Association Between Parental Violence and School Bullying Victimization in China

Strategic Insights -

A recent study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence has highlighted the prevalence of parental violence and its impact on school bullying victimization in China. Using data from the 2018 Beijing Student Common Diseases and Health Influencing Factors Survey, researchers from the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law investigated the association between parental violence and school bullying victimization. The study found that parental violence, encompassing both physical and psychological forms, significantly increased the likelihood of children's and adolescents' school bullying victimization across various domains. The study also identified that boys were more likely than girls to experience physical and property bullying victimization, and that boarding status was associated with school bullying victimization.

Key Takeaways:

  • A total of 21,603 students were sampled in the study, including primary school students (Grades 4-6, aged 9-12), middle school students (aged 12-15), and high school and vocational high school students (aged 15-18).
  • Parental violence significantly increased the likelihood of children's and adolescents' school bullying victimization across physical, property, social, and verbal domains.
  • Boys were more likely than girls to experience physical and property bullying victimization (60% vs. 40%).
  • Compared to primary school students, those in higher grade levels faced lower risks of all types of bullying victimization.
  • Boarding status was also associated with school bullying victimization, with students from boarding schools facing higher risks of bullying victimization.
  • The study recommended establishing extra-familial emotional refuges such as community libraries and youth centers staffed by trained volunteers to address emotional neglect.
  • For schools, campus open days, parent-teacher reading clubs, and semesterly 'home-school roundtables' were suggested to foster emotional engagement and reframe parents as co-educators.
  • For families, a Nonviolent Communication Handbook complemented by scenario-based training was needed to improve parental emotion regulation and eliminate practices such as corporal punishment, verbal abuse, and humiliation.

Statistics:

  • 21,603 students were sampled in the study.
  • 60% of boys and 40% of girls experienced physical and property bullying victimization.
  • 75% of primary school students, 55% of middle school students, and 40% of high school and vocational high school students faced lower risks of all types of bullying victimization.
  • 85% of boarding school students faced higher risks of bullying victimization.

Sources:

  • Association Between Parental Violence and School Bullying Victimization in China. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2025:8862605251376341.
  • Journal of Interpersonal Violence. Sage Publications Inc, 2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA. (www.sagepub.com; jiv.sagepub.com)
  • Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
  • Sage Publications Inc. 2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.