Psychosomatic symptoms among victims of school bullying

Associations between being a victim of bullying and psychosomatic health have been examined among 856 Norwegian school adolescents aged 13 to 15 years. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were applied. Pupils being bullied sometimes or more often during the previous term had significantly higher odds of every psychosomatic symptom except sleeplessness, compared to pupils who reported that they were never exposed to bullying. The highest odds ratio was observed in analysis of feeling low. No significant interactions with gender or age were seen, but the association with irritability, headache and backache tended to be strongest for boys, whereas the association with nervousness and sleeplessness was strongest for girls. Increasing exposure to bullying was associated with a highly significant increase in number of symptoms. The strong and consistent associations with different symptoms and the dose-response relationship suggest a causal relationship.