Bullying, self-esteem, resistance to peer influence and social support on oral health among school-going adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Bullying and victimization disrupt the psychological well-being of adolescents, resulting in impaired development, low self-esteem, reduced satisfaction, and difficulties in school adaptation. To determine the prevalence of bullying, resistance to peer influence, self-esteem, and social support among school-going adolescents and their associations with oral health. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 230 school-going adolescents aged 13–16 years in Tamil Nadu, India, with permissions obtained from the schools, ethical clearance, and informed consent from parents/guardians. The parameters were assessed via standardized questionnaires. A qualified examiner conducted the oral examination to assess oral hygiene and the presence of decayed, missing, or filled teeth due to caries. Logistic regression and the Mann-Whitney U test were performed with p < 0.05. A total of 230 adolescents participated in the study, including 124 (53.9%) girls and 106 (46.1%) boys. Based on bullying involvement, 65 (28.3%) were victims, 104 (45.2%) were bullies, 30 (13.0%) were bully-victims, and 31 (13.5%) were not involved in bullying. The mean scores for resistance to peer influence, social support, and self-esteem were 13.74 ± 1.42, 33.20 ± 16.08, and 19.27 ± 3.87, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that victims and bully-victims had significantly lower odds of dental caries compared with adolescents not involved in bullying. The findings suggest an association between bullying involvement and oral health outcomes. School-based interventions integrating oral health and psychosocial support may be beneficial; however, longitudinal studies are required to establish causality.