What Makes Them More Vulnerable Than Others? Obesity, Negative Emotions, and Peer Bullying Victimization

• Published date: 01 October 2016
• Date: 01 October 2016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15587906
• Subject Matter: Articles

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2016, Vol. 60(14) 1690 –1705

© The Author(s) 2015

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X15587906

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Article

What Makes Them

More Vulnerable Than

Others? Obesity, Negative

Emotions, and Peer Bullying

Victimization

Seokjin Jeong1, Jaya Davis1, John Rodriguez1,

and Youngsun Han2

Abstract

Negative impacts resulting from peer bullying victimization include psychological

stress, emotional and academic maladjustment, decreased self-esteem, relational

problems with peers, and may also lead to suicidal ideation and behavior. Therefore,

efforts have been concentrated toward identifying characteristics of victims and

perpetrators of bullying to allocate resources for preventive strategies. The current

study adds to this ongoing research by using a nationally representative sample of

adolescents to identify health-related correlates (obesity and negative emotions) of

students vulnerable to peer bullying victimization, as well as exploring individual and

school-related characteristics. Findings suggest that negative emotions are related to

peer bully victimization, but a relationship between obesity and victimization is not

clear. In addition, students attending schools with bullying prevention programs were

more likely to report physical victimization. Discussion is offered regarding these

findings and suggestions for future research in this area.

Keywords

BMI, obesity, depression, peer victimization, HBSC

1University of Texas at Arlington, USA

2Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea, Gochun-dong, Ewang-si Gyunggi-do, South Korea

Corresponding Author:

Seokjin Jeong, University of Texas at Arlington, 601 S. Nedderman Dr., 305 University Hall, Arlington,

TX 76019, USA.

Email: sjjeong@uta.edu

587906IJOXXX10.1177/0306624X15587906International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative CriminologyJeong et al.

research-article2015

Jeong et al. 1691

Introduction

Recent studies have documented numerous negative impacts resulting from peer bully-

ing victimization. Peer bullying victimization has distinguishable features in compari-

son with general peer victimization. Although general peer victimization can be

sporadic and non-repeated, victimization of peer bullying indicates repeated aggression

to victims by peers (Kiriakidis, 2011). In addition, peer bullying victimization includes

physical (e.g., threatening and physically attacking) as well as verbal and/or psycho-

logical aggression (e.g., teasing, name-calling, spreading rumors, etc.) that other types

of peer victimization studies have not included (Kiriakidis, 2011). Outcomes of peer

bullying victimization may include, but are not limited to, physical/psychological well-

being and academic maladjustment (Egan & Perry, 1998; Hawker & Boulton, 2000;

Haynie et al., 2001; Nansel et al., 2001; Troop-Gordon & Ladd, 2005), as well as sui-

cidal ideation and behavior (Kaminski & Fang, 2009; Liang, Flisher, & Chalton, 2003).

Specifically, students physically or emotionally victimized at school experience higher

rates of sadness, depression, and loneliness, and may experience decreased self-esteem.

In addition, they may suffer relational problems with their peers (i.e., rejected or iso-

lated by their school peers; Egan & Perry, 1998; Nansel et al., 2001).

Although recent research has begun to focus on individual physical characteristics

and victim vulnerability, the relationship remains tenuous and suffers from three major

limitations. First, despite findings that the victims generally perceived as physically

weaker or smaller in stature are at greater risk (Olweus, 1993), the relationship between

physical appearance and vulnerability is still unclear, specifically in relation to obe-

sity. Second, there is an extensive body of research investigating negative emotions

and victimization, but little is known about how physical and emotional characteristics

may interact to increase victimization. Third, there has been no published research of

obesity and peer bullying victimization with data from a nationally representative

sample. Janssen, Craig, Boyce, and Pickett (2004), using a Canadian national sample,

found that the risk of peer bullying victimization was positively related to obesity;

however, using a national sample of adolescents in the United States could help to

determine the association between obesity and victimization vulnerability. Such

research is imperative for developing effective prevention efforts for peer bullying

victimization among adolescents with obesity.

The current study is designed to address these shortcomings. By using a nationally

representative sample of adolescents in the United States, this study attempts to iden-

tify health-related correlates (obesity and negative emotions) of student vulnerability

to peer bullying victimization. In addition, individual and school-related characteris-

tics are considered in exploring potential vulnerability.

Data for this research were drawn from the Health Behavior in School-Aged

Children (HBSC), which is a part of longitudinal and cross-national survey adminis-

tered in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO). HBSC is designed to

monitor the adolescents’ well-being, health, and social behaviors in 44 countries across

Europe and North America. For the purpose of the current research, this research uses

only the U.S.-based HBSC in 2005-2006. As with most data sets, if not all, the