Bullying victimization in youths and mental health problems: 'much ado about nothing'?

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Interpersonal Childhood Adversities and Later Life Depressive Symptoms

There is very little research on the relationship between interpersonal adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms in later adulthood in China. This study examines gender differences in the relationships between childhood physical abuse, bullying victimization, witnessing domestic violence, and depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and older adults, controlling for self-rated physical health and sociodemographic characteristics.The study was based on a nationally representative sample of 4,775 males and 5,596 females aged 45 and older collected through the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Childhood adversity indicators in the 2014 Life History Survey were merged with the harmonized 2018 CHARLS dataset. Structural equation modeling was conducted for males and females simultaneously.Physical abuse was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms for either males or females. However, bullying victimization was significantly associated with depressive symptoms for both males and females. This association was stronger for males compared to females, but the gender difference was not statistically significant. Additionally, witnessing domestic violence had a significant association with depressive symptoms for both males and females, with a stronger association for females but this gender difference also was not statistically significant.Being bullied and witnessing domestic violence were still influential in middle and late life. To provide more effective prevention and interventions, further investigations are needed regarding the mechanisms behind the significant relationships and to explore why childhood physical abuse was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms among these Chinese participants.

Dilemma: Utilizing the activation decision-construction-action theory to understand and predict children's hypothetical decisions to conceal cases of school bullying

The Decision component of the Activation-Decision-Construction-Action theory (ADCAT) proposes that if people perceive the benefits of lying higher than the truth, they are more likely to lie. To expand on the existing ADCAT research, the current study investigated the cost-benefit appraisals of 115 children ages 7-to-14 when concealing information about school bullying. Further, the current study examined the impact of the type of bullying (verbal vs. physical), type of exposure to bullying (victim vs. bystander-witness), and familiarity of the person to whom they could disclose (familiar adult vs. unfamiliar adult) when evaluating ADCAT. The results indicate that the expected value of lie-telling and motivation to lie were only significantly related to decisions to lie when the child is the victim of physical bullying and being questioned by a familiar person. Whereas the expected value of truth-telling was only significantly related to decisions to lie when the child is the victim of verbal bullying and being questioned by an unfamiliar person. Discriminant function analysis models were also statistically significant for these two vignettes, meaning that ADCAT-dependent measures could be used to accurately classify the truth and lie tellers for these two vignettes. Furthermore, developmental factors such as age, gender and Theory-of-Mind skills of the ADCAT-dependent measures within each scenario were examined. This study provides further understanding of the complexities in cases of school bullying, particularly as it relates to social-cognitive factors that encourage or discourage children and adolescents from disclosing these events.

Participants' Roles in Bullying Among 7-11 Year Olds: Results from a UK-Wide Randomized Control Trial of the KiVa School-Based Program

This paper describes the social architecture model of school-based bullying behavior. The model proposes that the behavior of all students affects rates of bullying. Alongside self-reported victims and bullies, the model identified four bystander roles: assistant, reinforcer, outsider, and defender. The level of support for bullies varies based on school policies that address bullying and promote school connectedness. The universal components of the KiVa school-based anti-bullying program designed to teach pupils to stand against bullying are described. The Stand Together trial, a UK-based randomized controlled trial, recruited 11,000+ students from 118 schools across the UK, half of whom received the KiVa program whilst the remainder delivered usual practice to address bullying. The main trial results reported a significant reduction in victimization in favor of KiVa. This paper examines data collected on the pupil-reported Participant Role Questionnaire (PRQ), one of the secondary measures used to explore whether significant reductions in victimization were accompanied by changes in bystander behavior. The results showed reductions in the student response rates of self-identified roles as bullies, assistants, and reinforcers in favor of KiVa, but outsider roles increased, and defender roles reduced. This provides tentative support for the social architecture model as taught in the Stand Together KiVa trial but also suggests that further work needs to be conducted to support the development of defender behaviors and address this important public health challenge.

Adding Nuance to Understanding the Effects of Cannabis Legalization by Using Policy Bundles: A Study of Youth Mental Health

BACKGROUND

Variation in policy design presents a challenge for understanding the positive and negative externalities of cannabis legalization. We offer an advancement on measuring state cannabis policy variation - policy bundles - and demonstrate how the measure can be used to test the effects of cannabis legalization on youth mental health.

METHODS

This research employs data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The research focuses on utilizing three policy bundles as main exposures. This study utilizes a logistic regression model to analyze the outcome exposures. Furthermore, we employ instrumental variables to solve endogeneity between cannabis use and mental health.

RESULTS

Both the pharmaceutical and permissive policy bundle scales are associated with mental health improvements, whereas greater fiscalization has a negative impact on mental health.

CONCLUSION

Studies of the positive and negative externalities of cannabis legalization must consider variation in policy design.

Adolescents' Self and Bullying Victimisation: The Key Role of Gender

Background/Objectives: The primary factors influencing victimisation in bullying have recently become a topic of debate in the psychological literature. This research sought to explore the association between self-criticism (as captured in terms of inadequate self, hated self, and reassured self) and bullying victimisation, also addressing the moderating effects of gender. Methods: This study relies on a cross-sectional research design, enrolling a sample of 328 adolescents (Mage = 14.93; SDage = 0.81; 162 females, 49.4%). Participants completed a short questionnaire about their age, gender, and family's socio-economic status. They also answered questions from the Forms of Self-Criticising/Attacking and Self-Reassuring Scale and the Florence Bullying and Victimisation Scales. Results: Statistical analysis indicated gender moderated only the interplay between hated self and bullying victimisation. Conclusions: Through a multidimensional approach, these findings provided further insight into the primary factors of self to the phenomenon of bullying victimisation, also yielding further evidence about the key role of gender during a critical developmental stage, such as adolescence. Limitations, implications, and future research directions are discussed.

The Bidirectional Relation Between Bullying/Victimization and Negative Automatic Thoughts among Children

As a common form of negative interpersonal interaction in childhood, school bullying is closely related to individual negative cognition. Few studies have assessed whether there is an interaction between different kinds of school bullying roles and negative cognition. The present study administered four questionnaire follow-up tests among Chinese children over two years to explore the bidirectional relation and underlying mechanisms between bullying/victimization and negative automatic thoughts (about self/others). A total of 993 children with MT1age = 9.66 ± 0.72 participated in the study, including 647(65.16%) boys and 346(34.84%) girls. Results indicated a bidirectional relation between victimization and negative automatic thoughts (about self/others); negative automatic thoughts (about self/others) predicting bullying; negative automatic thoughts (about self/others) form two vicious cycles with victimization separately, in which victimization plays a mediating role. The findings suggest that considering improving children's negative cognition of self and others is an important pathway to reduce the occurrence of bullying and victimization in children and to stop children from falling into the cycle of victimization, which is crucial for children to have healthy relationships later in adolescence.

The effect of cyberbullying victimization, traditional bullying victimization and suicidal ideation among college students: do specific affective problems play a mediate role?

BACKGROUND

Suicidal ideation among college students and adolescents represents a significant public health issue worldwide. Research has indicated that emotional difficulties may mediate the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation. However, insights from Thomas Joiner's interpersonal theory and Klonsky's The Three-Step Theory suggest that suicidal ideation arises not merely from emotional distress but from the interplay of hopelessness along with these emotional challenges. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether variouse affective problems mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation among college students.

