Association between bullying victimization and e-cigarette use among German students

Electronic Cigarette Use and Academic Performance Among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

There are documented links between substance use and poor educational outcomes. However, less is known about electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in relation to academics. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to synthesize associations between e-cigarette use and academic performance among adolescents and young adults.

METHODS

Seven electronic databases were searched. Original research articles were included if associations between e-cigarette use and academic performance among adolescents and young adults aged 11 to 25 years were examined. Extracted data included study and participant descriptors, measures of e-cigarette use and academic performance, key findings, and study limitations. Measures of academic performance were grouped as academic achievement, academic behaviors, or cognitive attitudes.

RESULTS

Thirty-three studies met inclusion criteria. Most were cross-sectional (n = 28). Significant associations to e-cigarette use were identified across all categories: academic achievement (ie, school grades (n = 24)), academic behaviors (ie, school difficulties (n = 1), time spent on homework (n = 1), school suspension (n = 1), and truancy (n = 3)), and cognitive attitudes (ie, school stress (n = 1), school alienation (n = 1), and school engagement (n = 2)). Longitudinal associations were also identified in 5 prospective cohort studies: among adolescents, poor academic grades (n = 4), and truancy (n = 1) predicted future e-cigarette use, and e-cigarette use predicted future lower school grades (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

E-cigarette use during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with poor academic achievement. There is some evidence that academic achievement may predict future e-cigarette use; less evidence supports the opposite direction. Study designs are needed to support a causal connection. Investigators should consider moving from studying associations and instead look for causal evidence.

Psychosocial stressors and current e-cigarette use in the youth risk behavior survey

BACKGROUND

This study explores the association between psychosocial stressors and current e-cigarette use among adolescents in the United States.

METHODS

We used data from 12,767 participants in the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavioral Survey to examine the association between psychosocial stressors (bullying, sexual assault, safety-related absence from school, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, physical altercation, and weapon threats) and past-30-day e-cigarette use using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. We examined the association for each stressor and then as a burden score (0-7). To compare the strength of the association between stressors and current e-cigarette use to current combustible cigarette use, we additionally examined the association between each stressor and current combustible cigarette use.

RESULTS

Approximately 32.7% reported current e-cigarette use. The weighted prevalence of current e-cigarette use was higher among individuals who experienced stressors than those who did not. For example, bullying (43.9% vs. 29.0%). Similar prevalence patterns were seen among other stressors. Individuals who experienced stressors had significantly higher adjusted odds of current e-cigarette use than those who did not (OR [Odds Ratio] range: 1.47-1.75). Similarly, individuals with higher burden scores had a higher prevalence (zero [20.5%], one [32.8%], two [41.4%], three [49.6%], four to seven [60.9%]) and higher odds of current e-cigarette use (OR range: 1.43-2.73) than those with a score of zero. The strength of the association between the stressors and e-cigarette use was similar to that between the stressors and combustible cigarette use.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrates a significant association between psychosocial stressors and adolescent e-cigarette use, highlighting the potential importance of interventions, such as targeted school-based programs that address stressors and promote stress management, as possible means of reducing adolescent e-cigarette use. Future research directions include exploring underlying mechanisms linking stressors to e-cigarette use and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions addressing stressors in reducing adolescent e-cigarette use.

Association between bullying victimization, coping style, and mental health problems among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the association of bullying victimization with anxiety and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and explored the role of coping styles in the foregoing associations.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the 2019 School-based Chinses Adolescents Health Survey (n = 19,809). Information about bullying victimization, coping styles, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms were measured. Linear mixed-effects models were performed.

RESULTS

After adjusting for covariates, verbal victimization (β = 1.94 for anxiety symptoms; β = 4.62 for depressive symptoms), relational victimization (β = 3.40 for anxiety symptoms; β = 8.37 for depressive symptoms), physical victimization (β = 2.63 for anxiety symptoms; β = 6.07 for depressive symptoms) and cyber victimization (β = 4.68 for anxiety symptoms; β = 10.72 for depressive symptoms) were associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Moreover, the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms tended to increase with the number of victimization types. The interaction effects between bullying victimization and coping style on anxiety and depressive symptoms were significant. Further stratified analyses by coping styles indicated that the association of relational and cyber victimization on anxiety and depressive symptoms were significantly stronger in adolescents with negative coping style than in those with positive coping style.

