Over the past decade, concerns about bullying and its role in
school violence, depression, and health concerns have grown.
However, no large studies in the United States have examined the
prevalence of bullying during elementary school or its
association with objective measures of school attendance and
achievement. To determine the prevalence of bullying during
elementary school and its association with school attendance,
academic achievement, disciplinary actions, and self-reported
feelings of sadness, safety, and belonging. Cross-sectional
study using 2001-2002 school data. Urban, West Coast public
school district. Three thousand five hundred thirty (91.4%)
third, fourth, and fifth grade students. Main Outcome Measure
Self-reported involvement in bullying. Twenty-two percent of
children surveyed were involved in bullying either as a victim,
bully, or both. Victims and bully-victims were more likely to
have low achievement than bystanders (odds ratios [ORs], 0.8
[95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-0.9] and 0.