Among nearly 10,000 US adolescents, the link between racial bullying involvement and marijuana use varied by race: African American bully-victims were more likely to use marijuana, while other groups showed different substance patterns.
School counselors, prevention program designers, and researchers studying adolescent substance use disparities.
9,863 adolescents; bullying-substance links varied by race
What the researchers found
African American adolescents who were both bullying perpetrators and victims were more likely to use marijuana. White victims were more likely to use alcohol but less likely to use tobacco. Latino bully-victims were more likely to use tobacco. The patterns of substance use associated with bullying involvement differed across racial and ethnic groups.
Why it matters
Understanding how bullying intersects with race and substance use helps design targeted prevention programs rather than one-size-fits-all approaches that may miss the most at-risk youth.
The numbers in context
9,863 participants across White, African American, and Latino groups. African American bully/victims showed significantly higher marijuana use. Analysis used multinomial logistic regression controlling for demographics.
How the study worked
Analysis of the 2009-2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (n=9,863). Adolescents were categorized into four bullying groups (victim-only, bully-only, bully/victim, non-involved). Multinomial logistic regression examined substance use across groups by race/ethnicity.
What this study cannot tell us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine directionality. Data from 2009-2010 may not reflect current patterns. Self-reported bullying and substance use. Cannabis landscape has changed significantly since data collection.
How to read the evidence
Large cross-sectional study using nationally collected school health data with appropriate statistical methods.
When this study was published
Published in 2022, using 2009-2010 data.
The bigger picture
The racial differences in which substances are associated with bullying involvement suggest that cultural context shapes how adolescents respond to victimization and peer conflict.
Questions still open
- What drives the specific link between bully-victim status and marijuana use in African American adolescents? Have these patterns shifted with cannabis legalization?
Common questions
Is bullying linked to marijuana use in teens?
Do all teens respond to bullying the same way?
Read the original research
Racial/Ethnic Bullying Subtypes and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Use Among US Adolescents.
Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 9(4), 1443-1453
Citation
Hong, Jun Sung; Kim, Dong Ha; Hunter, Simon C; Cleeland, Leah R; Lee, Carol A; Lee, Jane J; Kim, Jinwon. (2022). Racial/Ethnic Bullying Subtypes and Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Use Among US Adolescents.. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 9(4), 1443-1453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-021-01081-w
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