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Bullying Exposure, Sleep Duration, Bedtime Consistency, and Chronic School Absenteeism Among U.S. Children Ages 6-11

Adam P Knowlden1, Sarah M Flora2

  • 1Health Science, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.

The Journal of School Nursing : the Official Publication of the National Association of School Nurses
|June 15, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Childhood bullying is linked to poor sleep and increased school absenteeism. Consistent bedtimes, rather than just sleep duration, are key to reducing missed school days for children aged 6-11.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Bullying is a common childhood issue with potential long-term consequences.
  • Sleep disruption is a potential mediator between bullying and negative school outcomes.
  • Population-level data on this link, especially concerning specific sleep factors, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between bullying exposure, sleep health (short sleep duration and bedtime consistency), and chronic absenteeism in U.S. children.
  • To identify which specific sleep parameters are most strongly linked to school absenteeism in the context of bullying.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized pooled data from the 2022-2024 National Survey of Children's Health.
  • Analyzed data from 45,118 U.S. children aged 6-11 years.
  • Examined associations between self-reported bullying exposure, sleep duration (<9 hours), bedtime consistency, and chronic absenteeism (≥11 missed school days).

Main Results:

  • Nearly half (45%) of children reported bullying exposure in the past year.
  • Bullying exposure was significantly associated with higher odds of short sleep and chronic absenteeism.
  • Bedtime consistency, but not short sleep duration, remained independently associated with chronic absenteeism after accounting for other factors.

Conclusions:

  • Bullying exposure is a significant risk factor for sleep problems and school absenteeism in middle childhood.
  • Consistent bedtimes emerge as a critical sleep health factor associated with reduced risk of chronic absenteeism.
  • Interventions focusing on establishing regular bedtime routines may help mitigate school absenteeism in children exposed to bullying.

Keywords:
bullyingchildrenmental health effectsviolence exposureyouth violence

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