Correlation of Bullying and Mental Health Disorders among High School Students in one school in Q

Objective Determine the prevalence of bullying and correlation with mental health difficulties among High School students of a private school setting in a sub-urban area of Quito, Ecuador. Methods This is a cross-sectional study of 321 High School children attending a private school in sub-urban Quito, Ecuador. Students filled out the Safe Schools Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in order to asess bullying behavior by self-report and identify any risk of mental health difficulties as well. Results There was a prevalence of 36.8% of children involved in bullying in High School, being 5.6% as victims, 11.2% as bullies, and 19.9% as bully/victims. Troubled children (Victims, Bullies, and Bully/Victims); presented a higher risk for any mental health difficulty than witness OR: 3.28 (1.68 to 6.43). Troubled children also presented a higher risk for Hyperactivity Disorder than witness OR: 3.45 (1.28 to 9.27) and for behavioral disorder OR: 2.63 (1.12-6.17). Troubled children presented higher possibilities of Impact of any Mental Health Difficulty when compared to witness OR: 3.45 (1.28 to 9.27). The results obtained regarding to Mental Health Difficulties by each categorization group evidenced a higher risk for any Mental Health Disorder in victims, OR: 3.14(1.01-9.79) bullies, OR: 4.10(1.70-9.88) and bully/victims, OR: 2.87(1.306.38).Bully/victims also present a higher risk for behavioral disorders OR: 2.90(1.09-7.70), and all categories a higher risk for Impact: victims OR: 7.75(2.55-23.52) bullies OR: 4.28(1.56-11.75) and bully/victims OR: 4.34(1.81-10.38). Conclusions Bullying is a significant problem associated with mental health difficulties, among the study group. Bullying needs to be seriously addressed in the school system also as a community-based matter.