Bullying victimisation among deaf adolescents: A school-based self-report survey in Ghana

Regional and national level data on bullying victimisation and its associated factors among deaf adolescents are still lacking, particularly in Africa. This study employed a cross-sectional anonymous self-report survey involving a nationally representative random sample of 450 school-going deaf adolescents in Ghana. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the overall 12-month prevalence of bullying victimisation was 55.1% (95% confidence interval: 50%–60%), with similar prevalence among females (52.0%) and males (57.0%). Although deaf adolescents experiencing schoolwork problems were more likely to report bullying victimisation, the strongest predictors were adverse social events, including relationship break-ups, conflicts with friends, and parental divorce. The findings highlight bullying as a major concern among deaf adolescents in Ghana and underscore the need for further research as well as school-based intervention and prevention programmes aimed at reducing bullying and improving students' psychosocial well-being.