Bias-Based Bullying and Adolescent Well-Being: A Person-Centered Analysis of Co-occurring Trajectories

• In Event: Mental Health and Resilience across Developmental Contexts

Abstract

Bias-based bullying (BBB) targeting race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, and immigration status adversely affects adolescents. Despite documented negative outcomes, research has overlooked how BBB perpetration, victimization, and witnessing co-occur within individuals over time. Using nationally representative longitudinal data (N = 639, ages 13-17), we employed Multidimensional Growth Mixture Modeling to identify co-occurring BBB trajectory patterns across four waves. Results revealed four classes: Low All (26.6%), Witnessing Only (46.0%), Victimization and Witnessing (19.6%), and Victimization, Perpetration, and Witnessing (7.8%). Female, other gender, and sexual minority youth showed higher odds of victimization and witnessing patterns. All BBB classes, including Witnessing Only, showed significantly higher depression and anxiety compared to Low All, highlighting the pervasive mental health impact of bias-based experiences.

Authors

• Gabriel Joey Merrin, Syracuse University

• Ashleigh Jones, Syracuse University

• Bo Jian, University of Pennsylvania

• Chenhao Zhang, Syracuse University

• SSophia Nowlan, Syracuse University

• Melissa K. Holt, Boston University