Horowitz et al.Teasing and Bullying Experiences Original Articles Teasing and Bullying Experiences of Middle School Students

BACKGROUND: In the United States, 9 % to 15 % of children experience chronic teasing and bullying that may be harmful. OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to explore teasing and bullying experiences of middle school students as part of the Child-Adolescent Teasing Scale (CATS) project.STUDYDESIGN:Seven focus groups were conducted with 11- to 14-year-old mid-dle school students from Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Mississippi. Moderators used a semistructured interview guide to elicit views. Recorded sessions were transcribed; content analysis of verbatim accounts was used to identify sources of teasing and bullying. RESULTS: Sources of teasing and bullying were physical appearance, personal behavior, family and environ-ment, and school relations. “Being different in any way ” was the underlying theme. CONCLUSIONS: Teasing and bullying were universal and distressing, and were affected by context, frequency, and individually attributed meanings. Clinicians and school staff may use findings to identify children who might be at risk for psychological and physical harm. J Am Psychiat