PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ADOLESCENT VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS OF BULLYING IN THE NORTHERN REGION

Abstract

Bullying is defined as a form of violence that occurs in the school environment, characterized by aggressive and repetitive behaviors with the purpose of hurting or causing discomfort. This phenomenon can generate consequences in the short, medium and long term, in addition to being associated with the adoption of practices that put health at risk. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between categories of bullying in adolescents and associated factors. Data from the National School-based Health Survey (PeNSE 2015) were used, whose sample includes students in the 9th grade of elementary school from public and private schools in the Northern Region of Brazil. The frequency of reporting bullying among the categories of schoolchildren was higher among boys (19%), aged 15 years or older (16.7%). All variables were associated with the three categories of bullying, victim, perpetrator, and victim/perpetrator, except for the variables "family supervision of homework" (OR=0.62; 95%CI 0.53 – 0.72) and "free time" (OR=0.52; 95%CI 0.46 – 0.60) proved to be a protective factor for the perpetrators. The perpetrators of bullying have health risk behaviors such as: regular unhealthy eating, consumption of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sexual intercourse without a condom and sedentary lifestyle, in addition to missing more classes without informing their parents.