Authors: Ball, Harriet A.; Arseneault, Louise; Taylor, Alan; Maughan, Barbara; Caspi, Avshalom; Moffitt, Terrie E.

Source: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, Volume 49, Number 1, January 2008 , pp. 104-112(9)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Background: 

Three groups of children are involved in bullying: victims, bullies and bully-victims who are both bullies and victims of bullying. Understanding the origins of these groups is important since they have elevated emotional and behavioural problems, especially the bully-victims. No research has examined the genetic and environmental influences on these social roles. Method: 

Mother and teacher reports of victimisation and bullying were collected in a nationally representative cohort of 1,116 families with 10-year-old twins. Model-fitting was used to examine the relative influence of genetics and environments on the liability to be a victim, a bully or a bully-victim. Results: 

Twelve percent of children were severely bullied as victims, 13% were frequent bullies, and 2.5% were heavily involved as bully-victims. Genetic factors accounted for 73% of the variation in victimisation and 61% of the variation in bullying, with the remainder explained by environmental factors not shared between the twins. The covariation between victim and bully roles (r = .25), which characterises bully-victims, was accounted for by genetic factors only. Some genetic factors influenced both victimisation and bullying, although there were also genetic factors specific to each social role. Conclusions: 

Children's genetic endowments, as well as their surrounding environments, influence which children become victims, bullies and bully-victims. Future research identifying mediating characteristics that link the genetic and environmental influences to these social roles could provide targets for intervention.

Keywords: Bullying; behavioural genetics; epidemiology; environmental influences; peer relationships; twins

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01821.x

Affiliations: 1: MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK

Publication date: 2008-01-01

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