Repeating a grade is a pretty stressful experience on its own, but it can become even worse when a student faces bullying.
A new study published in PLOS Medicine reveals that students who have repeated a grade are at higher risk of becoming victims of bullying across countries worldwide.
Let's find out more.
It's more common than you might think
Conducted by the team of Chinese specialists, the study analyzed various data from the Program for International Student Assessment, encompassing over 465 thousand students aged 15-16 from over 70 countries and economies.
The results show that 12.20% of people had repeated a grade, while 30.30% reported experiencing bullying several times a month over the school year.
The research indicates that students who repeated a grade were way more susceptible to bullying victimization compared to others, with this association observed across 45 countries and economies and in both male and female students.
Notably, girls who repeated a grade faced higher risks of being ridiculed, threatened, having belongings confiscated, and even being physically pushed.
Reasons or correlation?
However, the study's cross-sectional nature prevents a definitive conclusion about a causal relationship between grade repetition and bullying, and the reasons of this relationship remains uncertain.
The research underscores the importance of addressing grade repetition and bullying to promote a safer and more supportive learning environment.
