Research trends in the bias-based aggression among youth

• Published in: Children and youth services review Vol. 158; p. 107444
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Sánchez, Ana M., Ruiz-Muñoz, David, Sánchez-Sánchez, Francisca J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2024
• Subjects: Bias-based aggression; Bullying; Discrimination; Hate speech; Prevention; Theory of mind; Youth; Bullying; Prevention; Discrimination; Hate speech; Youth; Theory of mind; Bias-based aggression
• ISSN: 0190-7409; 1873-7765
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.107444

•Schools are identified as ideal environments for addressing bias-based aggression, whether dealing with aggressors, victims, or bystanders.•Theory of Mind used to analyze responses to bias-based bullying.•Social Ecological Theory employed to address unique forms of bias-based bullying among sexual and gender minority youth.•Social Identity Theory used to examine racist or bias-based bullying among children.•Schools that implement Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) lower levels of multiple forms of bias-based bullying compared to schools without GSA.•The communities and schools that LGBTQ-inclusive provide enhanced safeguarding against bias-based bullying.
The increasing recognition of diversity has brought about a rise in bias-based aggression, with researchers focusing on its prevalence among youth. This has generated the need for a systematic analysis of the factors associated with this type of behavior. To contextualize bias-based aggression and develop future intervention strategies for young people, it is crucial to appraise published studies. This meta-analytic review aims to identify the most commonly used theories to explain bias-based aggression, significant authors, countries, and institutions in this thematic field, as well as how they interrelate.
Furthermore, it explores the most analyzed lines of research by researchers and discusses implications for preventive interventions to address bias-based aggression. This review focuses on English-language literature and utilizes a systematic search strategy in Scopus, yielding 51 publications. Descriptive statistical and bibliometric analyses were conducted using VOSviewer software. The results indicate a leadership role held by US researchers and institutions. Theories of mind and Social Ecological theories are found to be the most frequently employed theoretical frameworks by authors. Schools are identified as ideal environments for addressing bias-based aggression, whether dealing with aggressors, victims, or bystanders.