Anti-Bullying Legislation: Effects for U.S. Youth

• In Event: Roundtable: Anti-Bullying in America: How Has Bullying Changed for Youth in the U.S.?

Abstract

It is well known that being the victim of bullying or a perpetrator of bullying can increase the chances of negative life outcomes such as anxiety, depression, or criminal offending. As of 2015, all fifty states in the U.S. have passed anti-bullying legislation, aimed at decreasing bullying instances in schools. The current study seeks to explore the effects of anti-bullying legislation on bullying outcomes for youth in U.S. schools. Using nationally representative self-report data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance Survey, this study finds decreased odds of five different bullying outcomes when anti-bully laws are in action. The study adds to the literature on bullying by evaluating effects of anti-bully legislation at a national level, for multiple bullying outcomes.

Author

• Heather Prince, George Mason University