The prevalence and correlates of sibling bullying victimisation in early adolescence: An investigation of over 30,000 adolescents in 18 countries.

Background: Sibling bullying is a common childhood experience. Recent studies have shown that correlates of sibling bullying are proximal and distal. However, a lack of cross-cultural understanding still exists on the prevalence and protective factors of sibling bullying.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to examine the prevalence of sibling bullying and investigate whether positive environments protect against sibling bullying victimisation in 18 countries.

Participants And Setting: We analysed existing data from an international study of over 30,000 adolescents aged 10 and 12 years old, the Children's World Survey.

Methods: Adolescents reported physical and verbal sibling bullying victimisation experiences and the positive aspects of their home, neighbourhood, and school environments. Regression models were fitted to investigate whether individual- and country-level positive home, neighbourhood, and school environments are associated with sibling bullying victimisation.

Results: On average, the prevalence of sibling bullying victimisation was 28 %; 1 in 4 adolescents were physically hurt or called unkind names more than three times in the last month by a sibling (excluding fighting or play fighting). The prevalence varied by country; ranging from 9 %-59 %. Whilst, on the whole, individual-level positive home, neighbourhood, and school environments were associated with reduced sibling bullying victimisation (odds ratios, 0.68-0.85), these effects differed for each country. Country-level positive environments were not associated with sibling bullying victimisation.

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that improving adolescents' home, neighbourhood, and school environments might serve to reduce sibling bullying victimisation.