Longitudinal Association Between Physical Activity and School Bullying in Adolescents: A Cross-Lagged Panel Model

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• School bullying is a significant global public health concern for adolescents.
• Physical activity (PA) may reduce bullying risk, but longitudinal and gender-specific data are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the temporal dynamics between PA and school bullying (SB).
• To examine gender-specific variations in the bidirectional associations between PA and SB.

Main Methods:

• A 9-month longitudinal study of 577 middle school students using a cross-lagged panel model (CLPM).
• Validated instruments measured school bullying and physical activity.
• Gender-stratified multi-group comparisons analyzed predictive pathways.

Main Results:

• Significant bidirectional negative associations were found between PA and SB.
• PA predicted reduced SB, and SB predicted decreased PA over time.
• Gender moderated these relationships, with males showing stronger PA protective effects against SB and greater PA reduction after victimization.

Conclusions:

• PA and SB exhibit stable, bidirectional negative associations in adolescents with notable gender differences.
• Males benefit more from PA for bullying prevention but are more susceptible to PA decline after bullying.
• PA interventions are promising for bullying mitigation, requiring gender-tailored approaches.