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Sufficient Social Support as a Possible Preventive Factor against Fighting and Bullying in School Children

Author

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  • Kastytis Šmigelskas

    (Health Research Institute, Faculty of Public Health, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Tomas Vaičiūnas

    (Health Research Institute, Faculty of Public Health, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Justė Lukoševičiūtė

    (Department of Health Psychology, Faculty of Public Health, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Marta Malinowska-Cieślik

    (Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 20 Grzegorzecka Str., 31-351 Krakow, Poland)

  • Marina Melkumova

    (Arabkir Medical Centre, Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Yerevan 0014, Armenia)

  • Eva Movsesyan

    (Arabkir Medical Centre, Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, 30 Mamikoniants Str., Yerevan 0014, Armenia)

  • Apolinaras Zaborskis

    (Health Research Institute, Faculty of Public Health, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

Background: This study aims to explore how sufficient social support can act as a possible preventive factor against fighting and bullying in school-aged children in 9 European countries. Methods : Data for this study were collected during the 2013/2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. The sample consisted of 9 European countries, involving 43,667 school children in total, aged 11, 13 and 15 years. The analysed data focus on social context (relations with family, peers, and school) as well as risk behaviours such as smoking, drunkenness, fighting and bullying in adolescents. The relationships between social support and violent behaviour variables were estimated using multiple regression models and multivariate analyses. Results : Bullying, across 9 countries, was more prevalent than fighting, except for Armenia, Israel, and Poland. The prevalence among countries differed considerably, with fighting being most expressed in Armenia and bullying—in Latvia and Lithuania. The strongest risk factors for bullying and fighting were male gender (less expressed for bullying), smoking and alcohol consumption. In addition, for bullying the social support was similarly strong factor like above-mentioned factors, while for fighting—less significant, but still independent. All forms of social support were significantly relate with lower violent behaviour of school children, and family support was associated most strongly. Regardless the socioeconomic, historical, and cultural differences among selected countries, the enhancement and reinforcement of the social support from possible many different resources should be taken into consideration in prevention programs against school violence behaviours.

Suggested Citation

  • Kastytis Šmigelskas & Tomas Vaičiūnas & Justė Lukoševičiūtė & Marta Malinowska-Cieślik & Marina Melkumova & Eva Movsesyan & Apolinaras Zaborskis, 2018. "Sufficient Social Support as a Possible Preventive Factor against Fighting and Bullying in School Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-15, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:5:p:870-:d:143473
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Torbjørn Torsheim & Franco Cavallo & Kate Ann Levin & Christina Schnohr & Joanna Mazur & Birgit Niclasen & Candace Currie, 2016. "Psychometric Validation of the Revised Family Affluence Scale: a Latent Variable Approach," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(3), pages 771-784, September.
    2. John Freeman & Oddrun Samdal & Don Klinger & Wolfgang Dur & Robert Griebler & Dorothy Currie & Mette Rasmussen, 2009. "The relationship of schools to emotional health and bullying," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 54(2), pages 251-259, September.
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    1. Tomas Vaičiūnas & Kastytis Šmigelskas, 2019. "The Role of School-Related Well-Being for Adolescent Subjective Health Complaints," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-13, May.
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    3. Yasemin Erdogan & Nour Hammami & Frank J. Elgar, 2023. "Bullying, Family Support, and Life Satisfaction in Adolescents of Single-Parent Households in 42 Countries," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(2), pages 739-753, April.

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