Weight-Based Victimization Among Adolescents in the School Setting: Emotional Reactions and Coping Behaviors

Weight-based victimization is a frequent experience for adolescents, but little is known about their emotional reactions and
coping strategies in response to weight-based teasing and bullying. The present study examined the ways that adolescents cope
with experiences of weight-based victimization at school. An initial sample of 1,555 students from two high schools in central
Connecticut completed a comprehensive battery of self-report measures to assess their experiences of weight-based teasing
and bullying at school, affective responses to these experiences, and coping strategies used to deal with incidents of weight-based
victimization. Only those students who reported experiencing weight-based victimization (N = 394) were included for the purposes
of the present study. Of this sub-sample, 56% were females, 84% were Caucasian, and the mean age was 16.4 years. Weight-based
victimization resulted in 40–50% of adolescents feeling sad and depressed, worse about themselves, bad about their body, angry,
and some feeling afraid. Gender differences emerged with respect to how boys and girls react to experiences of weight-based
victimization. However, structural equation model estimates demonstrated that both boys and girls who reported negative affect
in response to weight-based victimization were more likely to use coping strategies of avoidance (e.g., avoiding gym class),
increased food consumption, and binge eating. Binary logistic regressions showed that the odds of students skipping school
or reporting that their grades were harmed because of weight-based teasing increased by 5% per teasing incident, even after
controlling for gender, age, race, grades, and weight status. To our knowledge, this study is the first systematic examination
of affective reactions and coping strategies among overweight adolescents in response to weight-based victimization. These
findings can inform efforts to assist overweight youth to cope adaptively with weight-based victimization.