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Subramaniam M, Shahwan S, Abdin E, Verma S, Gupta B, Chua BY, Zhang Y, Sambasivam R, Chong SA. Prevalence and impact of peer victimisation among youth seeking treatment at a tertiary psychiatric institution in Singapore: a cross-sectional study. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2022; 21:47. [PMID: 36434714 PMCID: PMC9694546 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-022-00424-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer victimization is common among adolescents and leads to negative consequences. However, few studies have examined the extent of peer-victimization and its correlates among adolescent patients in a psychiatric setting. The current study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of peer victimisation among youth with mental illness and to examine its association with depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS A sample of 239 youths aged 15-24 years were recruited from the outpatient clinics of a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore using convenience sampling. All participants were administered the Multidimensional Peer Victimisation Scale (MPVS), Short Form 12 (SF-12) questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8). The effect of MPVS total and subscores on depression scores, quality of life subscores and quality of life total scores were examined using multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS The majority of the patients reported that they had experienced at least one form of peer victimisation (95.8%, n = 229) during their school years. Higher levels of 'verbal victimisation', 'attacks on property' and higher total MPVS scores were significantly associated with lower social functioning; additionally, higher levels of 'verbal victimisation' were significantly associated with lower mental component summary scores in the quality of life assessment. Higher scores on all four subscales as well as higher total scores on the MPVS were significantly associated with more severe depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Given the high prevalence of peer victimisation in our sample and its associations with more severe depressive symptoms and lower quality of life, it is vital to implement interventions that prevent peer victimisation in educational and other social settings and to provide youth with strategies to more effectively manage instances of peer victimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mythily Subramaniam
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore. .,Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Shazana Shahwan
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
| | - Edimansyah Abdin
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
| | - Swapna Verma
- Medical Board, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Bhanu Gupta
- South Region, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Boon Yiang Chua
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
| | - Yunjue Zhang
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
| | - Rajeswari Sambasivam
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
| | - Siow Ann Chong
- Research Division, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok Green Medical Park, 10 Buangkok View, Singapore, 539747, Singapore
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