Citation

Kreski NT, Chen Q, Olfson M, Cerdá M, Martins SS, Mauro PM, Hasin DS, Keyes KM. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaac.2022.04.011

PMID

35489630

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Suicidal behavior and bullying victimization are important indicators of adolescent psychological distress, and are patterned by sex, race/ethnicity and sexual identity. This study aimed to estimate trends and disparities in these factors along key demographics.

METHOD: Youth Risk Behavior Survey data (2015-2019, N=44,066) were collected biennially through national cross-sectional surveys of US school-attending adolescents. Survey-weighted logistic regressions examined disparities in past-year bullying and suicidal behavior, overall and by demographics.

RESULTS: Bullying in 2019 was highest for female (vs. male) students (OR=1.82, 95% CI:[1.62, 2.06]), American Indian/Alaskan Native (vs White) students (OR= 1.48, [0.91, 2.41], p>.05), and gay/lesbian (vs heterosexual) students (OR= 2.81, [2.07, 3.81]). Suicidal behavior disparities affected similar groups. There was minimal evidence for shifts in disparities since 2015, with the exception of bullying for gay/lesbian adolescents. The prevalence of bullying victimization among gay and lesbian adolescents went from 31.6% to 44.5% between 2015 and 2019, surpassing the bisexual and "Not Sure" groups to be the sexual identity group with the highest rate of bullying victimization.

CONCLUSION: Interventions that operate on multiple structural levels and empower marginalized youth are needed.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; suicide; bullying; disparities; trends