Religious-Ethnic Differences in Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Ideation and Attempts Among Israeli Vocational Education Students

Background: The current study is the first to examine serious suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and psychological distress among students belonging to different religious-ethnic groups attending VET high schools. Method: 3,553 students studying in the VET high schools completed a self-report survey. The survey evaluated serious suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, depression, anxiety, somatization, self-efficacy, belonging and sociodemographic variables. Results: Students coming from minority groups (Arab Muslim, Bedouin Arab Muslim, Druze) are more likely to have seriously considered suicide or attempted suicide compared to their Jewish counterparts, with the exception of Christian Arabs. Bedouin Arab Muslim students were more susceptible to suicide ideation and attempts upon high depression levels. Conclusions: Minority youth at VET schools are at greater risk of experiencing suicidal ideation and attempting suicide compared to non-minority students. The education system must be highly alert to depressive symptoms among Bedouin Arab Muslim students since they may pose a greater risk to develop into suicidal ideation and attempt

Peer Victimization, Depression, and Suicidality in Adolescents

Objective: To assess the association between bullying behavior and depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among 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 bullyingothers frequently. Frequent exposure to victimization or bullying others was related to high risks of depression, ideation, and suicide attempts compared with adolescents not involved in bullying behavior. Infrequent involvement in bullying behavior also was related to increased risk of depression and suicidality, particularly among girls. 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. Conclusions: Victimization and bullying are potential risk factors for adolescent depression and suicidality. In evaluations of students involved in bullying behavior, it is important to assess depression and suicidality

Peer victimization, depression, and suicidality in adolescents

The association between specific types of peer victimization with depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adolescents was examined. A self-report survey was completed by 2,342 high-school students. Regression analyses indicated that frequent exposure to all types of peer victimization was related to high risk of depression, ideation, and attempts compared to students not victimized. Infrequent victimization was also related to increased risk, particularly among females. The more types of victimization the higher the risk for depression and suicidality among both genders. Specific types of peer victimization are a potential risk factor for adolescent depression and suicidality. It is important to assess depression and suicidality among victimized students in order to develop appropriate intervention methods

Bullying at 8 years and violent offenses by 31 years: the Finnish nationwide 1981 birth cohort study

This study explored the associations between bullying perpetration and victimization at 8 years of age and violent offenses by the age of 31. Data were obtained for subjects enrolled in a population-based longitudinal birth cohort study. In 1989, 5813 8-year-old children (attrition 3.4%), and their parents and teachers, were surveyed about bullying. When 5405 subjects (attrition 10.2%) were 15-31 years of age, violent offenses were extracted from the Finnish National Police Register. We analyzed the data by sex and categorized bullying perpetration and victimization by frequency. Violent offenses were categorized by severity. Cox regression analyses estimated the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). When they were compared to males who had not been bullies at 8 years of age, frequent male bullies had an increased hazard for violent offenses (adjusted HR 3.01, 95% CI 2.11-4.33) and severe violent offenses (adjusted HR 2.86, 95% CI 1.07-7.59) as adults, even when the data were controlled for them being victims, parental education level, family structure and child psychopathology. Frequent female bullies also had an increased hazard for violent offenses, compared to those who had not bullied others (adjusted HR 5.27, 95% CI 1.51-18.40). Frequent male bullying was associated with higher odds for violent offenses compared to only bullying sometimes. Being a victim was not associated with violent offenses. Preventing childhood bullying could reduce violent offenses by both sexes

Bullying, Depression, and Suicidality in Adolescents

Objective: To assess the association between bullying behavior and depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among 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 suicide attempts compared with adolescents not involved in bullying behavior. Infrequent involvement in bullying behavior also was related to increased risk of depression and suicidality, particularly among girls. 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. Conclusions: Victimization and bullying are potential risk factors for adolescent depression and suicidality. In evaluations of students involved in bullying behavior, it is important to assess depression and suicidality

Adolescents’ viewing of suicide-related web content and psychological problems: differentiating the roles of cyberbullying involvement

Possible links of cyberbullying with suicide and psychological problems have recently received considerable attention. Suicide-related behaviours have also been linked with viewing of associated web-content. Studies on traditional bullying indicate that the roles of bullying involvement (bullies, victims and bully-victims) matter in terms of associations with specific suicide-related behaviours and psychological problems. Yet, related research in the area of cyberbullying is lacking. The current study investigates the association of cyberbullying roles with viewing of specific suicide-related web-content and psychological problems. Data from N = 19,406 (50% girls) 11-16 year olds (M = 13.54, SD = 1.68) of a representative sample of internet using children in Europe were analysed. Self- reports were obtained for cyberbullying role, viewing of web-content related to self-harm and suicide as well as the emotional, peer and conduct problems subscales of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multi-nomial logistic regression analyses revealed that compared to those not involved in cyberbullying, viewing of web-content related to suicide was higher for cybervictims and cyberbully-victims but not for cyberbullies. Viewing of web-content related to self-harm was higher for all cyberbullying roles but especially for cyberbully-victims. Rates of emotional problems were higher among cybervictims and cyberbully-victims, rates of peer problems were higher for cybervictims, and rates of conduct problems were higher for all cyberbullying roles. Moreover, the links between cyberbullying role and viewing of suicide-related web-content were independent of psychological problems. The results can be useful to more precisely target efforts towards the specific problems of each cyberbullying role. The outcomes on viewing of web-content also indicate an opportunity to enhance the presence of health service providers on internet platforms

