Association between different stages of precollege school bullying and murder-related psychological behaviors among college students in Anhui Province, China

Relationship between bullying victimization and murderous behaviors and impulsivity's mediating role: Evidence from Chinese early adolescents

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests a robust relationship between experiencing bullying victimization (BV) and engaging in murderous behaviors among adolescents. However, the potential mediating effect of impulsivity on the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors in early adolescents remains underexplored.

METHODS

A total of 5724 adolescents, with a mean age of 13.5 years, were enrolled from three middle schools in Anhui Province, China. Participants completed self-report questionnaires detailing their experiences with bullying, impulsiveness, and murderous behaviors. To assess the relationship between BV and murderous behaviors, multivariate logistic regression and Poisson regression analyses were conducted. Mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

After controlling for confounding factors, a positive association was found between experiencing BV and engaging in murderous behaviors (p < 0.05). Mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of BV on the occurrence of murderous behaviors through impulsivity (indirect effect = 0.027, 95 % CI: 0.021, 0.033). BV appears to heighten levels of impulsivity, which in turn increases the likelihood of murderous behaviors. Additionally, sex-specific analysis indicated that impulsivity played a greater mediating role in the link between verbal and relational BV and murderous behaviors in females, while physical and cyber BV were more significant in males.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings underscore the necessity of early targeted interventions for adolescents experiencing BV and exhibiting high levels of impulsivity to mitigate their risk of engaging in murderous behaviors.

Childhood maltreatment and homicidal ideation among Chinese early adolescents: The serial mediating role of borderline personality features and aggression

A large body of evidence linked childhood maltreatment (CM) to juvenile violence and delinquent behavior. However, little is known about the association between CM and homicidal ideation in early adolescents. This study aimed to examine that relationship and to explore the serial mediating role of borderline personality features (BPF) and aggression in that relationship in a large sample of early adolescents. A total of 5724 early adolescents (mean age: 13.5 years) were recruited from three middle schools in Anhui Province, China. The participants were invited to complete self-report questionnaires regarding their history of CM, BPF, aggression, and homicidal ideation. Mediation analyses were evaluated using structural equation modeling. A total of 669 participants (11.7%) reported homicidal ideation in the past 6 months. CM victimization was positively associated with homicidal ideation after adjusting for covariates. Furthermore, the serial mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of CM on homicidal ideation through BPF and subsequent aggression. Exposure to maltreatment in childhood is likely to manifest BPF and subsequently higher levels of aggression, which in turn are related to increased homicidal ideation. These findings suggest the need for early intervention for BPF and aggression in early adolescents exposed to CM to prevent the development of homicidal ideation.

Moderating role of mental health literacy on the relationship between bullying victimization during the life course and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese college students

BACKGROUND

Exposure to persistent bullying victimization across multiple periods results in a high risk of worse consequences. Although amples studies support the association between bullying victimization and symptoms of anxiety and depression, whether mental health literacy can serve as a moderator on this relationship remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the patterns of bullying victimization across the life course, and disentangle the moderating effect of mental health literacy between bullying victimization patterns and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chinese college students.

METHODS

A total of 4036 college students were enrolled by cluster sampling from November 2020 to January 2021. Bullying victimization, mental health literacy, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured by self-report validated questionnaires. A latent class analysis was applied to identify bullying patterns. The PROCESS program was conducted to analyze whether mental health literacy moderates the link between bullying victimization patterns and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Three latent patterns of bullying victimization were identified as follows: persistent bullying pattern (6.2%), moderate bullying pattern (10.5%), and low bullying pattern (83.3%). Logisitic regression analysis of anxiety and depressive symptoms indicated that compared with low bullying pattern, persistent bullying pattern had the highest risk. Specifically, mental health literacy moderated the association between bullying victimization pattern and anxiety symptoms (B = -0.039, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It is important for practitioners to examine bullying victimization across the life course concurrently rather than a single period in isolation. Interventions and research should enhance mental health literacy to improve the mental health in college students with a history of bullying victimization.

