School bullying and its risk and protective factors in Chinese early adolescents: A latent transition analysis

Bullying perpetration and victimization are common and problematic occurrences during adolescence. Typically, bullying incidents involve different bullying roles. However, little is known about the developmental stability and changes in these roles. In the present study, we aimed to assess the stability and changes in bullying roles and examine risk and protective factors associated with bullying involvement. A total of 1711 Chinese early adolescents (47.4% girls, M-age = 11.99) participated in the study at two time points approximately 6 months apart. Three subgroups of bullying were identified: bully-victims, victims, and the uninvolved. In terms of stability and changes, the uninvolved were the most stable over time, while victims and bully-victims tended to become the uninvolved. Bully-victims also tended to become victims. Early adolescents with higher levels of parental psychological control and depression symptoms were more likely to be victims or bully-victims. Higher levels of depression symptoms increased the risk of transitioning from being the uninvolved or bully-victims to becoming victims. Higher levels of friendship quality were associated with higher odds of being the uninvolved or transitioning from being victims or bully-victims to becoming the uninvolved. Our findings indicate that bullying roles were relatively stable, with some changes over time. The results also highlight the important function that parental psychological control, friendship quality, and depression symptoms can play in preventing and intervening in bullying.