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The Impact of School Bullying on Physical Activity in Overweight Youth: Exploring Race and Ethnic Differences
Author(s) -
Pulido Ryne,
Banks Courtney,
Ragan Kelsey,
Pang Dorothy,
Blake Jamilia J.,
McKyer E. Lisako
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/josh.12740
Subject(s) - overweight , ethnic group , obesity , psychology , transactional leadership , coping (psychology) , developmental psychology , physical activity , structural equation modeling , clinical psychology , poison control , injury prevention , youth risk behavior survey , gerontology , medicine , environmental health , social psychology , physical therapy , political science , statistics , mathematics , law
BACKGROUND About one third of youth in the United States are overweight or obese and African American youth are at an increased risk for pediatric overweight and obesity as well as their complications. Physical activity has been identified as one determinant of overweight and obesity, and school bullying has been found to be associated with decreased physical activity. Guided by the Transactional Stress and Coping Model, this study examines how school bullying might impact the physical activity of white and African American healthy weight and overweight youth. METHODS Existing, nationally representative, and complex survey data (N = 4509) from the 2005–2006 United States Health Behavior in School‐Aged Children (HBSC) were analyzed using multiple group structural equation modeling to evaluate study questions. RESULTS Support for the hypothesized model was found such that bullying negatively impacted physical activity by way of increasing internalizing symptoms. Possible evidence for parental support, but not peer support, as a protective factor was also found. Results were generally similar for all groups, though some differences are discussed. CONCLUSION School bullying is a risk factor for reduced physical activity, regardless of race‐ethnicity and weight. Implications for school health professionals are discussed.