minimum wage (n = 224)	124	13.6	12.7 - 14.5	56	12.7	8.3 - 17.1	19	9.6	5.7 - 13.5	25	11.5	7.3 - 15.7
Between 1 and 3 minimum wages (n = 791)	430	47.1	40.5 - 53.7	194	43.9	37.3 - 50.5	83	41.7	35.1 - 48.3	84	38.5	32.0 - 45.0
Between 3 and 10 minimum wages (n = 639	303	33.2	26.9 - 39.5	160	36.2	29.8 - 42.6	82	41.2	34.7 - 47.7	94	43.1	36.5 - 53.6
Over 10 minimum wages (n = 118)	56	6.1	2.9 - 9.3	32	7.2	3.8 - 10.6	15	7.5	4.0 - 11.0	15	6.9	3.5 - 10.3
Adversity in childhood (n = 2,099) ^a	1,093	100.0		522	100.0		220	100.0		264	100.0		< 0.001
Not exposed (n = 212)	158	14.5	9.8 - 19.2	29	5.5	2.5 - 8.5	15	6.8	3.5 - 10.1	10	3.8	1.3 - 6.3
1 to 3 adversities (n = 1,189)	679	62.1	55.6 - 68.6	275	52.7	46.1 - 59.3	111	50.5	43.8 - 57.2	124	47.0	40.4 - 53.6
4 to 10 adversities (n = 698)	256	23.4	17.8 - 29.0	218	41.8	35.2 - 48.4	94	42.7	36.1 - 49.3	130	49.2	42.5 - 55.9
Structural Social Capital (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0
Low (n = 570)	297	25.0	19.2 - 30.8	144	25.4	19.6 - 31.2	61	25.7	14.7 - 36.7	68	23.9	13.2 - 34.6	0.786
Moderate (n = 1,151)	612	51.3	44.6 - 58.0	282	49.7	43.9 - 55.5	121	51.1	38.6 - 63.6	136	47.7	35.2 - 60.2
High (n = 560)	283	23.7	18.0 - 29.4	141	24.9	19.9 - 29.9	55	23.2	12.6 - 33.8	81	28.4	17.1 - 39.7
Cognitive Social Capital (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0
Low (n = 454)	198	16.6	11.6 - 21.6	100	17.6	12.5 - 22.7	73	30.8	24.7 - 36.9	83	29.1	23.1 - 35.1	< 0.001
Moderate (n = 1228)	637	53.4	46.8 - 60.0	319	56.3	49.7 - 62.9	125	52.7	46.1 - 59.3	147	51.6	45.0 - 58.2
High (n = 599)	357	30.0	23.9 - 36.1	148	26.1	20.3 - 31.9	39	16.5	11.6 - 21.4	55	19.3	14.0 - 24.6
Underlying Social Capital (n = 2,281)	1,192	100.0		567	100.0		237	100.0		285	100.0
Low (n = 561)	270	22.6	17.0 - 28.2	157	27.7	21.7 - 33.7	60	25.3	19.5 - 31.1	74	26.0	20.2 - 31.8	0.056
Moderate (n = 1145)	598	50.2	48.9 - 51.5	276	48.7	42.0 - 55.4	115	48.5	41.9 - 55.1	156	54.7	48.1 - 61.3
High (n = 575)	324	27.2	21.3 - 33.1	134	23.6	18.0 - 29.2	62	26.2	60.9 - 63.1	55	19.3	14.0 - 24.6

