Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal.
<h4>Background</h4>Bullying is an understudied global social problem. While school-level factors are a recognized influence on bullying victimization, the elements of a 'girl-friendly' school that may reduce the risk of bullying victimization among girls and prevent dropout is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2021-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253128 |
| _version_ | 1818342509072351232 |
|---|---|
| author | Irina Bergenfeld Cari Jo Clark Zara Khan Emma C Jackson Kathryn M Yount |
| author_facet | Irina Bergenfeld Cari Jo Clark Zara Khan Emma C Jackson Kathryn M Yount |
| author_sort | Irina Bergenfeld |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Bullying is an understudied global social problem. While school-level factors are a recognized influence on bullying victimization, the elements of a 'girl-friendly' school that may reduce the risk of bullying victimization among girls and prevent dropout is understudied in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study used baseline data from the evaluation of the Room-to-Read (RtR) Girls' Education Program (GEP) in Nepal to assess the relationship of a conceptually grounded gender-equitable school (GES) index with girls' risk of direct and relational bullying victimization, adjusted for potential confounders at the individual and school levels.<h4>Methods</h4>The school sample included all 24 RtR GEP schools and 25 community schools attended by girls in a comparison cohort, representing 729 grade six girls with complete outcome data. We employed multilevel negative binomial regression to assess the relationship between the GES score (higher scores indicate greater support for girls), and girls' risk of peer victimization, controlling for individual- and school-level covariates.<h4>Results</h4>On average, girls reported 2.84 direct victimizations and 0.27 relational victimizations in the prior week. The first component of the GES index, a generalized measure of school-level support for girls, showed a significant negative relationship with weekly relational bullying victimization in models with all school- and individual-level covariates. In the full model, a one-point higher score on the generalized GES component accounted for a 26% lower risk of relational bullying victimization in the prior week.<h4>Conclusion</h4>School-level policies, practices, and pedagogy designed to support girls may reduce their exposure to relational aggression, a form of bullying that girls most often perpetrate. In LMICs, the school may be an ideal place to raise awareness about the types and effects of peer bullying and to promote prosocial bystander behavior. Further research is needed to identify factors related to other forms of bullying. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:15:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dfe2b944e32e453db17db3878bf5d4ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T16:15:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-dfe2b944e32e453db17db3878bf5d4ff2022-12-21T23:38:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01167e025312810.1371/journal.pone.0253128Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal.Irina BergenfeldCari Jo ClarkZara KhanEmma C JacksonKathryn M Yount<h4>Background</h4>Bullying is an understudied global social problem. While school-level factors are a recognized influence on bullying victimization, the elements of a 'girl-friendly' school that may reduce the risk of bullying victimization among girls and prevent dropout is understudied in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study used baseline data from the evaluation of the Room-to-Read (RtR) Girls' Education Program (GEP) in Nepal to assess the relationship of a conceptually grounded gender-equitable school (GES) index with girls' risk of direct and relational bullying victimization, adjusted for potential confounders at the individual and school levels.<h4>Methods</h4>The school sample included all 24 RtR GEP schools and 25 community schools attended by girls in a comparison cohort, representing 729 grade six girls with complete outcome data. We employed multilevel negative binomial regression to assess the relationship between the GES score (higher scores indicate greater support for girls), and girls' risk of peer victimization, controlling for individual- and school-level covariates.<h4>Results</h4>On average, girls reported 2.84 direct victimizations and 0.27 relational victimizations in the prior week. The first component of the GES index, a generalized measure of school-level support for girls, showed a significant negative relationship with weekly relational bullying victimization in models with all school- and individual-level covariates. In the full model, a one-point higher score on the generalized GES component accounted for a 26% lower risk of relational bullying victimization in the prior week.<h4>Conclusion</h4>School-level policies, practices, and pedagogy designed to support girls may reduce their exposure to relational aggression, a form of bullying that girls most often perpetrate. In LMICs, the school may be an ideal place to raise awareness about the types and effects of peer bullying and to promote prosocial bystander behavior. Further research is needed to identify factors related to other forms of bullying.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253128 |
| spellingShingle | Irina Bergenfeld Cari Jo Clark Zara Khan Emma C Jackson Kathryn M Yount Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. PLoS ONE |
| title | Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. |
| title_full | Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. |
| title_fullStr | Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. |
| title_short | Gender-sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls: A multilevel study in Nepal. |
| title_sort | gender sensitive school environment and bullying victimization among adolescent girls a multilevel study in nepal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253128 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT irinabergenfeld gendersensitiveschoolenvironmentandbullyingvictimizationamongadolescentgirlsamultilevelstudyinnepal AT carijoclark gendersensitiveschoolenvironmentandbullyingvictimizationamongadolescentgirlsamultilevelstudyinnepal AT zarakhan gendersensitiveschoolenvironmentandbullyingvictimizationamongadolescentgirlsamultilevelstudyinnepal AT emmacjackson gendersensitiveschoolenvironmentandbullyingvictimizationamongadolescentgirlsamultilevelstudyinnepal AT kathrynmyount gendersensitiveschoolenvironmentandbullyingvictimizationamongadolescentgirlsamultilevelstudyinnepal |