Bullying Risk factors; A narrative review

Abstract

Background: Bullying is defined as any aggressive behavior that incorporates three core elements, namely: (1) an intention to harm; (2) repetitive in nature; and (3) a clear power imbalance between perpetrator and victim. Bullying behaviors can occur in many contexts, for example, in schools, in the workplace, between siblings, and most recently, online.  Notably, bullying is a matter of public health, impacting the life outcomes of both bullies and victims, in varying ways. School-bullying is a strong risk marker for several negative behavioral, health, social, and/or emotional problems. Aim: To identify school bullying risk factors, to understand how individual characteristics of students interact with environmental contexts or systems and to prevent victimization and perpetration, and provide recommendations for future interventions and research, Methods: A study of MEDLINE was made, all scientific literature published from May2020until April 2023 in PubMed & Web of Science [Science Citation Index Expanded), Social Sciences Citation Index, & Emerging Sources Citation Index] were included, Summary: It is clear that school bullying is an important target for effective intervention and prevention. Bullying is an ethical problem as well as a developmental one: targeting school bullying facilitates the process of optimal psychological development but it also addresses the question of human rights, especially the rights of the child. Keywords: bullying; risk factors; socioecological model.