Bullying behaviors ^a			Gross OR	95%CI		p- value	Adjusted OR	95%CI		p- value
Bullying behaviors ^a			Gross OR	Lower threshold	Higher threshold	p- value	Adjusted OR	Lower threshold	Higher threshold	p- value
Victims	Age	15 and 16	1.4	1.09	1.87	0.010
		17 years	1.1	0.78	1.45	0.716
		18 and 19	1
	Gender	Female	0.7	0.57	0.86	0.001	0.6	0.47	0.81	< 0.001
	Gender	Male	1				1
	High-school year	First year	1.8	1.39	2.31	< 0.001
		Second year	1.5	1.15	2.04	0.003
		Third/Fourth years	1
	Basic sanitation	No	1.3	1.03	1.64	0.031
	Basic sanitation	Yes	1
	Parental divorce	No	0.8	0.68	1.02	0.072	1.3	1.00	1.75	0.047
	Parental divorce	Yes	1				1
	Total family income	Up to 1 minimum wage	0.8	0.46	1.35	0.390
		Between 1 and 3 minimum wages	0.8	0.5	1.26	0.321
		Between 3 and 10 minimum wages	0.9	0.58	1.49	0.744
		Over 10 minimum wages	1
	Adversity in childhood	4 to 10	4.6	3.00	7.17	< 0.001	7.7	4.43	13.26	< 0.001
		1 to 3	2.2	1.45	3.36	< 0.001	2.8	1.67	4.55	< 0.001
		Not exposed	1				1
	Cognitive social capital	Low	1.2	0.90	1.66	0.208
		Moderate	1.2	0.96	1.53	.0114
		High	1
	Underlying social capital	Low	1.4	1.06	1.86	0.018
		Moderate	1.1	0.87	1.43	0.383
		High	1
Aggressors	Age	15 and 16	1.3	0.91	1.96	0.145
		17 years	1.4	0.90	2.10	0.144
		18 and 19	1
	Gender	Female	0.5	0.39	0.69	< 0.001	0.5	0.33	0.67	< 0.001
	Gender	Male	1				1
	High-school year	First year	1.5	1.04	2.10	0.028
		Second year	1.3	0.90	1.98	0.147
		Third/Fourth years	1
	Basic sanitation	No	1.2	0.84	1.63	0.351
	Basic sanitation	Yes	1
	Parental divorce	No	0.7	0.54	0.95	0.019
	Parental divorce	Yes	1
	Total family income	Up to 1 minimum wage	0.6	0.27	1.21	0.143
		Between 1 and 3 minimum wages	0.7	0.39	1.34	0.297
		Between 3 and 10 minimum wages	1.0	0.54	1.88	0.974
		Over 10 minimum wages	1
	Adversity in childhood	4 to 10	3.9	2.17	6.91	< 0.001	6.0	2.99	12.14	< 0.001
		1 to 3	1.7	0.98	3.03	0.060	1.9	1.02	3.72	0.043
		Not exposed	1				1
	Cognitive social capital	Low	3.4	2.21	5.17	< 0.001	3.2	1.91	5.32	< 0.001
		Moderate	1.8	1.23	2.63	0.003	1.7	1.12	2.73	0.014
		High	1				1
	Underlying social capital	Low	1.2	0.79	1.72	0.452
		Moderate	1.0	0.72	1.41	0.977
		High	1
Victim-aggressors	Age	15 and 16	1.4	0.99	1.95	0.060	1.7	1.04	2.89	0.036
		17 years	0.8	0.53	1.22	0.309	0.8	0.48	1.35	0.417
		18 and 19	1				1
	Gender	Female	0.3	0.24	0.41	< 0.001	0.3	0.19	0.39	< 0.001
	Gender	Male	1				1
	High-school year	First year	1.8	1.27	2.46	0.001
		Second year	1.5	1.00	2.11	0.049
		Third/fourth years	1
	Basic sanitation	No	1.1	0.78	1.5	0.720
	Basic sanitation	Yes	1
	Parental divorce	No	0.7	0.53	0.90	0.006
	Parental divorce	Yes	1
	Total family income	Up to 1 minimum wage	0.8	0.37	1.54	0.435
		Between 1 and 3 minimum wages	0.7	0.39	1.35	0.315
		Between 3 and 10 minimum wages	1.2	0.63	2.14	0.640
		Over 10 minimum wages	1
	Adversity in childhood	4 to 10	8.0	4.09	15.73	< 0.001	27.3	9.34	80.02	< 0.001
		1 to 3	2.9	1.48	5.6	0.002	7.1	2.51	20.21	< 0.001
		Not exposed	1				1
	Cognitive social capital	Low	2.7	1.86	3.99	< 0.001	3.3	1.97	5.42	< 0.001
		Moderate	1.5	1.07	2.10	0.018	1.7	1.07	2.58	0.025
		High	1				1
	Underlying social capital	Low	1.6	1.10	2.37	0.015
		Moderate	1.5	1.10	2.15	0.012
		High	1

Social capital*	Exposure to adversity in childhood	p-value	OR	95%CI
Social capital*	Exposure to adversity in childhood	p-value	OR	Lower threshold	Higher threshold
Low structural	1 to 3	0.225	1.3	0.85	1.97
	4 to 10	0.037	1.6	1.03	2.48
	Not exposed		1
Moderate structural	1 to 3	0.308	1.2	0.85	1.68
	4 to 10	0.293	1.2	0.85	1.75
	Not exposed		1
Low cognitive	1 to 3	0.525	1.2	0.75	1.77
	4 to 10	0.037	1.6	1.03	2.54
	Not exposed		1
Moderate cognitive	1 to 3	0.113	1.3	0.94	1.83
	4 to 10	0.023	1.5	1.06	2.16
	Not exposed		1
Low underlying	1 to 3	0.780	1.1	0.70	1.60
	4 to 10	0.008	1.8	1.17	2.79
	Not exposed		1
Moderate underlying	1 to 3	0.687	1.1	0.76	1.51
	4 to 10	0.039	1.5	1.02	2.13
	Not exposed		1

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[TFN1] ^a The variables that did not totalize n = 2,281 refer to the absence of valid answers for analysis. ^b Pearson’s chi-square test.

[TFN2] Source: Authors.