Citation

Klomek AB, Marrocco F, Kleinman M, Schonfeld I, Gould M. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 41.

Affiliation

Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Dr, Unit 72, New York, 10032 NY, USA. klomeka@childpsych.columbia.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963906

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between bullying behavior and depression, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among US adolescents. Method: A self-report survey was completed by 9th-through 12th-grade students (N=2342) in six New-York State high schools from 2002 through 2004. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between being victimized and bullying others with depression, ideation and attempts. Results: Approximately 9% of the sample reported being victimized frequently and 13% reported bullying others frequently. Frequent exposure to victimization or bullying others was related to high risks of depression, ideation and attempts compared to adolescents not involved in bullying behavior. Infrequent involvement in bullying behavior was also related to increased risk of psychopathology, particularly among females. The findings indicate that both victims and bullies are at high risk and that the most troubled adolescents are those who are both victims and bullies. Psychopathology was associated with bullying behavior both in and away from school. Depression was found to mediate the association between bullying behaviors and suicidal ideation and attempts. Conclusion: Victimization and bullying are potential risk factors for adolescent depression and suicidiality. When evaluating students involved in bullying behavior, it is important to assess depression and suicidiality.

Language: en