Help-Seeking for Bullying Victimization Among Adolescents in Germany

BackgroundSeeking help is an essential step for victims of bullying to cope with and possibly stop bullying and thus prevent and reduce the consequences of bullying. Focusing on the group of bullied adolescents, however, shows that many of them do not seek help.ObjectivesThis study aimed to (1) describe the prevalence of help-seeking for bullying victimization, (2) analyze the relationship between help-seeking and associated individual factors, (3) describe the prevalence of formal help-seeking, and (4) investigate associations between formal help-seeking and the factors above.MethodA subsample of a nationally representative survey of n = 453 12- to 17-year-old adolescents who reported being bullied in the last couple of months was analyzed. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate factors associated with help-seeking and formal help-seeking.ResultsOf the bullied adolescents, 60% sought help after experiencing victimization. Among these, 32% sought formal help, for example, from social workers. Most (63%) also sought help from family and friends. Family cohesion and self-efficacy were positively and well-being was negatively associated with help-seeking. Among adolescents who sought help, age was positively and self-efficacy was negatively associated with formal help-seeking.ConclusionA trustful and supportive environment, especially within families, is essential to facilitate adolescents' help-seeking. Within formal settings, specific procedures for identifying and addressing bullied adolescents are necessary for younger adolescents and adolescents with lower self-efficacy.