Relative age is associated with bullying victimisation and perpetration among children aged eight to nine

To assess whether relative age was associated with bullying involvement and whether the associations were independent of child psychiatric symptoms.

Bullying was assessed among 8576 children in the second grade, aged 8 years, by using four cross-sectional population-based studies with identical methodology completed by children, parents and teachers in 1989 (response rate 97%), 1999 (93%), 2005 (90%) and 2013 (86%). The main outcomes were bullying victimisation and perpetration. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated with the relatively oldest as the reference group and adjusted for child psychiatric symptoms.

The relatively youngest children, born September to December, were compared with the relatively oldest, born January to April. The youngest children had increased odds of being victims according to child (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.4) and parent reports (OR 1.2 95% CI 1.008-1.4). The youngest also had decreased odds of being perpetrators according to child (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7-0.96) and teacher reports (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7-0.95). These findings were independent of psychiatric symptoms.

The relative age effects which were found in bullying involvement were independent of psychiatric symptoms. Considering this newly recognised risk factor for victimisation is important within anti-bullying practices.