Global prevalence and psychological impact of bullying among children and adolescents : a meta-analysis

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 prevalence of one-sixth. Addressing bullying requires collaboration among schools, parents, and healthcare professionals. Educational programs focused on prevention and targeted interventions for all groups are essential to mitigate the long-term mental health consequences of bullying. A comprehensive approach is crucial, considering the interconnected roles of victims, perpetrators, and bully-victims in the bullying dynamic.

Highlights

• One-quarter of children are bullying victims; one-sixth are perpetrators and bully-victims, respectively.
• Substance use, poor support, economic status, and distress raise bullying victim rates.
• Bullying causes emotional distress, loneliness, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts or attempts.
• Collaboration among schools, parents, and healthcare is key to addressing bullying.