Purpose: A few studies have found that children whose families are economically disadvantaged and financially struggling are at an elevated risk of victimization by their peers. However, extant research is largely descriptive. To address this gap, this study empirically tested the proposed pathways from family financial struggle to children's bullying victimization, including the role of barriers to healthcare access in this association using a nationally representative sample.
Design and methods: The study utilizes the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, a survey of a cross-sectional, weighted probability sample of US children (ages 0-17 years) living in 50 states and the District of Columbia, and their caregivers. The sample used for the current study included 14,374 racially and ethnically diverse caregivers of children, aged 6-11 years.
Results: Positive significant associations between family financial struggle and children's bullying victimization, and between financial struggle and barriers to healthcare access were found. Barriers to healthcare access mediated the association between family financial struggle and bullying victimization.
Practice implications: Given the documented effects of bullying victimization on children, findings point to the importance of developing psychotherapeutic practices that are appropriate for children who are flagged as "high-risk."
Keywords: barriers to healthcare; bullying victimization; families; financial struggle; health.
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