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Does psychological functioning mediate the relationship between bullying involvement and weight loss preoccupation in adolescents? A two-stage cross-sectional study
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Lee, Kirsty, Guy, Alexa, Dale, Jeremy and Wolke, Dieter (2017) Does psychological functioning mediate the relationship between bullying involvement and weight loss preoccupation in adolescents? A two-stage cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14 (1). 38. doi:10.1186/s12966-017-0491-1
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0491-1
Abstract
Background
Adolescent bullying is associated with a range of adversities for those who are bullied i.e., victims and bully-victims (e.g., those who bully others and get victimised), including reduced psychological functioning and eating disorder symptoms. Bullies are generally well-adjusted psychologically, but previous research suggests that bullies may also engage in problematic diet behaviours. This study investigates a) whether adolescents involved in bullying (bullies, victims, bully-victims) are at increased risk of weight loss preoccupation, b) whether psychological functioning mediates this relationship and c) whether sex is a key moderator.
Method
A two-stage design was used. In stage 1, adolescents (n = 2782) from five UK secondary schools were screened for bullying involvement using self and peer reports. In stage 2, a sample of bullies, victims, bully-victims and uninvolved adolescents (n = 767) completed a battery of assessments. The measures included the eating behaviours component of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment, which was reduced to one factor (weight loss preoccupation) and used as the outcome variable. Measures of self-esteem, body-esteem and emotional problems were reduced to a latent (mediator) variable of psychological functioning. Multi-group analysis examined the effects of sex and all models were adjusted for covariates (BMI, pubertal stage, age, parental education and ethnicity).
Results
Bullies, victims and bully-victims were at increased risk of weight loss preoccupation compared to adolescents uninvolved in bullying. The mechanism by which bullying involvement related to increased weight loss preoccupation varied by bullying role: in bullies the effect was direct, in victims the effect was indirect (via reduced psychological functioning) and in bully-victims the effect was both direct and indirect. Sex significantly moderated the relationship in bullies: weight loss preoccupation was only statistically significant in bullies who were boys.
Conclusion
Bullying involvement during adolescence is associated with weight loss preoccupation. Bullies are likely driven by a desire to increase attractiveness and social status; whereas weight loss preoccupation in bullied adolescents may have maladaptive influences on diet and exercise behaviours due to its association with reduced psychological functioning. Future research should consider peer victimisation as a potential modifiable risk factor for reduced psychological functioning and weight loss preoccupation, which if targeted, may help to prevent maladaptive diet and exercise behaviours.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||||
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| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences > Mental Health and Wellbeing Faculty of Science > Psychology Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School |
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| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Bullying in schools -- Great Britain, Bullies -- Psychological aspects, Victims of bullying -- Psychological aspects, Weight loss | ||||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity | ||||||
| Publisher: | BioMed Central Ltd. | ||||||
| ISSN: | 1479-5868 | ||||||
| Official Date: | 24 March 2017 | ||||||
| Dates: |
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| Date of first compliant deposit: | 3 April 2017 | ||||||
| Volume: | 14 | ||||||
| Number: | 1 | ||||||
| Article Number: | 38 | ||||||
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12966-017-0491-1 | ||||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||||
| Access rights to Published version: | Open Access | ||||||
| Funder: | University of Warwick. Department of Psychology |
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