METHODS

In this study, we utilized a convenience sampling method to collect data from 2717 college students (mean age = 19.81 years, 22.49% male) in South China. We examined the relationships between variables using Spearman's correlation analysis. To analyze potential mediation effects, we employed PROCESS model 4 within SPSS.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that different forms of bullying victimization can predict experiences of depression, anxiety, and social anxiety. However, these emotional responses did not significantly influenced suicidal ideation among college students. Additionally, while different forms of bullying victimization did not directly correlate with feelings of hopelessness, hopelessness was closely associated with the prevalence of suicidal ideation. Furthermore, our results highlighted a significant mediating role of psychiatric prodromal experiences in the relationship between different forms of bullying victimization and suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that affective problems may not serve as a significant mediating factor in the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation. We proposed an integrated emotion-response model that enhances understanding of suicidal ideation among college and offers a framework for more effective prevention strategies.

School Closures on Bullying Experiences of Treatment-Seeking Children and Youth: The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic Within Ontario, Canada

Amongst school-aged children and youth, bullying is a significant problem warranting further investigation. The current study sought to investigate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic waves and school closures on the bullying experiences of 22,012 children aged 4-18-years-old who were referred and assessed at mental health agencies in Ontario, Canada. Individual, familial, and mental health variables related to bullying experiences were also investigated. Data were collected from January 2017 to February 2022. The pre-pandemic period of study included January to June 2017, September 2018/2019 to June 2019/2020. The pandemic period was divided into categories of remote learning (17 March 2020 to 30 June 2020, 8 January 2021 to 16 February 2021, 12 April 2021 to 30 June 2021) and in-person learning (remaining pandemic dates). The summer holidays pre-pandemic were in July-August 2017, 2018, 2019 and during the pandemic they were in July-August 2020 and 2021. Logistic regressions were conducted to analyze data. Findings related to COVID-19 showed bullying rates to be lower during the pandemic when compared to pre-pandemic levels (bullied others during pandemic in school: OR = 0.44, CI = 0.34-0.57; victim of bullying during pandemic in school: OR = 0.41, CI = 0.33-0.5). Furthermore, bullying rates were lower during the pandemic periods when schools were closed for in-person learning (bullied others during pandemic remote: OR = 0.62, CI = 0.45-0.85; victim of bullying during pandemic remote: OR = 0.24, CI = 0.17-0.34). Children who lived in lower income areas, experienced home life challenges, exhibited mental health difficulties, or had behavioural concerns were more likely to be involved in bullying experiences. Finally, classroom type and school program impacted the child's likelihood of bullying others or being bullied. These findings further our understanding of the impact of school closures on children's mental health and behaviour during the pandemic. Public health and policy implications such as bullying prevention, supervision, and conflict management are discussed.

How do victims of bullying develop depression? Testing interpersonal style to explain the victimization-depression link

This study tested to what extent the relation between bullying victimization and future symptoms of depression could be explained by victims being more hostile and less assertive than non-involved individuals. Data came from waves 2-4 of the Dutch TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Participants' bullying experiences were assessed at age 13, interpersonal style at age 16, and depression symptoms at age 19. Mediation analyses were performed primarily on 274 self-reported victims and 1498 non-involved peers. Self-reported victims had an increased risk for depression symptoms. About a third of that risk could be explained by victims' hostile style, which was also higher than those of non-involved peers. Although victims also reported lower levels of assertiveness than non-involved peers, this interpersonal style did not mediate the link between bullying victimization and depression. Our findings suggest that high hostility, but not low assertiveness, partly explains the increased depression risk of self-reported victims. Therefore, interventions could focus on addressing hostility, to help reduce the likelihood that adolescents who have experienced bullying victimization will have more interpersonal conflicts and mental health problems in the future. Supplementary materials also include analyses for bullies and bully-victims, and for peer-reported measures.

Association between bullying victimization and obsessive-compulsive disorder: a population-based, genetically informative study

The extent to which bullying victimization is associated with an increased risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has received little empirical attention. This longitudinal, population-based, genetically informative study examined whether self-reported bullying victimization at age 15 was associated with a clinical diagnosis of OCD in the Swedish National Patient Register and with self-reported obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) at ages 18 and 24 in 16,030 twins from the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden. Using a discordant twin design, including monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins, each twin was compared with their co-twin, allowing a strict control of genetic and environmental confounding. At the population level, adjusting for birth year and sex, each standard deviation (SD) increase in bullying victimization was associated with a 32% increase in the odds of an OCD diagnosis (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.21-1.44), of 0.13 SD in OCS at age 18 (β, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.11-0.16), and of 0.11 SD in OCS at age 24 (β, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.07-0.16). While associations tended to persist in the within DZ-twin comparison models, the estimates attenuated and were no longer statistically significant in the within MZ-twin comparisons. These results suggest that the association between bullying victimization and OCD/OCS is likely due to genetic confounding and therefore incompatible with a strong causal effect. Other mechanisms, such as evocative gene-environment correlations, are more plausible explanations for the observed associations.

Global, regional, and national burden of bullying related mental disorders of adolescent from 1990 to 2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Few studies have assessed the burden of mental disorders in adolescents related to bullying victimization at the global, regional, and national levels. We analyzed adolescent mental disorder disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributed to bullying in 204 countries, following the Global Burden of Disease study 2019 framework. The DALYs rate of adolescent for bullying-related mental disorders global increased from 110.45 (95 % uncertainty intervals (UI): 40.76, 218.62) per 100,000 in 1990 to 138.92 (95 % UI: 54.37, 268.19) per 100,000 in 2019. The largest increase in DALYs rates were obvious in low-SDI and high-SDI regions. In 2019, the DALYs rate of adolescents with bullying-related anxiety disorders was 1.4 times higher than those depressive disorders; the DALYs rate of adolescents with bullying-related mental disorder in females was 1.3 times higher than that of male, and older adolescent (15-19 years old) was 1.4 times higher than younger adolescent (10-14 years old). High-income North America had the fastest increase in DALYs rates of mental disorders related to bullying. In general, a positive correlation was observed between bullying DALY rate of adolescent and SDIs at the regional and national levels. Our study highlights significant disparities in adolescent mental health burden from bullying. Governments must implement adaptive policies to address diverse needs effectively.

Prevalence and risk of psychiatric disorders in young people: prospective cohort study exploring the role of childhood trauma (the HUNT study)

BACKGROUND

Better knowledge about childhood trauma as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders in young people could help strengthen the timeliness and effectiveness of prevention and treatment efforts.

AIMS

To estimate the prevalence and risk of psychiatric disorders in young people following exposure to childhood trauma, including interpersonal violence.

METHOD

This prospective cohort study followed 8199 adolescents (age range 12-20 years) over 13-15 years, into young adulthood (age range 25-35 years). Data about childhood trauma exposure from adolescents participating in the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT, 2006-2008) were linked to data about subsequent development of psychiatric disorders from the Norwegian Patient Registry (2008-2021).

RESULTS

One in four (24.3%) adolescents were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder by young adulthood. Regression analyses showed consistent and significant relationships between childhood exposure to both interpersonal violence and other potentially traumatic events, and subsequent psychiatric disorders and psychiatric comorbidity. The highest estimates were observed for childhood exposure to two or more types of interpersonal violence (polyvictimisation), and development of psychotic disorders (odds ratio 3.41, 95% CI 1.93-5.72), stress and adjustment disorders (odds ratio 4.20, 95% CI 3.05-5.71), personality disorders (odds ratio 3.98, 95% CI 2.70-5.76), alcohol-related disorders (odds ratio 3.28, 95% CI 2.06-5.04) and drug-related disorders (odds ratio 4.67, 95% CI 2.87-7.33).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings emphasise the importance of integrating knowledge about childhood trauma as a potent risk factor for psychopathology into the planning and implementation of services for children, adolescents and young adults.

Social support and mental health outcomes in palestinian children victims of bullying and cyberbullying during the covid-19 pandemic: an exploratory investigation

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that COVID-19 negatively impacted mental health by increasing depression and anxiety. Additionally, bullying might deteriorate children's psychological functioning. Nevertheless, social support has been studied as a positive buffer for mental well-being.

