ABSTRACT
Bullying is a type of youth violence and an adverse childhood experience that can result in trauma and have immediate and long-term consequences for all involved. It can happen at school or elsewhere - including online entertainment and social and learning environments. Some children are at increased risk for bullying victimization, such as those targeted because of their racial/ethnic background or cultural identity. This study assessed U.S. parents and caregivers' self-reported changes in concern about their children's involvement in bullying during Fall 2020 compared to the prior year, which was marked by extraordinary historical circumstances (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, heightened awareness of racial inequities, schools transitioning to virtual learning). Secondary analyses of data from the 2020 Fall ConsumerStyles and Estilos online panel surveys - designed to be representative of U.S. adults overall and U.S. Hispanic adults, respectively - were conducted. Differences by children's type of school attendance (i.e., physically at school or not) and parents' sociodemographic characteristics were explored. While findings suggest that U.S. parents' concern for their children being bullied during Fall 2020 compared to the prior year did not change, significant differences were found by the children's type of school attendance and the parents' race/ethnicity - with increased concern among parents of children who physically attended school, non-Hispanic Black parents and Hispanic parents. Among parents who reported being less concerned during Fall 2020 about their children being bullied compared to the prior year, not being physically at school is noted as the main reason why. Parents who reported being more concerned frequently noted racism as the reason why. It is imperative to understand what parents think about bullying, to best inform efforts to support their key role in bullying prevention.