Young men's suicidal behavior, depression, crime, and substance use risks linked to childhood teasing

A longitudinal study of the relationships among competency-based teasing, positivity, and depressive symptoms in Chinese children: Highlighting gender differences

Competency-based teasing has been identified as a risk factor for children's depressive symptoms. However, the specific psychological mechanisms mediating this relationship are not well understood, especially in the context of Chinese culture. This study examined the relationship between competency-based teasing, subsequent depressive symptoms, and the possible mediating role of positivity in Chinese children by using parallel process latent growth curve modelling. Gender differences were also explored. A sample of 4376 Chinese children (55.1% boys; age: M = 9.98 years, SD = 0.88) completed measurements of the relevant constructs on five occasions across 2 years, using half-year intervals. The findings revealed that competency-based teasing was significantly positively associated with subsequent depressive symptoms in Chinese children. Furthermore, positivity mediated this relationship in girls, but not in boys. The results suggest that positivity-cultivating and gender-specific interventions may be effective to reduce the risk of depressive symptoms in Chinese children.

Bullying and School Violence

Rates of traditional bullying have remained stable (30%) but rates of cyberbullying are increasing rapidly (46% of youth). There are significant long-term physical and mental health consequences of bullying especially for vulnerable youth. Multi-component school-based prevention programs that include caring adults, positive school climate, and supportive services for involved youth can effectively reduce bullying. While bullying has emerged as a legitimate concern, studies of surviving perpetrators to date suggest bullying is not the most significant risk factor of mass school shootings. Pediatricians play a critical role in identification, intervention, awareness, and advocacy.

Childhood Bullying Victimization, Substance Use and Criminal Activity among Adolescents: A Multilevel Growth Model Study

BACKGROUND

This study aims to examine the effects of childhood bullying victimization (CBV) on substance use and criminal activity among adolescents over time. In addition, it identifies the moderating effects of gender and race/ethnicity on the associations of CBV with substance abuse and criminal activity in adolescence and young adulthood.

METHODS

This study included 8984 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.22 years) assessed biennially at four time points utilizing the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. The two-level hierarchical linear modeling was employed to test the effects of CBV on substance use and criminal activity.

RESULTS

The incidence of substance use increased over time throughout adolescence to young adulthood, while that of criminal activity decreased. CBV increased the risks of cigarette use, marijuana use, and criminal activity. Gender and race/ethnicity significantly moderated the effect of CBV on alcohol use and alcohol binges. The effect of CBV on alcohol use was stronger among females than males. Among Hispanic adolescents, CBV was more strongly related to alcohol use and binges compared to non-Hispanic White.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest the need for early intervention for children at high risk of being bullied to reduce later substance abuse and involvement in criminal activities. Considering the moderating effects of gender and ethnicity on the associations, target-specified intervention and prevention programs are also required. Further studies focusing on the lifelong effects of CBV beyond adolescence are recommended.

Substance use confounds associations between peer victimization and aggression in adolescence with mental disorders in adulthood: A prospective birth cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Peer victimization and aggression in adolescence are associated with later mental health morbidity. However, studies examining this association have not controlled for adolescent substance use. We aimed to study the associations between peer victimization, peer aggression, and mental disorders in adulthood, adjusting for substance use in adolescence.

METHODS

Participants were from the prospective Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Data were available for 6682 individuals (70.8% of the original sample). Peer victimization and peer aggression were assessed with items from the Achenbach Youth Self Report at ages 15-16 years. Outcomes were nonorganic psychosis, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, substance use disorder, and any mental disorder (a none-vs-any indicator) at age 33 years collected from nationwide health care, insurance, and pension registers. Family structure, alcohol intoxication frequency, daily smoking, illicit drug use, and baseline psychopathology using Youth Self-Report total score, and parental mental disorders were considered as confounding factors.

RESULTS

In multivariable analyses, the association between peer victimization and psychosis (Hazard ratio [HR]: 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-6.9, p = .020) and mood disorder (HR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.4, p = .012) in females remained significant after adjusting for confounders. Other associations between female and male peer victimization or aggression and the studied outcomes attenuated after adjustments.

CONCLUSIONS

Some associations between peer victimization and aggression and later mental health morbidity are explained by adolescent substance use. For females, substance use does not account for the increased risk of psychosis and mood disorder in those who experience peer victimization.

Pathways from bullying victimization to suicidal thoughts among urban African American adolescents: Implications for nurse practitioners

PURPOSE

Children and adolescents who are victimized by their peers are at an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Bullying and suicide are major public health concerns; however, studies have not fully addressed the link between peer victimization and suicidal behavior among urban African American youth. The current study proposed and explored the pathways from peer victimization to suicidal thoughts via internalizing behaviors (i.e., low self-esteem, depression, and hopelessness).

DESIGN AND METHODS

The sample consisted of 638 African American adolescents (aged 12-22) from low-income communities in Chicago's Southside. A path model using the structural equation model was employed, controlling for biological sex, age, and government assistance.