OBJECTIVES

Thus, our study aimed to examine the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak on children's mental health when they are a victim of bullying and cyberbullying. Moreover, we tested the effect of social support as a mediating variable. A sample of 141 children (63 boys and 78 girls) 9 to 13 years old (M = 10.31, SD = 2.26) who reported having experienced bullying participated in the research. All were Palestinians living in Israel, attending primary schools.

METHODS

Data was collected using the following measures, the Multidimensional Bullying Victimization Scale (MBVS), the Adolescents Cyber-Victimization Scale (CYBVICS), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a questionnaire measuring the effect of COVID-19 on mental health outcomes, the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Structural equation modelling was applied to test the association between variables and mediating effects.

FINDINGS

A positive correlation between Fear of COVID-19 and traditional bullying, cyberbullying, depression, and anxiety were found. Moreover, social support was negatively correlated with traditional forms of bullying and cyberbullying. Also, statistically significant differences between traditional bullying, cyberbullying, depression, and parents' difficulties emerged from parental marital status.

CONCLUSIONS

findings might help victims of bullying by training teachers and guiding parents to construct intervention plans to empower the social networks of children victims.

Bullying of LGBTQ+ children and adolescents in schools: understanding the phenomenon, consequences, and international standards with a focus on the polish context

Bullying refers to repetitive, aggressive behavior intended to harm or intimidate others. Cyberbullying extends this aggression to digital platforms, involving harassment via social media, texts, or emails. These forms of bullying are particularly damaging to LGBTQ+ youth, who often face discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In the context of LGBTQ+ individuals, bullying and cyberbullying can lead to severe emotional and psychological harm, contributing to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Despite extensive global efforts and campaigns to combat homophobia, LGBTQ+ students continue to face significant challenges, with the situation in Poland being notably severe. The review highlights various forms of bullying, including physical, verbal, and social aggression, and underscores the alarming involvement of school personnel in perpetuating such behaviors. The focus on the Polish context enriches the global discourse on LGBTQ+ rights and highlights the critical need for targeted interventions to support vulnerable youth in regions with prevalent conservative and religious sentiments.

Bullying in Swiss Youth Born with a Unilateral Cleft lip and Palate by Self- and Parent-Report

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to gain a better understanding of bullying as victims and aggressors in youths born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP).

DESIGN

This is an observational study comparing youths with UCLP (ages 8-16) and their parents with a control group (CG) of children in state schools and their parents.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-one youths (43% female; mean age 12.4 ± 2.3 years) and their parents (n = 40) composed the UCLP group and 56 youths (47% female; mean age 12.4 ± 1.2 years) and their parents (n = 33) were in the CG.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The Olweus Bully/Victim questionnaire self- and parent-report was used to assess victims and aggressors involved in bullying behaviors.

RESULTS

About 30% of all youths reported being a frequent victim of bullying at least 2-3 times a month and an additional 32.3% were bullied 1-2 times in the last 2-3 months. For the total sample, parents significantly (P < .05) underestimated any bullying, both as a victim (youths 62.5% vs parents 45.7%) and as an aggressor (youths 53.1% vs parents 37.1%). There were no significant group differences in experiencing any bullying between the youths with UCLP (52.5%) and the CG youths (69.6%) or in its perception by their parents (43.2% and 48.5%, respectively). There were no group differences between the combinations of victim and aggressor.

CONCLUSIONS

While there were no differences in bullying prevalence in our sample between youths with UCLP and their peers, this study highlights differences in bullying perceptions between parents and their children.

Children's resilience to sibling victimization: The role of family, peer, school, and neighborhood factors

Although common, little is known about the potential impacts of sibling victimization, and how best to ameliorate these. We explored longitudinal associations between sibling victimization and mental health and wellbeing outcomes, and promotive and risk factors that predicted better or worse outcomes following victimization. Data were from >12,000 participants in the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal UK birth cohort, who reported on sibling victimization at age 11 and/or 14 years. We identified potential risk and promotive factors at family, peer, school, and neighborhood levels from age 14 data. Mental health and wellbeing outcomes (internalizing and externalizing problems, mental wellbeing, self-harm) were collected at age 17. Results suggested that over and above pre-existing individual and family level vulnerabilities, experiencing sibling victimization was associated with significantly worse mental health and wellbeing. Having no close friends was a risk factor for worse-than-expected outcomes following victimization. Higher levels of school motivation and engagement was a promotive factor for better-than-expected outcomes. This indicates that aspects of the school environment may offer both risk and promotive factors for children experiencing sibling victimization at home. We argue that effective sibling victimization interventions should be extended to include a focus on factors at the school level.

Traditional bullying and cyberbullying in the digital age and its associated mental health problems in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis

Bullying is a risk factor for the physical and mental health of adolescents. The advent of new technologies has resulted in a brand-new type of bullying, cyberbullying (CB). The co-occurring effects of cyberbullying and traditional bullying(TB) forms of bullying on adolescent mental health are unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to explore the unique and combined effects of CB and TB on adverse psychological outcomes in victims by conducting a joint study of both types of bullying. By doing so, we provide the basis for a comprehensive community bullying prevention program. The database PubMed, PsyclNFO, and Web of Science were searched for studies from 2010 to 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline was followed for data abstraction, and the NIH tool was used to evaluate study-level risk of bias. 42 studies with 266,888 participants were identified. Random-Effect models were used for our study. The moderator analysis was used to explore the moderator of prevalence. Studies with three groups of victims (TB only, CB only, and Both) and two groups of victims (TB and CB) were compared in subgroup analysis. The mean victimization rate was 24.32% (95% CI 20.32-28.83%) for TB and 11.10% (95% CI 9.12-13.44%) for CB. Roughly one-third of TB victims were also victimized by CB. Conversely, only about one-third of CB victims were free from TB. The estimated ORs for depression, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm in the three-group (TB only, CB only and Both) analysis were: depression [TB only: 3.33 (2.22-5.00); CB only: 3.38 (2.57-4.46); Both: 5.30 (2.43-11.56)]; suicidal ideations [TB only: 3.08 (2.12-4.46); CB only: 3.52 (2.38-5.20); Both: 6.64 (4.14-10.64)]; self-harm [TB only: 2.70 (1.86-3.91); CB only: 3.57 (3.20-3.98); Both: 5.57 (2.11-16.00)]; and suicide attempts: [TB only: 2.61 (1.50-4.55); CB only: 3.52 (2.50-4.98); Both: 7.82 (3.83-15.93)]. TB and CB victimization among youth are a matter of public health concern. Victimization appears to be a marker of greater psychopathological severity, particularly suicide-related issues.

Physical exercise, social relationships, and bullying perpetration among school adolescents in China

Despite contradictory empirical evidence, some suggest that physical exercise is directly related to bullying perpetration. Moreover, the quality of social relationships between adolescents and their parents, peers, and teachers has been proposed as a crucial mediator in the relationship between physical exercise and bullying perpetration. However, few empirical studies have examined such hypotheses. This study used data obtained from the 2014-2015 China Education Panel Survey to examine the direct association between physical exercise and bullying behaviors, as well as the indirect pathways from physical exercise to bullying that are mediated by teenagers' social relationship quality. The results showed no significant direct relationship between physical exercise and bullying behaviors. However, physical exercise has indirect associations with bullying behaviors mediated through social relationship quality, with peer relationships having the strongest mediating effect. The findings indicate that social relationships could mediate the association between physical exercise and bullying behaviors. The study suggests that future prevention and intervention programs should promote adolescents' participation in physical exercise and their social interactions with parents, peers, and teachers to reduce bullying perpetration.

