Peer bullying victimization and follow-up pubertal development

Objective To ascertain possible effects of peer bullying victimization on follow-up pubertal development.Methods Children of grade 3 and grade 4 in 3 primary schools were selected through clustering sampling in Sept.2014 in Ma'anshan,Anhui province.All the participants were investigated with Bully/Victim Questionnaire and Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale and Pubertal Development Scale (PDS) at baseline and 1-year after.Evaluate peer bullying by bullying questionnaire.Children were classified into four groups based on the baseline and follow-up peer bullying experience:without bullying victimization,consistent bullying victimization,newly bullying victimization and regressive bullying victimization group.Results About 61%(399/654) of children reported no experience of peer bullying,11.5%(75/654) reported consistent bullying victimization experience.During follow-up,14.8% who had no bullying experience at baseline reported bullying experience at follow-up while 12.7% who had bullying victimization at baseline reported no bullying victimization.Multiple linear regression showed that compared to the without bullying victimization group,PDS score increased significantly in boys with consistent bullying victimization group (β =0.249,95%CI=0.136-0.362),and in girls with newly and consistent bullying victimization groups (β were 0.191 and 0.245,respectively;95%CI was 0.076-0.305 and 0.123-0.367,respectively.).Conclusion Prolonged peer bullying victimization may lead to accelerated pubertal development among both girls and boys.