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Strategies to Address Weight-Based Victimization: Youths’ Preferred Support Interventions from Classmates, Teachers, and Parents

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Abstract

Weight-Based Victimization is a frequent experience for adolescents who are overweight or obese, and is associated with numerous psychosocial and physical consequences for those who are targets of victimization. Assessing targets` preferences for different types of support and intervention has been absent in the context of weight-based victimization, but is needed to help inform potential interventions, motivate action, and identify strategies to help adolescents cope with experiences of weight-related teasing or bullying. Adolescents (14–18 years, N = 361, 40 % female, 71 % Caucasian) enrolled in national weight-loss camps completed an on-line survey. Participants who reported previous experiences of weight-based victimization were surveyed about their preferred interventions from peers, friends, teachers, Physical Education (PE) teachers/coaches, and parents. Participants indicated their preferences for specific strategies pertaining to target support, bullying intervention and prevention (e.g., inclusion in peer activities, confronting the bully, telling an adult, and improving anti-bullying policies). Friends (66 %) and peers (58 %) were the most highly preferred intervention agents followed by teachers (55 %), PE teachers/coaches (44 %), and parents (43 %). Participants who experienced more weight-based victimization expressed increased desire for intervention. The frequency of victimization, social support from friends and family, and perceived likelihood and helpfulness of intervention significantly influenced participant preferences for certain types of intervention, although preferences were generally consistent across participants’ characteristics. The current study is the first to document youth’s preferences for interventions in response to weight-based victimization. The findings have important implications for encouraging appropriate intervention and informing bystanders, which may help to reduce the prevalence, recurrence, and consequences for youth who are targets of weight-based teasing or bullying.

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Acknowledgments

Research and project support was funded by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. All authors made significant contributions to the study. RP conceived of the study, and participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript; JP participated in the design and coordination of data collection, developed the measurement, and helped to draft the manuscript; JL performed the statistics analyses and interpretation of the data, and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Research and project support were provided by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The authors are grateful to Camp Shane and Wellspring Camps and Academies for their cooperation and project support, with specific thanks to Ziporah Janowski and Dan Kirschenbaum. All authors made significant contributions to the study. RP conceived of the study, and participated in its design and coordination and helped to draft the manuscript; JP participated in the design and coordination of data collection, developed the measurement, and helped to draft the manuscript; JL performed the statistics analyses and interpretation of the data, and helped to draft the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University, 309 Edwards Street, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA

    Rebecca M. Puhl, Jamie Lee Peterson & Joerg Luedicke

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  1. Rebecca M. Puhl
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  2. Jamie Lee Peterson
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  3. Joerg Luedicke
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Correspondence to Rebecca M. Puhl.

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Puhl, R.M., Peterson, J.L. & Luedicke, J. Strategies to Address Weight-Based Victimization: Youths’ Preferred Support Interventions from Classmates, Teachers, and Parents. J Youth Adolescence 42, 315–327 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9849-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9849-5

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