Does Bullying Victimization Accelerate Adolescents' Non-suicidal Self-injury? The Mediating Role of Negation Emotions and The Moderating Role of Submissive Behavior

Based on general strain theory, the current study examined whether bullying victimization was significantly related to adolescents' non-suicidal self-injury and whether negation emotions mediated this association and submissive behavior moderated this mediation process. A total of 1,984 adolescents completed a series of anonymous questionnaires regarding bullying victimization, negative emotions, non-suicidal self-injury, and submissive behavior. Results showed that bullying victimization was significantly and positively associated with non-suicidal self-injury and this relation was partially mediated by negative emotions. Submissive behavior moderated the relation between bullying victimization and non-suicidal self-injury as well as negation emotions and non-suicidal self-injury. Specifically, the victims of bullying with high submissive behavior were more likely to develop non-suicidal self-injury. Adolescents who had higher negative emotions were at greater risk of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury when they also had high submissive behavior. The positive association between negative emotions and non-suicidal self-injury was stronger in females than males.

The Role of Disability in the Relationship Between Mental Health and Bullying: A Focused, Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Having both a disability and being bullied increases the risk of later mental health issues. Children with disabilities are at greater risk of being bullied and therefore at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes. We conducted a limited systematic review of longitudinal studies focusing on the role of disability in relation to bullying and mental health problems. Twelve studies with an initial measure of mental health or disorder, measured no later than 10 years of age, were found. Ten of these twelve studies suggested that having a disability before victimisation increased the impact of mental health problems measured after bullying experiences. The conclusion is that children with a disability, such as behavioural problems, have an increased risk of later mental health problems through bullying victimization. Children with two risk factors had significantly worse mental health outcomes. These additional mental health problems may be alleviated through reduced bullying victimisation.

Family Functioning and Adolescent Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Bullying Victimization and Resilience

This study aimed to understand the current state of adolescent mental health, explore the mediating effect of bullying victimization and resilience in the relationship between adolescent family functioning and mental health, and investigate gender differences in this association. A total of 4319 students (2347 boys and 1972 girls) completed the questionnaire. Mediating effects were analyzed using the framework of structural equation modeling and bootstrapping. The results revealed that family functioning is significantly associated with adolescent mental health, and that bullying victimization and resilience have significant independent and chain mediating effects on this relationship. Multiple group analysis revealed that the independent mediating role of resilience was more significant for male adolescents. Furthermore, the chain-mediated effects of bullying victimization and resilience were observed only in the relationship between family functioning and mental health in male adolescents. To improve the mental health of adolescents, special attention should be given to the impact of family life on adolescents' school life. Early detection and intervention for adolescents with poor family functioning are also important to effectively prevent bullying victimization and reduce the emergence of mental health problems.

Bullying Victimization is Associated with Heightened Rates of Anxiety and Depression Among Autistic and ADHD Youth: National Survey of Children's Health 2016-2020

Autistic youth and youth with ADHD have heightened rates of bullying victimization, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of this research is to use nationally representative US data to 1) estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among bullied neurodivergent youth and 2) investigate whether the association between bullying victimization and anxiety or depression is significantly greater among autistic youth and youth with ADHD. For this research, we used five years of data (2016-2020) from the nationally representative National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), youth ages 12-17 years (n = 71,973). Data were analyzed with R and the R survey package to estimate average marginal percentages, risk differences, and additive interactions as recommended by STROBE guidelines. The study identified heightened anxiety and depression among bullied autistic or ADHD youth. Results also showed that the increase in the rate of anxiety or depression associated with bullying victimization was significantly greater among autistic youth and youth with ADHD relative to non-autistic non-ADHD youth; interactions were significant among both male and female youth. Autistic youth, youth with ADHD, and youth with co-occurring autism and ADHD are particularly vulnerable to bullying victimization and associated depression and anxiety. Future research is needed to understand why the association between bullying victimization and depression/anxiety is significantly greater among autistic and non-autistic ADHD youth. Recommendations include exploring school-wide anti-stigma initiatives to stop the reciprocal bullying-anxiety/depression cycle, routine bullying and mental health screening of autistic and ADHD youth, and clinical management of bullied autistic and ADHD youth with anxiety or depression.

Distinguishing pathways from bullying victimization to nonsuicidal self-injury and to cyberaggression: Do perceived ostracism and depression mediate their links?

Bullying victimization is related to increased aggressive behaviour, but little research considers both self- (e.g., nonsuicidal self-injury; NSSI) and other-directed (e.g., cyberaggression) outcomes. Moreover, little is known about the mediating mechanisms that underlie this relationship. Based on the General Aggression Model, the current study investigates the mediating roles of Perceived ostracism (PO) and depression in the relationship between bullying victimization and cyberaggression/NSSI among emerging adult. A total of 795 emerging adults (Mage = 19.66 years, SD = 1.46; 59.9% female) completed a multimeasure questionnaire measuring the targeted variables at three time points over one year. Structural equation modelling was used to test temporal mediation. After controlling for gender, age, and family monthly income, bullying victimization was found to positively predict later cyberaggression and NSSI. Mediation analysis revealed that the longitudinal association between bullying victimization and cyberaggression was mediated by PO; the longitudinal association between bullying victimization and NSSI was mediated by depression and was sequentially mediated by PO and depression. These findings extend the theory, prevention and interventions to include both self- and other-directed aggressive behaviour in the bullying context. Future research and practice may benefit from an emphasis on PO and depression-focused psychological interventions.

The role of cumulative risk and armed conflict exposure in adolescent psychological symptoms in Turkey

Exposure to risk factors and adversity may cause immediate, and sometimes prolonged, psychological symptoms in adolescents. Identifying universal and specific risk factors in a particular context and examining their cumulative effects is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying psychological symptoms and informing about strategies for intervention. Using concurrent measures, the current study aimed to examine the role of armed conflict experiences and cumulation of other risk factors (e.g., maternal psychological symptoms, socioeconomic indicators) in predicting adolescent psychological symptoms in an underresearched community. The sample included 161 adolescents (54.7% female) aged 11-14 years (M = 12.36, SD = 1.27) and their mothers living in the east of Turkey. The cumulative risk index was calculated by summing the standardized scores of the corresponding factors. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents by introducing demographic variables (age, gender) in the first step, armed conflict experiences and cumulative risk in the second step, and their interaction in the final step. Results showed that the levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were predicted by gender, armed conflict experience and cumulative risk. Being a girl was associated with higher levels of internalizing symptoms and lower levels of externalizing symptoms. Higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms were predicted by exposure to armed and cumulative risk. After controlling for other factors, the interaction of armed conflict experience and cumulative risk significantly predicted externalizing, but not internalizing symptoms. These findings suggested that cumulative risk was a stronger predictor of psychological symptoms, and further amplified the strength of the association between armed conflict experiences and externalizing symptoms. These findings can be used in the formulation of intervention strategies and policies to promote psychological well-being in adolescents living in armed conflict zones under multiple risks.

Association between Body Mass Index and Externalizing and Internalizing Symptoms among Chinese Adolescents: Mediating Role of Traditional Bullying and Cyberbullying Victimization

BACKGROUND

Externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and obesity are among the greatest challenges to adolescent health. However, the moderating and mediating mechanisms that underlie this association remain predominantly unexplored.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, we examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and externalizing and internalizing scores in adolescents, tested whether traditional bullying and cyberbullying mediated the association, and explored the moderated role of sex.

METHODS

The data came from 1486 adolescents from grade 7, 8, and 10 living in Shantou, China. Information on BMI, traditional bullying, and cyberbullying victimization was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. The students' externalizing and internalizing scores were evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Furthermore, we built two parallel mediation models with sex as a moderating variable.

RESULTS

Compared to their peers with normal weight, adolescents with increased BMI reported higher externalizing and internalizing scores. Traditional bullying and cyberbullying were both significant mediators in the two relationships. Sex moderated the pathway from BMI to cyberbullying. But sex did not moderate the relationship between BMI and traditional bullying.

