Prevalence, Risk Indicators and Outcomes of Bullying Among On-Reserve First Nations Youth (Quantitative Research) (Survey‪)‬

Bullying is defined as "an interaction in which a dominant individual (the bully) repeatedly exhibits aggressive behaviour intended to cause distress to a less dominant individual (the victim)." (1) This definition encompasses physical, verbal, social and electronic types of bullying. (2) The World Health Organization (WHO) Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2006 revealed that 36% of Canadian children in grades 6-10 were victims of bullying. (3) Studies have shown that victims of bullying have higher levels of physical and mental health problems, including somatic complaints, anxiety, depression and suicide ideation. (4-7) As well, the long-term effects of bullying include: difficulty with interpersonal relationships, higher rates of unemployment, higher rates of criminality and higher school dropout rates. (1)