Prevalence and Forms of Bullying Perpetration and Victimization in Indian Adolescents

Background: Bullying in childhood and adolescence has pervasive negative impacts in adulthood in both victims and bullies. There are few studies describing the prevalence of bullying in Indian schools, and few which have documented the various forms of bullying prevalent in our country. This study is being carried out with working hypothesis that various forms of bullying perpetration and victimisation exists in Indian urban schools. Objectives: To study the prevalence of bullying perpetration/ victimization, forms of bullying/victimization in Indian high school students. Methods: A cross sectional study conducted in 2 urban schools in Bangalore. A cohort of 435 adolescents (13-18yrs) were administered a pre validated 8 item questionnaire, part of the Student School Survey to assess bullying perpetration/ victimization. Results: 435 students in all, with 242 girls (55.6%), 170 boys (39.1%), 23 not revealing gender were studied. Total prevalence of bullying perpetration was 70.74%, and victimization was 74.94%. Verbal bullying was the most prevalent (55.17%) with physical bullying (40.46%) and cyber bullying (15.86%) being less frequently reported. Similarly verbal victimization (65.75%) was most prevalent followed by physical victimization (40.23%) and cyber victimization (14.48%). Conclusions: The information revealed by our study sensitizes doctors to the existing prevalence of bullying. Paediatricians and adolescent physicians should enquire about bullying from their adolescent patients and offer anticipatory guidance. Assessment of bullying can be implemented routinely in schools. A multi-targeted approach at individual/family level, school level, community level, State level and National level to make the school a safer environment for children can be adopted.