CONCLUSIONS

The results highlight that it is imperative for educators to identify students who are subjected to weight-based bullying and provide them with recommendations for effective coping strategies. Meanwhile, both victims of traditional bullying and those affected by cyberbullying should be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts when developing a strategy to improve levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms among adolescents with increased BMI.

Relationships Among Self-Esteem, Bullying, and Cyberbullying in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

The current systematic review explored relationships among self-esteem, bullying, and cyberbullying in adolescents. Three databases were used to search for articles pertaining to mental health, health care, and the social sciences. Keywords, including "bully," "victim," "victimization," "harassment," "aggression," and "abuse," were used to describe victims of cyberbullying and locate relevant articles. A total of 861 articles were found during the initial search, 110 were assessed for eligibility, and 10 ultimately met inclusion criteria. Most studies found correlations among self-esteem, bullying, and cyberbullying. Self-esteem was linked to being a victim of cyberbullying but not to being a perpetrator of cyberbullying or bullying in general. Students with high self-esteem at the beginning of the school year were more likely to become bullies as they got older, whereas those with low self-esteem were less likely to do so. In addition, self-esteem was found to have direct negative effects on victimization and cybervictimization, and victimization and cybervictimization were found to have direct negative effects on peer difficulties. Findings suggest that adolescent bullying and cyberbullying perpetration may be mitigated by higher levels of self-esteem. Parents should pay close attention to and limit adolescents' exposure to bullying and cyberbullying and stressful life events. Psychiatric nurses should routinely screen adolescents and develop interventions to enhance self-esteem and reduce bullying and cyberbullying. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 62(5), 11-17.].

Chronic bullying victimization and life satisfaction among children from multicultural families in South Korea: Heterogeneity by immigrant mothers' country of origin

BACKGROUND

Despite existing literature on the link between bullying victimization and psychological well-being, little is known about the potential lasting negative effects of chronic bullying victimization, especially among children from multicultural families (CMF).

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the longitudinal association between chronic bullying victimization and life satisfaction among CMF in Korea, and further investigated whether this association differs by immigrant mothers' country of origin.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

This study utilized data from the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS) 2011-2019, a nationally representative longitudinal study of CMF in Korea who were between the ages of 9 and 12 at baseline (N = 1375).

METHODS

Fixed effects models were employed to address potential bias resulting from unobserved time-invariant confounders. Three theoretical models were proposed to examine the trajectory patterns of change in life satisfaction among chronically bullied children: cumulative effects, immediate-sustained effects, and short-lived effects models.

RESULTS

The longitudinal trajectories of change in life satisfaction associated with chronic bullying victimization were consistent with an immediate-sustained effects model. Heterogeneous patterns in the association by mothers' country of origin were observed. A cumulative effects model was supported for children with Southeast Asian mothers, indicating that chronic bullying victimization leads to a cumulative decrease in life satisfaction. For children with Chinese and Japanese mothers, the results supported either immediate-sustained or short-lived effects models.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts to improve the psychological well-being of CMF should consider the potential long-term risk of chronic bullying victimization, particularly among youth with mothers from Southeast Asia.

Identifying Factors Associated with Bullying Roles Using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health (ChYMH) Suite of Instruments

Bullying is a common problem amongst school-aged children and youth and is a significant concern for caregivers and teachers. interRAI is an international not-for-profit network of roughly 150 researchers and clinicians from over 35 countries. The main goal of interRAI is to develop and support standardized assessment systems for vulnerable individuals to support care planning, evidence-based clinical decision making, outcome measurement and quality assurance. This study aimed to examine factors associated with bullying roles in a large clinical sample (n = 26,069) using interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health assessments. Findings revealed children who both bullied peers and were victims of bullying (compared to those who were solely bullies, victims, or neither) were more likely to experience interpersonal traumas including witnessing domestic violence, physical and sexual assault; increased risk of self-harm and suicide, depression; more behavioural/externalizing problems; conflict within the school and home contexts; and higher levels of financial, familial, and living instability. The potential causes and implications of these distinctions are discussed. Findings can aid professionals in tailoring preventive measures that could more effectively minimize the incidence and effect of bullying.

Emotion regulation as central to psychopathology across childhood and adolescence: a commentary on Nobakht et al. (2023)

An important goal of clinical/developmental research is to identify factors contributing to the onset and maintenance of psychopathology - particularly factors that could be modified through intervention. Large-scale, multi-informant, longitudinal studies provide valuable opportunities for testing such etiological hypotheses, as illustrated by Nobakht et al.'s recent six-wave cohort study spanning ages 4-14. At a within-person level, emotion regulation (ER) deficits consistently predicted oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms (including both irritability and defiance), whereas victimization did not. These results comport with growing evidence highlighting ER's centrality to ODD and psychopathology more broadly. While the ER findings carry promising implications, caution is warranted in interpreting the results for victimization given that its association with psychopathology is well-documented. More research is needed to test precise questions about within- and between-person processes involving ER, victimization, and psychopathology across development. Pressing research questions include whether, how, and when youths' ER can be modified, and with what effects on clinical outcomes.

The adult consequences of being bullied in childhood

Most studies examining the impact of bullying on wellbeing in adulthood rely on retrospective measures of bullying and concentrate primarily on psychological outcomes. Instead, we examine the effects of bullying at ages 7 and 11, collected prospectively by the child's mother, on subjective wellbeing, labour market prospects, and physical wellbeing over the life-course. We exploit 12 sweeps of interview data through to age 62 for a cohort born in a single week in Britain in 1958. Bullying negatively impacts subjective well-being between ages 16 and 62 and raises the probability of mortality before age 55. It also lowers the probability of having a job in adulthood. These effects are independent of other adverse childhood experiences.

Emotional problems and peer victimization in adolescents born very preterm and full-term: Role of self-control skills in childhood

The aim of the current study was to examine whether self-control skills in childhood moderate the association between very preterm birth (<32 weeks of gestational age) and emotional problems and peer victimization in adolescence. We used data from four prospective cohort studies, which included 29,378 participants in total (N = 645 very preterm; N = 28,733 full-term). Self-control was mother-reported in childhood at 5-11 years whereas emotional problems and peer victimization were both self- and mother-reported at 12-17 years of age. Findings of individual participant data meta-analysis showed that self-control skills in childhood do not moderate the association between very preterm birth and adolescence emotional problems and peer victimization. It was shown that higher self-control skills in childhood predict lower emotional problems and peer victimization in adolescence similarly in very preterm and full-term borns.

Adolescent mental health in Japan and Russia: The role of body image, bullying victimisation and school environment

This study examined associations between self-reported mental health problems, body image, bullying victimisation and school safety in large adolescent samples in Japan and Russia, considering the effects of gender, culture and their interactions. In both Japan and Russia, girls reported a greater number of mental health problems, less bullying victimisation and much higher body dissatisfaction than boys did. Japanese adolescents rated themselves higher on total difficulties, reported less body dissatisfaction and bullying victimisation, and rated their school safety lower than that of Russian youths. Cross-cultural differences in total difficulties and body image were qualified by gender. Body dissatisfaction, bullying victimisation and school safety all independently contributed to adolescent mental health problems. The protective effect of school safety on total difficulties was larger for girls than for boys; the strength of the association between bullying victimisation and adolescent mental health problems differed across genders and cultures. The findings indicate a need for a cross-cultural approach and provide a strong basis for targeted interventions that seek to improve adolescent mental health.

