Correlation between peer victimization and behavioral problems among preschool children in Huangshan city

Objective To examine the prevalence of peer victimization among preschool children in Huangshan, and to explore the relationship between behavior problems and peer victimization, so as to provide a reference for prevention and controlling work of peer victimization in the preschool stage.Methods The parents of 2 395 preschool children were assessed with a self-administered questionnaire to research on the preschool children' s demographics, peer victimization and behavior problems.Results The prevalence rates of verbal peer victimization, relationship peer victimization and physical peer victimization in recent 2 months were 7.7%, 14.9% and 28.3%, respectively.Approximately 36.9% of preschool children were reported to be engaged in at least one type of peer victimization.As the age growth, the prevalence of verbal peer victimization and relationship peer victimization were increased (P<0.01), however, the prevalence of physical peer victimization was decreased (P = 0.001).According to the seven subscale of the behaviour problems internalizing/externalizing problems and total scores of behaviour problems in this study, the prevalence of each three peer victimization among preschool children with behaviour problems was much higher than those who without behaviour problems (P<0.05).Preschool children's anxiety, somatization symptoms, aggressive behaviour, attention, and hyperactivity were associated with verbal victimization with odds ratios (ORs) at least 1.6; the relationships between aggressive behaviour and attention and relationship victimization had been found in this study with ORs above 2.3; somatization symptoms and aggressive behaviour were related to physical victimization with ORs no less than 1.4.Conclusion It is common to see the peer victimization among preschool children in China.These findings suggest a strong relationship between behaviour problems and being bullied in preschool children.