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Health correlates, addictive behaviors, and peer victimization among adolescents in China

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Abstract

Background

Peer victimization has been recognized as a common social problem affecting children and adolescents in all parts of the world. This study aims to examine the prevalence of different types of peer victimization and to evaluate the associations between peer victimization and health correlates.

Methods

Using a large population sample of 18,341 adolescents aged 15–17 years from 6 cities in China, this study estimated the prevalence of different types of peer victimization, addictive behaviors, and health-related variables with self-administrated questionnaires. A three-phase logistical regression analysis was conducted to investigate the associations between peer victimization and addictive behaviors as well as health-related factors among adolescents.

Results

A total of 42.9% of the surveyed Chinese adolescents have been bullied by peers, with boys reporting higher rate on overt victimization (36.9%) and girls on relational forms (33.9%). School environment (34.7%) was the most frequent scene of peer violence, followed by neighborhood, family, and internet. Addictive behaviors except substance abuse were found related to higher possibility of peer victimization (aOR 1.21–1.73, P < 0.001). Peer victimization was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, and suicide ideation and deliberate self-harm (aOR 1.05–2.27, P < 0.001), and poorer self-esteem and health-related quality of life (aOR 0.95–0.97, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Possible explanations of the associations found in this study are discussed and implications for future services are raised.

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Funding

The optimus study was initiated and funded by the UBS Optimus Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, China

    Qi-Qi Chen, Meng-Tong Chen & Ko Ling Chan

  2. Department of Social Work, Renmin University of China, Haidian, Beijing, China

    Yu-Hong Zhu

  3. Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China

    Patrick Ip

Authors
  1. Qi-Qi Chen
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  2. Meng-Tong Chen
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  3. Yu-Hong Zhu
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  4. Ko Ling Chan
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  5. Patrick Ip
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Contributions

KLC developed the study design and conceptualization, and contributed to the data collection and analysis. QQC contributed to the data collection and analysis. PI developed the study design and conceptualization. All authors prepared and reviewed the manuscript, and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ko Ling Chan.

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Ethical approval

The Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong, the Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster, and the local institutional review boards of the five mainland cities granted the ethical approval.

Conflict of interest

No financial or non-financial benefits have been received or will be received from any party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

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Cite this article

Chen, QQ., Chen, MT., Zhu, YH. et al. Health correlates, addictive behaviors, and peer victimization among adolescents in China. World J Pediatr 14, 454–460 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-018-0158-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-018-0158-2

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