Predicting Risk of Bullying Victimization among Primary and Secondary School Students: Based on a Machine Learning Model

School bullying among primary and secondary school students has received increasing attention, and identifying relevant factors is a crucial way to reduce the risk of bullying victimization. Machine learning methods can help researchers predict and identify individual risk behaviors. Through a machine learning approach (i.e., the gradient boosting decision tree model, GBDT), the present longitudinal study aims to systematically examine individual, family, and school environment factors that can predict the risk of bullying victimization among primary and secondary school students a year later. A total of 2767 participants (2065 secondary school students, 702 primary school students, 55.20% female students, mean age at T1 was 12.22) completed measures of 24 predictors at the first wave, including individual factors (e.g., self-control, gender, grade), family factors (family cohesion, parental control, parenting style), peer factor (peer relationship), and school factors (teacher-student relationship, learning capacity). A year later (i.e., T2), they completed the Olweus Bullying Questionnaire. The GBDT model predicted whether primary and secondary school students would be exposed to school bullying after one year by training a series of base learners and outputting the importance ranking of predictors. The GBDT model performed well. The GBDT model yielded the top 6 predictors: teacher-student relationship, peer relationship, family cohesion, negative affect, anxiety, and denying parenting style. The protective factors (i.e., teacher-student relationship, peer relationship, and family cohesion) and risk factors (i.e., negative affect, anxiety, and denying parenting style) associated with the risk of bullying victimization a year later among primary and secondary school students are identified by using a machine learning approach. The GBDT model can be used as a tool to predict the future risk of bullying victimization for children and adolescents and to help improve the effectiveness of school bullying interventions.

Childhood bullying victimization, emotion regulation, rumination, distress tolerance, and depressive symptoms: A cross-national examination among young adults in seven countries

Existing research suggests a robust association between childhood bullying victimization and depressive symptoms in adulthood, but less is known about potential mediators of this link. Furthermore, there is limited cross-national research evaluating similarities and differences in bullying victimization and its associations with mental health. The current study addressed gaps in the literature by evaluating cognitive and affective responses to stress (i.e., emotion regulation, rumination, and distress tolerance) as potential mediators of the link between recalled bullying victimization and current depressive symptoms among 5909 (70.6% female) college students from seven countries. Results revealed specific indirect associations of bullying victimization through distress tolerance and three out of four facets of rumination, as well as a persistent direct association of childhood bullying on adulthood depression. Emotion regulation strategies were not significantly associated with bullying victimization and did not mediate its association with depressive symptoms. Constrained multigroup models indicated that results were invariant across country and gender. Findings provide evidence of statistical mediation in a cross-sectional sample and await replication in prospective studies. Rumination and distress tolerance may be promising targets for resilience-promoting interventions among children experiencing peer victimization. Ongoing research is needed to clarify cross-national patterns in childhood bullying, identify additional mediators accounting for the remaining direct association, and evaluate emotion regulation as a potential moderator of associations between bullying victimization and adult mental health.

Bullying Victimization and Internalizing Problems among Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Peer Autonomy Support and Self-Esteem

The present study employed the social-ecological diathesis-stress model as a theoretical framework to extend previous research by examining the underlying mechanism and conditional process that contribute to the positive association between bullying victimization and internalizing problems among adolescents. A moderated mediation model involving peer autonomy support and self-esteem was tested using a sample of 1723 adolescents (50.7% girls; M age = 12.79, SD = 1.58), who completed questionnaires assessing internalizing problems, bullying victimization, peer autonomy support, and self-esteem. The findings revealed that self-esteem partially mediated the positive association between bullying victimization and adolescents' internalizing problems. Specifically, bullying victimization was inversely related to self-esteem, which, in turn, was negatively associated with internalizing problems. Further moderation analyses demonstrated that these direct and indirect associations varied based on levels of peer autonomy support. Simple slope analyses specifically indicated that (a) peer autonomy support buffered against the negative association of bullying victimization with self-esteem and internalizing problems, and (b) peer autonomy support mitigated the negative association of self-esteem with internalizing problems. The elucidation of this mechanism and conditional process holds important implications for early interventions and prevention efforts aimed at mitigating the detrimental association of bullying victimization with adolescents' healthy emotional functions.

New Wine in an Old Bottle? Exposure to Bullying-Related Media and Bullying Perpetration Behavior in Daily Life Among Adolescents

Although the effect of media violence on aggression has garnered major attention, little is known about the link between bullying-related media exposure and bullying behaviors. Across three studies, we examined this association among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 used a large sample of adolescents (n=10,391, 51.4% boys) to investigate the link between bullying-related media exposure and bullying perpetration. Using another adolescent sample (n=3,125, 49.5% boys), Study 2 replicated the findings from Study 1 and extended the investigation from traditional bullying to cyberbullying perpetration. Study 3 examined the longitudinal associations between bullying-related media exposure and (cyber)bullying perpetration 6 months later (n = 2,744, 47.0% boys). The results suggested a positive, albeit small, association between exposure to bullying-related media and (cyber)bullying perpetration. Importantly, personal anti-bullying attitudes moderated this link, with a significant association observed among adolescents holding weak anti-bullying attitudes. Findings are discussed with respect to the media's effect on bullying behaviors.

Bullying Victimization and Adolescent Depression, Anxiety and Stress: The Mediation of Cognitive Emotion Regulation

BACKGROUND

Existing research has revealed a robust association between bullying victimization and psychological distress, but less is known about the underlying mechanism of this link. cognitive emotion regulation (CER) strategies could be a potential mediator. The current study examined the role of functional and dysfunctional CER strategies as potential mediators of the association between bullying victimization and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among 638 high school students (53.9% boys; Mean age = 15.65, SD = 1.32).

METHOD

Participants completed a series of questionnaires assessing bullying victimization (Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire), CER strategies (CERQ-18), and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21). The indirect relationships between bullying victimization and psychopathological symptoms via functional and dysfunctional CER strategies were tested through structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Dysfunctional CER strategies mediated the impact of bullying victimization on depression, anxiety, and stress. In contrast, bullying victimization did not significantly influence functional CER strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide additional support for the detrimental role of bullying victimization on mental distress, also suggesting that this effect is not only direct, but indirect is well. These results are particularly relevant in light of the absence of mediation by protective factors such as the use of positive emotion regulation strategies.

Prevalence and predictors of bullying among in-school adolescents in Nigeria

Objective

As an emerging significant public health issue affecting many students globally, school bullying is a threat that should not be disregarded. While several published studies have focused on bullying in developed countries, very little is known about the prevalence and predictors of bullying in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of bullying in secondary schools in Edo State, Nigeria.

Method

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 621 in-school adolescents using a multistage random sampling technique. The 40-item Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (OBVQ) was utilized for data collection. The chi-squared test, Fisher's test, and binomial logistic regression analysis were utilized to examine associations between variables at 5% level of significance.

Results

Approximately half of the respondents (51.9%) had experienced at least one type of bullying, while 173 (27.9%) reported themselves as bullies. The most common type of bullying was physical bullying in different forms (belonging taken/stolen-68.3%; kicked, pushed or locked indoor-52.2%; threatened-47.8%), while the most common location of bullying was the classroom in the absence of a teacher (75%); the perpetrators were reported by the majority (58.3%) to be classmates. Respondents in junior classes were 1.61-fold more likely to be bullied than those in senior classes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.60; confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-2.24), those who live in rural areas were 1.75-fold more likely to be bullied than urban cities (AOR: 0.45; CI: 0.58-1.80), and those who were frequently beaten by their parents were 2.28-fold more likely to be bullies than those who were not beaten (AOR: 2.16; CI: 1.33-3.52). Furthermore, the act of bullying others was significantly associated with family monthly income (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Owing to the prevalence and predictors of bullying reported in this study, we recommend that policies should be implemented in schools to protect the most affected and vulnerable groups from being victims of school bullying.

Current evidence and opportunities in child and adolescent public mental health: a research review

BACKGROUND

A public mental health lens is increasingly required to better understand the complex and multifactorial influences of interpersonal, community and institutional systems on the mental health of children and adolescents.

