An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship between the Lack of Items and Bullying Victimization among Children

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate whether the lack of items due to poverty can be a factor in bullying victimization among children. Furthermore, if recognized as a contributing factor, another goal of this paper is to identify what types of items, when lacking, make children more susceptible to bullying.

In the analysis, the focus is on items necessary for “fitting in” with peers, such as clothing, toys, and pocket money, which are essential for maintaining and forming friendships. This paper verifies a hypothesis that children lacking such items are more susceptible to experiencing bullying victimization. The analysis uses integrated data from the individual survey of child poverty conducted by multiple local governments.

The analysis results demonstrate the hypothesis that children lacking items necessary for “fitting in” are more likely to experience the victimization of bullying. This paper provides insights that the lack of certain items due to poverty can be a factor in the victimization of bullying.