A correlational meta-analysis of inhibiting and promotive factors of racial/ethnic bullying among youth

This meta-analysis synthesizes research on the inhibiting and promotive factors associated with racial/ethnic bullying among youth, employing correlational meta-analysis procedures. The primary objectives were to identify inhibiting and promotive factors linked to different roles in racial/ethnic bullying involvement (i.e., perpetrators, victims, reinforcers, and defenders), assess the relative strength of these factors, and explore how their influence varies across ecological levels, types of biases, school grade levels, and countries represented in the studies. From an initial pool of 132 studies conducted since January 2013, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings reveal that the majority of research has focused more on the experiences of perpetrators and victims than on reinforcers and defenders in racial/ethnic bullying. The synthesis of effect sizes identified behavioral problems and moral disengagement as the most salient promotive factors for bullying perpetration, while teacher prejudice emerged as the most significant promotive factor for bullying victimization. Empathy was identified as the strongest inhibiting factor, whereas prejudice was found to be the strongest promotive factor for reinforcing behaviors in racial/ethnic bullying. Additionally, teacher support and positive perceptions towards outgroups were identified as the most significant promotive factors for defenders' involvement in racial/ethnic bullying. Moderation analyses indicated that the strength of inhibiting and promotive factors' influence on the four roles of racial/ethnic bullying varies depending on ecological levels, types of biases (i.e., race, immigrant status, ethnicity, and refugee status), school grade levels, and the countries where the studies were conducted. The implications of these findings for research, practice, and policy are discussed, particularly in the context of anti-bullying efforts aimed at addressing racial/ethnic bullying and broader bias-related issues. • Across four identified roles (i.e., perpetrators, victims, reinforcers, defenders/active bystanders) in racial/ethnic bullying, the influences of the risk and resilience factors vary depending on the types of biases, ecological levels, bullying-related variables, and schools’ grade levels; • Peer acceptance, immigrant status, and prejudice are identified as shared factors influencing all four roles in racial/ethnic bullying situations; • There were a greater number of studies delving into the exploration of the experiences of perpetrators and victims than the reinforcers and defenders/active bystanders; • There were more risk and resilience factors identified for racial/ethnic bullying at the individual level compared to higher ecological levels, such as peers, classrooms, and schools; • Teacher’ attitudes and their socialization context play a pivotal role in influencing the risks and resilience processes associated with racial/ethnic bullying,