METHODS

This research review (1) provides an overview of public mental health and proposes a new interactional schema that can guide research and practice, (2) summarises recent evidence on public mental health interventions for children and adolescents, (3) highlights current challenges for this population that might benefit from additional attention and (4) discusses methodological and conceptual hurdles and proposes potential solutions.

RESULTS

In our evidence review, a broad range of universal, selective and indicated interventions with a variety of targets, mechanisms and settings were identified, some of which (most notably parenting programmes and various school-based interventions) have demonstrated small-to-modest positive effects. Few, however, have achieved sustained mental health improvements.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an opportunity to re-think how public mental health interventions are designed, evaluated and implemented. Deliberate design, encompassing careful consideration of the aims and population-level impacts of interventions, complemented by measurement that embraces complexity through more in-depth characterisation, or 'phenotyping', of interpersonal and environmental elements is needed. Opportunities to improve child and adolescent mental health outcomes are gaining unprecedented momentum. Innovative new methodology, heightened public awareness, institutional interest and supportive funding can enable enhanced study of public mental health that does not shy away from complexity.

Associations between School-Level Disadvantage, Bullying Involvement and Children's Mental Health

Bullying is a modifiable risk factor for poor mental health across childhood and adolescence. It is also socially patterned, with increased prevalence rates in more disadvantaged settings. The current study aimed to better understand whether school-level disadvantage is associated with different types of bullying roles, and whether it is a moderator in the association between bullying and children's mental health. Cross-sectional data were used from 4727 children aged 6-11 years, from 57 primary schools across England and Wales. The child data included previous bullying involvement and bullying role characteristics (bully, victim, bully-victim, reinforcer, defender, outsider), and the teacher-reported data included each child's mental health (emotional symptoms and externalizing) problems. School-level disadvantage was calculated from the proportion of children in the school eligible to receive free school meals (an indicator of disadvantage). Children in more disadvantaged schools were more likely to report being bully perpetrators, bully-victims, and engage less in defending behaviors during a bullying incident. Children from more disadvantaged schools who reported bullying others showed fewer emotional symptoms than those from less disadvantaged schools. There was no other evidence of moderation by school-level disadvantage between bullying roles and emotional and externalizing problems. The findings highlight the potential for school-based interventions targeting children's emotional and social development, targeting bullying, and promoting defending behaviors, particularly in more disadvantaged settings.

Violent video game exposure and bullying perpetration among Chinese adolescents: The moderating role of belief in a just world

Exposure to violent video games is associated with aggressive behaviors among adolescents. However, not all adolescents who play violent video games demonstrate bullying behaviors. Based on the General Aggression Model (GAM), this cross-sectional study examined the interactive effect of individuals (i.e., belief in a just world [BJW]) and situational factors (i.e., violent video game exposure [VVGE]) on bullying perpetration. Using a representative sample of 4250 adolescents from five secondary schools in Southwest China (54.4% males, Mage  = 15.14, SD = 1.5 years old), we examined the moderating role of BJW in the relationship between VVGE and bullying perpetration. The results suggest that VVGE is significantly and positively associated with bullying perpetration. Moreover, after controlling for covariates, general and personal BJW interact with the situational variable (i.e., VVGE) to predict bullying perpetration among Chinese adolescents. The positive effect of VVGE on bullying perpetration is lower among adolescents with high general and personal BJW than among adolescents with low BJW. The findings support the GAM theory and highlight the buffering role of BJW in the effect of VVGE on bullying perpetration.

Developmental Pathway from Childhood Abuse to Adolescent Peer Victimization: The Role of Rejection Sensitivity and Aggression

Despite the well-established relationship between early experiences of victimization and later re-victimization, little is known about the exact mechanism of this cycle of victimization. The present study examined whether the route from rejection sensitivity to aggression mediates the associations between different forms of childhood abuse and later peer victimization longitudinally. A total of 3525 adolescents (56.6% male; Mage = 13.21 ± 0.85) participated in this three-wave study, with a 6-month lag and a 9-month lag respectively. The results indicated that the association between childhood emotional abuse and peer victimization were independently mediated by aggression, and sequentially mediated by rejection sensitivity and aggression in both sexes. Sex differences existed regarding the association between childhood physical abuse and aggression, such that only in adolescent boys did physical abuse show significant effect on aggression, resulting in later peer victimization. In general, these findings suggest that maladaptive social-cognitive processes and behavioral patterns are crucial for understanding the mechanism of the vicious cycle of victimization, and sex differences must be considered when examining different types of childhood abuse.

What Happens to Children's Mental Health and Peer Relationships During Periods of Restricted and Unrestricted Social Interactions? Results From the Co-SPACE Study in Primary School-Aged Children

Objective

Children's experiences of peer victimization and peer aggression are strongly linked to their mental health. However, we do not know how this relationship is influenced by periods of restricted and unrestricted social interactions. In this study, we investigated the following: (1) the bidirectional association between children's peer problems and mental health; (2) individual differences in the joint development of peer victimization, peer aggression, and mental health; and (3) factors associated with joint trajectories over 13 months during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

Method

Our sample consisted of 2,160 children 4 to 10 years of age for whom parents or carers/caregivers completed a baseline and at least 1 follow-up online survey between March 2020 and May 2021 as part of the COVID-19: Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics (Co-SPACE) study. We used generalized linear models to examine bidirectional associations, group-based trajectory modeling to map joint trajectories, and multinomial logistic regressions to identify factors associated with trajectories.

Results

Experiencing mental health difficulties during school closures increased the risk of experiencing peer victimization, but not peer aggression on return to school. Experiencing any peer problems during school closures did not predict subsequent mental health difficulties. The majority of children followed joint trajectories of low exposure to peer problems and mental health; however 16% to 17% of our sample followed joint trajectories of high exposure to peer problems and mental health. Low family income, family conflict, parental distress, special educational needs, and lack of friendships were associated with high exposure mental health and peer problem trajectories.

Conclusion

Increasing children's mental health support during periods of isolation may not only reduce concurrent and future mental health problems but may also prevent subsequent peer problems for both vulnerable and non-vulnerable children.

Study preregistration information

Co-SPACE (Covid-19: Supporting Parents, Adolescents and Children during Epidemics); https://osf.io/.

Translating Developmental Neuroscience to Understand Risk for Psychiatric Disorders

The transition from childhood to adulthood represents the developmental time frame in which the majority of psychiatric disorders emerge. Recent efforts to identify risk factors mediating the susceptibility to psychopathology have led to a heightened focus on both typical and atypical trajectories of neural circuit maturation. Mounting evidence has highlighted the immense neural plasticity apparent in the developing brain. Although in many cases adaptive, the capacity for neural circuit alteration also induces a state of vulnerability to environmental perturbations, such that early-life experiences have long-lasting implications for cognitive and emotional functioning in adulthood. The authors outline preclinical and neuroimaging studies of normative human brain circuit development, as well as parallel efforts covered in this issue of the Journal, to identify brain circuit alterations in psychiatric disorders that frequently emerge in developing populations. Continued translational research into the interactive effects of neurobiological development and external factors will be crucial for identifying early-life risk factors that may contribute to the emergence of psychiatric illness and provide the key to optimizing treatments.

Predicting the Social-Emotional Competence Based on Childhood Trauma, Internalized Shame, Disability/Shame Scheme, Cognitive Flexibility, Distress Tolerance and Alexithymia in an Iranian Sample Using Bayesian Regression

The purpose of this study was to predict Social Emotional Competence based on childhood trauma, internalized shame, disability/shame scheme, cognitive flexibility, distress tolerance, and alexithymia in an Iranian sample using Bayesian regression. The participants in this research were a sample of 326 (85.3% female and 14.7% male) people living in Tehran in 2021 who were selected by convenience sampling through online platforms. The survey assessments included demographic characteristics (age and gender), presence of childhood trauma, social-emotional competence, internalized shame, the Toronto Alexithymia scales, Young's measure of disability/shame together with measures of cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance. The results from Bayesian regression and Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) indicated that internalized shame, cognitive flexibility and distress tolerance can be predictive of Social Emotional Competence. These results suggested that Social Emotional Competence can be explained by some important personality factors.