Association of Child Sexual Abuse Victimization and Murderous Behaviors and the Mediating Role of Psychological Adjustment among College Students in China

A history of child sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with a variety of psychological issues and conduct disorders in adolescents. However, little is known about the association between CSA and its characteristics and murderous behaviors in young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine this relationship and explore the mediating effect of psychological adjustment (PA). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 4034 college students in Anhui Province, China. The participants were invited to complete self-report questionnaires regarding the history of CSA, self-perceived PA and murderous behaviors. PA was evaluated by two of the most important indicators: resilience and emotional release. Mediation analyses were computed via parallel mediation models. Of the participants, 14.1% reported experiencing CSA. After controlling for potential confounders, CSA victimization was robustly and positively associated with murderous ideation (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.77-3.14), murderous plans (OR: 4.02, 95% CI: 2.63-6.12), murderous preparation (OR: 3.87, 95% CI: 2.37-6.31), and murderous attempts (OR: 5.35, 95% CI: 3.11-9.21). CSA victimization that was persistent and of the combined contact or noncontact types greatly increased the risk of murderous behaviors. A dose-response relationship was observed between the duration of experienced CSA and murderous behaviors. Furthermore, the results of the mediation analysis revealed that PA partially mediated the relationship between CSA victimization and murderous behaviors. Therefore, PA protects against the development of murderous behaviors in abused individuals. These findings have important implications for the prevention and intervention of murderous behaviors in adolescents who experienced CSA, highlighting the importance of considering PA as a protective role in this relationship.

Bidirectional associations among school bullying, depressive symptoms and sleep problems in adolescents: A cross-lagged longitudinal approach

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a life stage with a high risk of depression, sleep disorders and school bullying. The aim of this study is to examine the longitudinal relationships between school bullying (bullying victimization and bullying perpetration), depressive symptoms and sleep problems among adolescents and to consider whether the direct pathways vary by gender.

METHODS

The study included 1687 7th grade students (60.4% boys) recruited from a middle school in southeastern China. We collected self-reports of school bullying, depressive symptoms and sleep problems from 2019 (T1) and 2020 (T2) among adolescents. A series of gender-specified cross-lagged paths in a structural equation model was used for the primary analysis.

RESULTS

The models revealed evidence for bidirectional associations between school bullying, depressive symptoms and sleep problems. Among girls, higher bullying perpetration at T1 predicted fewer sleep problems and depressive symptoms at T2, while bullying victimization significantly predicted poor quality of sleep and severe depressive symptoms. Furthermore, sleep problems at T1 positively predicted bullying perpetration and victimization at T2 in boys but not in girls. For both boys and girls, severe depressive symptoms significantly predicted more victimization and sleep problems, and sleep problems were positively associated with depressive symptoms.

LIMITATIONS

The sample is unrepresentative, as it is from only one middle school.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight that school bullying, depressive symptoms and sleep problems were interrelated across time and that acknowledging gender differences is important.

Prevalence and associated factors of school bullying among Chinese college students in Changsha, China

BACKGROUND

School bullying has attracted worldwide attention for its adverse outcomes; however, there is still a lack of research among college students. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of school bullying victimization and the associated factors among Chinese college students.

METHODS

8098 Chinese college students from two universities in Hunan province were recruited in this cross-sectional study, and data on participants' demographic information, bullying history, suicidal behaviors, anxiety (Self-Rating Anxiety Scale) and depression (Self-reporting Depression Scale) were collected. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the independent correlates of school bullying.

RESULTS

The prevalence of school bullying was 8.03% in our study. Gender (OR,0.792;95%CI[0.660,0.950]; p = 0.012); depression (OR,1.979; 95%CI[1.359,2.883]; p < 0.001); anxiety (OR,1.996; 95%CI[1.388, 2.869]; p < 0.001); suicidal ideation (OR,1.353;95%CI[1.087,1.684]; p = 0.007); suicide attempts (OR,1.772;95%CI[1.306,2.403]; p < 0.001); family income between 30,000 and 70,000/year (yuan) (OR,0.763;95% CI[0.627,0.929]; p = 0.007) and family income more than 70,000/year (yuan) (OR,0.578;95%CI[0.461,0.725]; p < 0.001) were independent correlates of school bullying. The bullying score was positively correlated with physical or mental disorder history, family history of mental disorder, suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide attempts, anxiety, depression, smoking and drinking alcohol (all p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with right-handedness, good relationship with parents and family income (all p < 0.05).

LIMITATIONS

No causal relationship could be drawn due to the cross-sectional design.

