This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Involvement with bullying increased risk for suicidal thoughts, behaviors
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Involvement with bullying in any form is associated with suicidal ideation and behavior, according to meta-analyses results published in Pediatrics.
“Previous research has demonstrated that youth who are victims and perpetrators of bullying are often more likely to report higher levels of negative health outcomes, such as depression, anxiety, and other internalizing behaviors, as compared with youth who only bully and youth who are only victims,” investigator Melissa K. Holt, PhD, of Boston University, and colleagues wrote.
Melissa K. Holt
Researchers reviewed 47 studies published from 1999 to 2013 that examined associations between bullying and suicidal ideation or behaviors. Six meta-analyses were conducted using three predictors: bullying victimization, bullying perpetration and bully-victim status (ie, those who are victims and perpetrators).
Analyses indicated a statistically significant average odds ratio for suicidal ideation and bullying victimization (OR=2.34; 95% CI, 2.03-2.69).
Bullying perpetrators had an OR for suicidal ideation of 2.12 (95% CI, 1.67-2.69), while bully victims showed an OR for suicidal ideation of 3.81 (95% CI, 2.13-6.8). Bully victims also showed a significant risk for suicidal behavior (OR=4.02; 95% CI, 2.39-6.76).
Moderator analyses indicated effect sizes for bullying perpetration and suicidal ideation varied by country (P<.05), with US studies showing a significantly larger effect size vs. studies conducted outside of the US (OR=1.24; 95% CI, 0.54-2.83).
“Findings from this meta-analysis support and extend the extant literature on the association between bullying involvement and suicidality,” the investigators wrote. “Future research would benefit from analysis of the longitudinal effects of youth bullying on suicidal ideation and behaviors to better understand temporality of the association.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts