Caregiver Configurations and Bullying Among High School Students

Research suggests substantial numbers of children living outside the care of their biological parents manifest psychosocial problems. High school students in these placements sometimes experience neglect or abuse that result in behavioral problems, symptoms of PTSD, and the potential for bullying involvement. Bullying in high school is particularly harmful because it is associated with serious school violence, higher risks for suicidal ideation, and long term negative outcomes. This present study applies Kruskal–Wallis H and Mann–Whitney U tests to investigate rates of bullying and victimization of high school students living with caregivers in out-of-home placements compared to peers living in six other caregiver configurations. Findings from the nationally representative and standardized “Health Behavior in School-aged Children” survey of 3793 participants reveal high school students in out-of-home placements are victims, but not perpetrators, of bullying more frequently than their peers. Treatment strategies are offered to stop bullying victimization with this population.