Meta‐analytic results of ethnic group differences in peer victimization

Abstract

Research on the prevalence of peer victimization across ethnicities indicates that no one group is consistently at higher risk. In the present two meta-analyses representing 692,548 children and adolescents (age 6-18 years), we examined ethnic group differences in peer victimization at school by including studies with (a) ethnic majority-minority group comparisons (k = 24), and (b) White and Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Aboriginal comparisons (k = 81). Methodological moderating effects (measure type, definition of bullying, publication type and year, age, and country) were examined in both analyses. Using Cohen's d, results indicated a null effect size for the ethnic majority-minority group comparison. Moderator analyses indicated that ethnic majority youth experienced more peer victimization than ethnic minorities in the US (d = .23). The analysis on multiple group comparisons between White and Black (d = .02), Hispanic (d = .08), Asian (d = .05), Aboriginal (d = -.02) and Biracial (d = -.05) groups indicated small effect sizes. Overall, results from the main and moderator analyses yielded small effects of ethnicity, suggesting that ethnicity assessed as a demographic variable is not an adequate indicator for addressing ethnic group differences in peer victimization. Although few notable differences were found between White and non-White groups regarding rates of peer victimization, certain societal and methodological limitations in the assessment of peer victimization may underestimate differences between ethnicities. Aggr. Behav. Aggr. Behav. 42:149-170, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Victimization and Somatic Problems: The Role of Class Victimization Levels

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Body mass index, peer victimization, and body dissatisfaction across 7 years of childhood and adolescence: Evidence of moderated and mediated pathways

“…The participants that were retained in the core analysis were more likely to be from a white racial background, had parents with at least a bachelor's degree, and had a household income level at or above the median. Although findings from meta-analytic studies indicate that there are few ethnic (Vitoroulis & Vaillancourt, 2015) or socioeconomic (Tippett & Wolke, 2014) differences in peer victimization, and that body dissatisfaction is more prevalent among individuals, TA B L E 5 Unstandardized direct and indirect effects especially women, from white ethnic backgrounds (Wildes, Emery, & Simons, 2001), overweight and obesity are more prevalent among ethnic minority and low-socioeconomic groups (Wang & Beydoun, 2007). As such, future studies should consider the inclusion of diverse populations.…”

Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions

“…The authors argued that power relations may be more balanced in ethnically diverse schools with multiple ethnic groups. A recent meta-analysis of Vitoroulis and Vaillancourt (2015) focused on ethnic group differences in peer victimisation and suggested that ethnic minority status alone was not strongly associated with a higher level of peer victimisation. Thus, although ethnic minority status poses a risk for victimisation, its effect seems to depend on the context.…”