Gendered Differences in Experiences of Bullying and Mental Health Among Transgender and Cisgender Youth

Even though previous studies have shown that transgender youth have poorer mental health and more experiences of being bullied than their cisgender counterparts, and that bullying associates with poorer mental health, knowledge on such associations in different gender identity groups is scarce. This study investigated how mental health problems and experiences of being bullied appear across different gender identity groups, and how bullying is associated with mental health among the groups in question. Data from the Finnish School Health Promotion 2021 study (n = 152,880, mean age 16.2 years (standard deviation 1.22)) was used and categorized into four gender identity groups: cisgender girls (n = 76,521), cisgender boys (n = 69,735), transfeminine youth (n = 1317), and transmasculine youth (n = 5307). Transgender youth experienced more bullying and reported poorer mental health than cisgender youth. While transfeminine youth faced the most bullying, transmasculine youth had the most mental health symptoms. In each group, bullying associated with poorer mental health. Compared to cisgender boys without bullying experiences, odds of poorer mental health were dozens-fold among transmasculine youth with weekly bullying experiences. In addition, compared to cisgender boys with bullying experiences, odds of poorer mental health were greater among all other gender identity groups with bullying experiences, and among transmasculine youth in particular (e.g., odds ratio of generalized anxiety = 8.36 (95% confidence interval, 6.59-10.6)). Bullying is associated with poorer mental health in all youth, but transgender youth, and especially transmasculine youth, may be in an even more vulnerable position for its implications. This suggests that there is a need for improving effective measures to decrease bullying in schools and to improve wellbeing of transgender youth.

Associations between tobacco and alcohol use and aggressive behavior among adolescents in 55 Low- and Middle-Income countries

BACKGROUND

Aggressive behavior has become a serious public health problem among adolescents worldwide. We aimed to assess the associations between tobacco and alcohol use and aggressive behavior among adolescents in 55 Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

Data from 55 LMICs that had done a Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) between 2009 and 2017, comprising 187,787 adolescents aged 12-17 years, were used to examine the associations between tobacco and alcohol use and aggressive behavior.

RESULTS

Among adolescents in the 55 LMICs, the proportion of aggressive behavior was 5.7 %. Compared with none tobacco users, those who used tobacco on 1-5 days (odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.89-2.11), 6-9 days (2.76, 2.48-3.08), 10-19 days (3.20, 2.88-3.55), and ≥20 days (3.88, 3.62-4.17) during the past 30 days were positively associated with aggressive behavior. Compared with none alcohol users, those who used alcohol on 1-5 days (1.44, 1.37-1.51), 6-9 days (2.38, 2.18-2.60), 10-19 days (3.04, 2.75-3.36), and ≥20 days (3.25, 2.93-3.60) during the past 30 days were positively associated with aggressive behavior.

LIMITATIONS

Aggressive behavior, tobacco use and alcohol use were assessed by self-reported questionnaires, which might be prone to recall bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher amounts of tobacco and alcohol use are associated with aggressive behavior among adolescents. These findings emphasize the need to strengthen tobacco and alcohol control efforts to reduce tobacco and alcohol use targeting adolescents in LMICs.

Educational Outcomes in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes and Psychiatric Disorders

Importance

Research shows that children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D), compared with their peers without diabetes, have a greater risk of psychiatric disorders. However, no study has comprehensively examined whether having psychiatric disorders is associated with educational outcomes in children and adolescents with T1D.

Objective

To investigate educational outcomes in children and adolescents with T1D with and without psychiatric disorders.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study used data from multiple Swedish registers. The main study cohort included individuals born in Sweden between January 1, 1973, and December 31, 1997, who were followed up from birth through December 31, 2013. Data analyses were conducted from March 1 to June 30, 2022.

Exposures

Type 1 diabetes and psychiatric disorders (including neurodevelopmental disorders, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, and substance misuse) diagnosed before 16 years of age.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Achieving educational milestones (completing compulsory school [primary and lower secondary education], being eligible to and finishing upper secondary school, and starting and finishing university) and compulsory school performances.

Results

Of 2 454 862 individuals (51.3% male), 13 294 (0.5%; 53.9% male) were diagnosed with T1D (median [IQR] age at diagnosis, 9.5 [6.0-12.5] years), among whom 1012 (7.6%) also had at least 1 psychiatric disorder. Compared with healthy individuals (without T1D and psychiatric disorders), individuals with T1D alone had slightly lower odds of achieving the examined educational milestones. However, those with both T1D and any psychiatric disorder had much lower odds of achieving milestones, including completing compulsory school (odds ratio [OR], 0.17; 95% CI, 0.13-0.21), being eligible for (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.21-0.30) and finishing (OR, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.14-0.26) upper secondary school, and starting (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.29-0.46) and finishing (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.20-0.47) university. They also showed lower grade point averages for compulsory school subjects. These findings remained similar in sibling comparison analyses, suggesting independence from familial confounding.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study of Swedish-born children and adolescents, those with T1D alone had minor difficulties with their educational outcomes, whereas those with both T1D and psychiatric disorders had universal long-term educational underachievement. These findings highlight the importance of identifying psychiatric disorders in pediatric patients with T1D and the need for targeted educational intervention and support to minimize the education gap between the affected children and their peers.

Child Maltreatment, Peer Victimization, and Mental Health: Neurocognitive Perspectives on the Cycle of Victimization

Children who experience maltreatment are at increased risk of revictimization across the life span. In childhood, this risk often manifests as peer victimization. Understanding the nature of this risk, and its impact on mental health, is critical if we are to provide effective support for those children who are most vulnerable. A systematic scoping review was conducted using Google Scholar and PsycINFO. Studies on adults, psychiatric, and/or inpatient populations were excluded. Included studies concerned all forms of child maltreatment and peer victimization. We found 28 studies about the association between maltreatment experience and peer victimization as well as peer rejection. We review the evidence documenting the relation between these adverse childhood experiences and mental health. The evidence suggests that maltreatment and peer victimization have additive effects on mental health outcomes. A number of theoretical developmental frameworks that delineate putative mechanisms that might account for an association are considered. Building on prior research, we then discuss the role of recent neurocognitive findings in providing a multilevel framework for conceptualizing mental health vulnerability following maltreatment. In addition, we consider how altered neurocognitive functioning following maltreatment may shed light on why affected children are more likely to be victimized by their peers. Specifically, we consider the threat, reward, and autobiographical memory systems and their role in relation to stress generation, stress susceptibility, and social thinning. Such a mechanistic understanding is necessary if we are to reduce the likelihood of peer victimization in children exposed to maltreatment, and move to a preventative model of mental health care.

Stress in adolescence as a first hit in stress-related disease development: Timing and context are crucial

The two-hit stress model predicts that exposure to stress at two different time-points in life may increase or decrease the risk of developing stress-related disorders later in life. Most studies based on the two-hit stress model have investigated early postnatal stress as the first hit with adult stress as the second hit. Adolescence, however, represents another highly sensitive developmental window during which exposure to stressful events may affect programming outcomes following exposure to stress in adulthood. Here, we discuss the programming effects of different types of stressors (social and nonsocial) occurring during adolescence (first hit) and how such stressors affect the responsiveness toward an additional stressor occurring during adulthood (second hit) in rodents. We then provide a comprehensive overview of the potential mechanisms underlying interindividual and sex differences in the resilience/susceptibility to developing stress-related disorders later in life when stress is experienced in two different life stages.