Bullying others and being bullied: findings from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in Albania in 2022

Bullying is a widespread public health concern among adolescents worldwide. Our objective was to assess the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of bullying others and being bullied among Albanian adolescents. A cross-sectional study conducted in Albania in 2022 included a nationwide representative sample of 5454 schoolchildren aged 11, 13 and 15 years (approximate to 52% girls; response rate: 96%). Data on bullying others and being bullied were gathered, along with sociodemographic factors of adolescents. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the associations of bullying perpetration and victimization with adolescents' sociodemographic factors. About 7% of adolescents reported bullying others and 8% being bullied at least two or three times a month in the past couple of months preceding the survey. Independent positive correlates were male gender, older age, and higher family affluence (perpetration); age 13, father's unemployment, and lower family affluence (victimization). Bullying among adolescents in transitional Albania is relatively common, with distinct sociodemographic patterns: perpetration reflects "empowerment", whereas victimization signals "vulnerability". These findings highlight the need for targeted prevention in Albania and comparable transitional settings.