The Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Bullying Victimization: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The link between childhood abuse and the likelihood of experiencing bullying victimization is well-established; yet, empirical research has presented divergent findings on this connection, with the moderating influences remaining obscure. Utilizing a three-tiered meta-analytic framework, this investigation aims to provide a thorough synthesis and quantitative assessment of the relationship between childhood abuse and bullying victimization. The analysis encompassed 35 studies, comprising 84 effect sizes across a participant pool of 72,691 individuals. This study conducted a three-tiered meta-analysis to elucidate the relationship between childhood abuse and bullying victimization. The analysis of moderating effects considered nine variables: gender, geographical regions, research design, categories of childhood abuse, forms of bullying victimization, publication categories, age groups, scales for childhood abuse, and scales for bullying victimization. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between childhood abuse and bullying victimization ( r = .30, 95% CI = [0.25, 0.33]), with the correlation’s magnitude being influenced by the participants’ gender, geographic location, and the types of childhood abuse endured. These analyses offer crucial insights into the nexus between childhood abuse and bullying victimization, reinforcing the notion that childhood abuse should be regarded as a potential risk factor for bullying victimization. The research results contribute to the development of evidence-based bullying victimization prevention and intervention strategies for the future.