CONCLUSION

School bullying is quite common among college students. In order to improve students' mental health and prevent suicide, we should pay attention to the negative effects of bullying victimization such as depression, anxiety, suicidal behaviors and so on, apart from putting in place anti-bullying interventions.

Childhood trauma and depression in college students: Mediating and moderating effects of psychological resilience

PURPOSE

Not all young people who have experienced childhood abuse and neglect will become depressed or have the same degree of depression. Psychological resilience may probably lead to part of the difference according to previous studies. To observe the association between childhood abuse and neglect and depression and analyze whether psychological resilience has mediating and moderating effects on this association.

METHODS

A cross-sectional sampling with a self-report questionnaire used to measure childhood abuse and neglect, psychological resilience, and depression of college students was conducted in four universities in Hefei City, in October 2018. SPSS PROCESS was used to test the hypotheses of mediating and moderating effects.

RESULTS

Among 4034 students, 58.1% were boys and 41.9% were girls, the average age was 20.4 years (SD = 1.4). A positive association between childhood abuse and neglect and depression was found in the population, whereas negative relationships between psychological resilience and depression, and childhood abuse and neglect were observed (r = 0.251, -0.477, and -0.196, respectively, p < 0.001). For the mediating effect of psychological resilience, the 1000-sample bootstrap demonstrated that the indirect effect was statistically significant (β = 0.073, 95% CI: 0.057-0.092). For the moderating effect, R-square increased because the interaction effect was statistically significant (ΔR2 = 0.008, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study supported the conclusion of previous studies that psychological resilience mediates and moderates the process of depression. Future research can further reveal the role of psychological resilience by examining different types of childhood abuse and neglect.

Association between sexual abuse victimization during the life course and suicidal behaviors in male and female college students in China: Timing, duration, types and patterns

BACKGROUND

A certain link between sexual abuse (SA) victimization and suicidal behaviors has been confirmed, but it remains unclear whether this association varies with regard to SA characteristics and gender.

METHODS

Participants were 4034 college students drawn from a cross-sectional study conducted in Hefei, China. Gender-stratified latent class analysis (LCA) and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between timing, duration, types and patterns of SA victimization and suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

For the males, SA in the elementary school or earlier period was associated with suicidal ideation (OR: 3.29, 95%CI: 2.20-5.38), plans (OR: 3.44, 95% CI: 1.54-7.77) and preparations (OR:3.05, 95% CI: 1.19-7.74). All types of SA were significantly associated with the four types of suicidal behaviors. Dose-response relationship and cumulative effect were found between duration, types of SA victimization and suicidal behaviors. Three latent classes of SA victimization were identified for males and females, respectively. For males, the "moderate SA" class and "persistent SA" class were associated with the four types of suicidal behaviors. For the females, SA during the university period was associated with suicidal ideation (OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.24-4.93). Only suicidal ideation was associated with the "moderate SA" class.

LIMITATIONS

The cross-sectional survey design did not allow to conclude any causality.

CONCLUSIONS

The relationship between SA victimization and suicidal behaviors varies in terms of SA victimization characteristics and the relationships were stronger in males than in females.

Sensitive periods for the effect of bullying victimization on suicidal behaviors among university students in China: The roles of timing and chronicity

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether timing and chronicity of bullying victimization (BV) play a significant role in linking exposure to BV to suicidal behaviors in university students.

METHODS

A multistage stratification sampling method was used to select a sample of 4034 university students (18-23 years, mean age 20.38±1.35 years, 41.9% female). We used latent class analysis and developmental-stage-based characterizations of BV timing and chronicity to explore the sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts among our study participants were 9.9%, 3.0% and 1.3%, respectively. BV during primary school (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.55-2.90) and secondary school (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.80-3.90) was associated with suicidal ideation among university students. We identified four classes of life-course BV experiences (low BV, 73.8%; moderate BV, 18.6%; secondary school BV, 4.4% and persistent BV, 3.2%). Persistent BV was associated with 2.50 times (95% CI: 1.56-3.98), 2.98 times (95% CI: 1.48-6.02), and 6.13 times (95% CI: 2.48-15.14) higher risk of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts, respectively. Both moderate BV (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.35-2.26) and secondary school BV (OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.29-3.12) were positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Furthermore, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of periods of BV and suicidal behaviors.

LIMITATIONS

This study was a cross-sectional study based on self-reported measures, especially BV experiences in each school stage.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identifies sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors among university students in China.