Citation

Mundy LK, Canterford L, Kosola S, Degenhardt L, Allen NB, Patton GC. Acad. Pediatr. 2017; 17(8): 830-836.

Affiliation

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, 50 Flemington Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia; Centre for Adolescent Health, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3052, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Academic Pediatric Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.acap.2017.06.012

PMID

28652070

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Peer victimisation is a common antecedent of poor social and emotional adjustment. Its relationship with objectively measured academic performance is unclear. This study aimed to quantify the cross-sectional associations between peer victimisation and academic performance in a large population sample of children.

METHODS: Eight-nine year olds were recruited from a stratified random sample of primary schools in Australia. Academic performance was measured on a national achievement test (one year of learning equals 40 points). Physical and verbal victimisation were measured by child self-report.

RESULTS: Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses were conducted. For females, verbal victimisation was associated with poorer academic performance on writing (β -17.2, 95% CI -28.2, -6.2) and grammar/punctuation (β -20.8, 95% CI -40.1, -1.6). Physical victimisation was associated with poorer performance on numeracy (males: β -29.0, 95% CI -53.8, -4.1; females: β -30.1, 95% CI -56.6, -3.5) and writing (females: β -21.5, 95% CI -40.4, -2.7). Verbal and physical victimisation were associated with poorer performance on reading (males: β -31.5, 95% CI -59.9, 3.1; females: β -30.2, 95% CI -58.6, -1.8), writing (females: β -25.5, 95% CI -42.8, -8.2), spelling (females: β -32.3, 95% CI -59.6, -4.9), and grammar/punctuation (females: β -32.2, 95% CI -62.4, -2.0).

CONCLUSIONS: Children who were physically victimised were six to nine months behind their peers on measures of academic performance. There are growing reasons for education systems to invest in the prevention of bullying and promotion of positive peer relationships from the earliest years of school.

Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Language: en

Keywords

CATS study; bullying; education; peer victimisation; public health