A cross sectional study to assess the prevalence of bullying among the high school students in schools of Bangalore urban district.

Abstract

Context: Bullying is a multifaceted form of mistreatment mostly seen in schools. According to world health organization it is a major public health problem that leads to behavioral and emotional issues in victims. Hence creating awareness about the ill effects of bullying and promoting strategies such as enacting strict legislation against it is of major public health importance. Aim: To assess the prevalence of bullying among high school students of Bangalore urban district. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 340 high school students selected by simple random sampling method from schools of Bangalore urban district. Data collection was done by using structured and pretested questionnaire of Anti bullying Alliance. Results were presented in frequencies and percentages. Results: The mean age of study participants was 14.5 years. Majority (62.35%) were females. Study revealed that 63.52% of the students have faced bullying. Class room was the most common place of bullying accounting for about 24.11%. Hence the results of the study compelled to know about bullying and enforcement of stringent anti-bullying policy in schools to have student friendly atmosphere.