Mary D Overpeck, DrPH¹, Darmendra Ramcharran, MPH², Tonja R. Nansel, PhD³, Mary Hediger, PhD⁴, Rebecca Ledsky, MBA², and Catherine Vladutiu, MPH¹. (1) Maternal and Child Health Bureau/Office of Data and Information Management, Health Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 18-41, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-443-0694, overpecM@hrsa.gov, (2) Health Systems Research, Inc., 1200 18th St, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036, (3) Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research/Prevention Research Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6100 Executive Blvd., Rm 7B05, MSC 7510, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510, (4) National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research, 6100 Executive Blvd., Rm 7B--3, Bethesda, MD 20892

Purpose: To describe associations of bullying behavior with pubertal stages, height, body size, and self-perceptions in male adolescents. Males are involved in bullying more than females, with prevalence peaking during pubertal development. Methods: Based on a nationally representative school-based survey of grades 6-10 performed in 2000/01. Self-reported school bullying behaviors were defined by frequency of occurrence of either no bullying or occurrence > once a week. Involved males were classified as bullies, bullied, or bully/victims. Height and weight relative to age were used to compare body mass index (BMI) and height. Pubertal stages from 1-5 were assigned according to facial hair location and amount. Results: Bullying and being a bully/victim increased with pubertal stages. Boys at stage 5 were 1.7 times more likely to bully than boys at stages 1 & 2. Boys with BMIs lower than typical for age were more likely to be bully/victims than heavier counterparts. Boys with BMI�s higher than typical were more likely to be bullied. No significant trends were seen by BMI or height for bullies. Shorter boys were more likely to be bullied or bully/victims. Bullying behavior related to self-perceptions of being �too fat�, not good looking, in fair/poor health or belonging to less than average affluent families were consistent with BMI associations. Conclusion: Pubertal stage, body size and image, and self-perceptions are associated with bullying behaviors � suggesting need to understand societal perceptions and interactions around size.

Learning Objectives:

1)To recognize a strong factor contributing to adolescent homicide and suicide 2)To identify how male puberty and body size may affect which students bully others, are bullied, or are bully/victims
• To assess the impact of puberty on the U.S. prevalence of male bullying

Keywords: Youth Violence, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.