RESULTS

The study found that victims of bullying are likely to develop low self-esteem and depression, and depression can contribute to feelings of hopelessness, thereby increasing suicidal risks.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the pathways from bullying victimization to suicidal thoughts is beneficial for nurse practitioners who assess and provide services and treatment to adolescents.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Because of limited resources in urban schools, anti-bullying programs need to be cost-effective.

The Association of Bullying and Suicidality: Does it Affect the Pediatric Population?

Over the last few years, bullying has been identified as one of the significant issues in the pediatric population. Reports also found that bullied youth have a higher risk of developing suicidality. Although preventable, suicide remains the leading cause of death in young people. This literature review aims to establish the association of bullying and the suicidality of the pediatric group (0-18 years of age). A PubMed search was conducted to find studies associating bullying and suicidality in the pediatric population. MeSH keyword strategy, along with subheadings, was used to retrieve appropriate literature. A total of 42 articles were included after the careful examination and application of exclusion and inclusion criteria. This study showed a strong association between bullying and suicidality, albeit the presence of some contradictory ideas.

The Role of Metacognitions and Thinking Styles in the Negative Outcomes of Adolescents' Peer Victimization

Psychological mechanisms that may explain the link between peer victimization and its adverse outcomes are still understudied. The current study aimed to apply the Self-Regulatory Executive Function (S-REF) model of psychopathology (Wells & Matthews, 1994, 1996) to help explain this link in a sample of adolescents. A total of 1,169 Italian adolescents (47.7% females; M_age = 15.79, SD = 1.07) completed self-report measures of peer victimization, metacognitions, thinking styles (worry and rumination), and adjustment indices (somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression). The hypothesized model based on the S-REF model was tested through path analysis. Results confirmed that peer victimization was positively associated with both positive and negative metacognitions that, in turn, were linked to worry and rumination, which were associated with higher psychological and somatic problems. The strongest indirect links were found between peer victimization and anxiety via negative metacognitions and worry, and between victimization and depression via negative metacognitions and rumination. Overall, the results support to the application of the S-REF model to peer victimization experiences during adolescence. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Peer teasing experiences of fathers and their children: Intergenerational associations and transmission mechanisms

Being the victim or perpetrator of peer teasing threatens children's immediate and long-term well-being. Given that many individual and contextual risk factors for peer victimization are transmitted within families, we tested whether fathers' childhood victimization experiences were directly or indirectly (via poor parenting and poor child adjustment) associated with their children's increased risk for similar experiences. Generation two (G2) fathers (n = 130) who had been assessed since age 9 years participated in an intergenerational study with their 268 G3 children and the 163 G2 mothers of these children. Peer teasing ratings were collected annually from G1 mothers, fathers, and teachers across G2 ages 9-16 years, and from the same three informant types across the same ages for G3 children. Also assessed was G2 fathers' poor parenting of G3 at ages 3-7 years and G3 poor adjustment (externalizing and internalizing behaviors, deviant peer association, low social competence) and body mass index (BMI) at ages 7-16 years. Models supported intergenerational stability in being teased that was partially mediated through G2 fathers' poor parenting and G3 poor adjustment. A direct intergenerational path in being teased remained significant, and G3 BMI uniquely predicted being teased. Childhood peer victimization is perpetuated across generations. Prevention aimed at poor parenting, child poor adjustment, and peer victimization itself may disrupt intergenerational stability in these adverse experiences.

Prospective associations between peer teasing in childhood and young men's obesity

OBJECTIVE

Being teased and otherwise victimised by peers during childhood increases risk for obesity. However, few prospective studies have considered whether risk extends to adulthood. We tested whether being teased in childhood predicted higher body mass index (BMI) and increased odds of obesity in early adulthood in a community sample of American males.

METHOD

Boys (n=206) were classified as victims of peer teasing or non-victims (n=55 and 151, respectively) based on mother, father, and teacher reports at ages 10-12 years. BMI was assessed at ages 24 or 32 years for 203 of the participants. Family income, parent and child depressive symptoms, child antisocial behaviour, and childhood BMI were assessed at ages 10-13 years and served as control variables.

RESULTS

In unadjusted comparisons, childhood victims did not differ significantly from non-victims on BMI (mean [SD]=27.49 [4.53] and 26.97 [4.60], respectively) or rates of obesity (42% and 31%, respectively) in early adulthood. In adjusted models, no group differences emerged for BMI (β [95% confidence interval (CI)]=.02 [-.09 to .13], p=.77) or obesity (odds ratio [95% CI]=1.58 [.67-3.71], p=.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Peer victimization has been associated with immediate and long-term maladjustment outcomes that are in some cases life threatening. However, our null results do not support that peer victimization significantly increases long-term risk for obesity, and findings are consistent with two other long-term prospective studies of this issue.