Immigrant Background and Bullying Role Involvement Among Finnish Adolescents: Bully-Victim Disparities Among First-Generation Youth

This study used 2019 Finnish School Health Promotion Study data (N = 130,269) to examine bullying role involvement across immigrant background groups and adjusted psychosocial outcomes across roles. Adolescents were classified as uninvolved, victim-only, bully-only or bully-victim. Immigrant background was disaggregated into Finnish background, mixed parentage, second generation, and first generation. The clearest disparity was concentrated in bully-victim involvement among first-generation adolescents, whose relative risk remained close to twice that of Finnish background peers after full adjustment. Mixed-parentage adolescents showed modest but consistent elevations across involved roles. Bully-victims reported the highest depressive and anxiety symptoms, while victim-only adolescents showed the highest loneliness and lowest school belonging. Equity-relevant prevention in diverse schools may benefit from differentiated responses to specific roles and student groups.