**3. Who is at risk for bullying**

There is no specific profile of students who involved in bullying [37]. Findings of previous studies illustrate that there are many factors impact the occurrence of bullying in the schools, ranged from the students' sociodemographic, schools size, number of students, and students' perception of bullying [19, 26, 33, 38]. Several studies investigated the characteristics of those who involved in bullying both bullies and victims. The result showed that preschool aggressiveness, low socioeconomic status, and poor family relationships increase the probability of involvement in bullying cycle at later stages [26, 33, 39]. The results of Meta-analysis study, in which the students were categorized according to certain characteristics (either as victims, bully, and bully-victim), found that student who bullies others has a negative attitude toward other, trouble with academic and social cognition, and come from low-income family. Victims, on the other hand, were more likely to have the characteristics of bad self- recognition, lack of social skills, isolated and rejected by peers. Victim of bullying viewed as being passive or submissive victims, often quite, careful, sensitive and may easily cry, are unsure of themselves, having low self-confidence and a negative self-image [33].

Previous research found that gender of students is one reason that students get bullied, and females students more likely of being harassed by their peer [26, 29, 39, 40]. Ethnic and racial background were also identified as a reason for being bullied, minorities and Asian Americans students more likely to be a target of bullying behaviors than others. Students from lower socio-economic status are at a higher risk of being bullied [17, 41].

The research took into consideration the mental health issue as the characteristics of those involved in school bullying. One of these critical issues is self-esteem. Although the idea that low self-esteem is a prominent characteristic of the victims, some results contradicted this idea. Some who says it is both for the victim and bully and other supported that bullies often showed lower self-worth, but higher social acceptance [12, 40]. Some research assessed selfesteem as a protective factor from involvement in bullying behaviors. Family factors such as employment status of parents show significant association with being at risk for bullying, a result of cross-sectional study among Greek students of 16–18 years old show that students of low school performance and unemployed father were more likely to be a perpetrator. Students, who have unemployed mother have the chance of being either as a victim or perpetrator of bullying [40]. An analysis of data on 5th and 9th-grade students in 1000 schools in Colombia, investigates variables associated with bullying such as socioeconomic status, family characteristics, and community characteristics. Results revealed that male students, low level of family empathy, family violence, community violence, hostile aggressiveness, and supporting beliefs in the community are associated with bullying [19].