LIMITATIONS

Causal inference is limited due to the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSION

Bullying victimization is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms, and coping styles may play a moderate role in these associations. Interventions to promote mental health could focus on developing positive coping styles, particularly among adolescents with bullying victimization.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Cyberbullying and Its Association With Mental Health Among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia

Purpose Advancements in internet technology are on the rise and so is the concern for its detrimental effects on youth like cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is on the rise and may cause adverse effects on mental health. The objective of the present study was to identify the prevalence of cyberbullying and its associated risk factors and to measure its association with mental health among adolescents. Methods An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 761 high school students aged 15 - 19 years from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A quantitative cross-sectional design was integrated, and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association. As part of assessing mental health, a questionnaire on the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and hookah was also administered. Results The prevalence of cyberbullying was 18%. Although a significant association between cyberbullying and mental health status was obtained (OR = 1.04; p =0.03), the risk of Odds was found to be weak and therefore did not favor the hypothesis. The significant risk factors associated with cyberbullying include being traditionally bullied (OR= 4.76; p = <.001), e-cigarette use (OR = 2.73; p = <.001), and male gender (OR = 1.64; p = .04). Conclusion Despite the findings not favouring the hypothesis, a few striking associations were obtained in the study. Traditional bullying and e-cigarette use increased the risk of cyberbullying. This is a matter of rising concern since e-cigarette use has witnessed a surging rise in popularity. These findings may serve as early warning on the rising issue of cyberbullying and could pave way for formulating early preventive strategies and promulgate awareness by the concerned authorities.

Bullying victimization and nicotine and marijuana vaping among Florida adolescents

PURPOSE

Previous research links bullying victimization with the use of illicit substances in adolescence. In addition, recent research has linked bullying victimization with vaping. Very limited research, however, has explored how different forms of bullying may be linked with nicotine and marijuana vaping specifically.

PROCEDURES

This study addresses this gap in the literature by utilizing logistic regression to examine the relationships between verbal, physical, and cyber bullying victimization and nicotine and marijuana vaping in a sample of Florida adolescents.

FINDINGS

Our findings reveal that all three forms of bullying victimization are linked with recent nicotine vaping, and these associations differ somewhat by youth gender. In addition, our findings indicate that cyber bullying victimization is linked with marijuana vaping.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our findings suggest that bullying victimization is linked with greater odds of vaping activity in adolescents. The implications of these findings for future research and policy are discussed.

Disparities in the frequency of tobacco products use by sexual identity status

BACKGROUND

Largely absent from the literature are studies examining differences in tobacco use frequency among sexual minority populations versus heterosexuals. The current study examined the frequency of tobacco product use (i.e., cigarette, e-cigarettes and cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah, and heated tobacco products) among sexual minority students versus heterosexuals (straight).

METHODS

Data from the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 14,531) were analyzed to examine the association between sexual identity (lesbian or gay, bisexual, not sure, and heterosexual or straight) and tobacco use frequency. Negative binomial regression and zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to assess the association between sexual identity and each tobacco use frequency among current and ever users.

RESULTS

Current e-cigarettes users who identified as gay or lesbian used e-cigarette more frequently than heterosexual students. Multivariable count regression analysis showed that the e-cigarette use frequency in the past 30 days was significantly higher for gays or lesbians (IRR 1.45, 95% CI, 1.19-1.76) compared to heterosexuals. Similarly, gay or lesbian students who were current hookah users on average reported 81% more days of hookah use (IRR, 1.81, 95% CI, 1.08-3.03). The frequency of cigarette smoking was also significantly higher among bisexual cigarette smokers. No significant differences were found in other tobacco product use frequencies between sexual minority and heterosexual youths.

CONCLUSION

Sexual identity was associated with tobacco use frequency, especially for e-cigarettes and hookah. Elevated tobacco use among sexual minority groups deserves special consideration among a population group that is highly vulnerable to marketing and advertisement targeting.

Vaping and psychotic experiences among college students in the United States

AIM

While cigarette and marijuana use has been linked to psychotic experiences, few empirical studies have examined the relation between vaping and psychotic experiences.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the Healthy Minds Survey (September 2020 - December 2020; N = 29,232 students from 36 universities), and used multiple logistic regression models to examine the associations between vaping over the past 30 days and psychotic experiences over the past 12 months, adjusting for age, gender, and race/ethnicity. We then additionally adjusted for cigarette and marijuana use, as well as depression and anxiety.

RESULTS

Roughly 14 % of students in the sample reported psychotic experiences over the past year, and around 14-15 % of students reported vaping over the past month. In multiple logistic regression models, vaping was significantly associated with psychotic experiences (aOR 1.88; 95 % CI: 1.63-2.18). This association attenuated but remained statistically significant even after adjusting for any cigarette use and marijuana use, and after adjusting for depression and anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Among college students, vaping was significantly associated with psychotic experiences, even after accounting for simple measures of cigarette and marijuana use, and mental health problems, calling for more prospective studies to examine the association.