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Published on: October 19, 2014
Parental reported bullying among Nordic children: a population-based study
R Nordhagen1, A Nielsen, H Stigum
1Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Nydalen, Oslo, Norway. Rannveig.Nordhagen@fhi.no
Child: Care, Health and Development
|October 7, 2005
Summary
Bullying is prevalent among Nordic children, affecting 15.1% of those surveyed. Targeted interventions and strong national policies, like those in Sweden, appear to reduce bullying rates and protect children's health.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Bullying is a significant issue among school-aged children.
- Limited population-based studies include pre-school children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of bullying in Nordic countries.
- To identify risk factors and effects of bullying.
- To analyze trends in bullying over time.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional comparative study in 1984 and 1996.
- Postal questionnaires sent to parents of 3000 randomly selected children (aged 2-17) in five Nordic countries.
- Analysis of approximately 20,000 completed questionnaires.
Main Results:
- 15.1% of children were reported as bullied; prevalence varied by country (7.2% in Sweden to 20% in Denmark/Finland).
- Bullying increased slightly from 1984 to 1996.
- Boys, younger children (2-12 years), children of single parents or with low parental education, and those with chronic conditions showed higher risks.
- Psychiatric issues and hyperactivity were strongly associated with bullying in 1996.
- Being bullied correlated with poor thriving and psychosomatic/psychological problems.
Conclusions:
- Bullying is common in Nordic children, including pre-schoolers, posing a health risk.
- Children with chronic conditions face augmented risks.
- Sweden's lower prevalence may stem from sustained anti-bullying policies.
- Continued interventions are necessary to address bullying.
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