Did Bullying Victimization Decrease After Nationwide School-Based Antibullying Program? A Time-Trend Study

ObjectiveWe assessed changes in traditional and cyberbullying victimization, and their associations with mental health, before and after the introduction of a nationwide antibullying program in Finnish schools in 2009.MethodThis time-trend assessment comprised two methodologically identical cross-sectional survey studies, with 2,061 adolescents in 2008 (response rate 90.2%) and 1,936 in 2014 (91.8%). Their mean age was 14.4 years. They completed questionnaires about traditional and cyberbullying, mental health, and perceptions of school safety. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals are presented with 2008 as the reference year.ResultsFrom 2008 to 2014, traditional victimization decreased from 28.9% to 19.1% (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4–0.7) among boys and from 23.2% to 17.4% (OR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.6–0.9) among girls. Cyberbullying victimization remained fairly stable at 3.3% and 3.0% (OR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.4–1.2) for boys and at 2.7% and 4.1% (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.9–2.4) for girls. Combined traditional and cyberbullying victimization decreased from 6.1% to 3.9% (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.4–0.8) among boys and from 7.5% to 6.7% (OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.6–1.2) among girls. Those experiencing both traditional and cyberbullying reported the highest mental health problems. Perceived school safety improved among boys, but not among girls. Both boys and girls reported greater efforts by teachers and fellow students to stop bullying.ConclusionCombined traditional and cyberbullying victimization was an indicator of comorbid mental health problems. Interventions that target both types of bullying, and that are integrated with mental health promotion, are needed.</p

Associations between Chinese adolescents subjected to traditional and cyber bullying and suicidal ideation, self-harm and suicide attempts

Background: The incidence of bullying is high among adolescents. Adolescents who were victims of bullying have a higher risk of self-harm and suicidal behavior than adolescents who were non-victims. However, research on suicide and both traditional and cyber bullying was limited in China. Therefore, this study examined the associations between Chinese adolescents who were the victims of traditional and cyber bullying and the prevalence of suicidal ideation, self-harm and suicide attempts.Methods: This was a population-based study of 2647 students (51.2% girls) with a mean age of 13.6 +/- 1.1 years from 10 junior high schools in Shantou, China. Information on bullying victimization, suicidal ideation, self-harm and suicide attempts were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and the psychopathology of the students was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The associations were examined with multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for covariates.Results: Traditional bullying victimization was reported by 16.7% of the adolescents, cyber bullying victimization by 9.0% and both by 3.5%. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 23.5%, self-harm was 6.2% and suicide attempts was 4.2%. Psychopathology symptoms were risk factors for suicide ideation only, ideation plus self-harm, self-harm only and suicide attempts. Victims of both traditional and cyber bullying had the highest risk of suicidal ideation only, ideation plus self-harm and suicide attempts, compared to those reporting one form of bullying. Victims of cyber bullying only had the second highest risk of suicidal ideation only and suicidal ideation plus self-harm compared to non-victims.Conclusions: Adolescents who were victims of both traditional and cyber bullying had greater risks of adverse outcomes of suicidal ideation only, suicidal ideation plus self-harm and suicide attempts. The results of the current study suggest that those exposed to both forms of bullying should be routinely screened for suicidal risk. In addition, school-based anti-bully interventions should also target cyber bullying

Does childhood bullying predict eating disorder symptoms? A prospective, longitudinal analysis

Objective: Bullying is a common childhood experience with enduring psychosocial consequences. The aim of this study was to test whether bullying increases risk for eating disorder symptoms. Method: Ten waves of data on 1,420 participants between ages 9 and 25 were used from the prospective population-based Great Smoky Mountains Study. Structured interviews were used to assess bullying involvement and symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as associated features. Bullying involvement was categorized as not involved, bully only, victim only, or both bully and victim (bully-victims). Results: Within childhood/adolescence, victims of bullying were at increased risk for symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as associated features. These associations persisted after accounting for prior eating disorder symptom status as well as preexisting psychiatric status and family adversities. Bullies were at increased risk of symptoms of bulimia and associated features of eating disorders, and bully-victims had higher levels of anorexia symptoms. In terms of individual items, victims were at risk for binge eating, and bully-victims had more binge eating and use of vomiting as a compensatory behavior. There was little evidence in this sample that these effects differed by sex. Childhood bullying status was not associated with increased risk for persistent eating disorder symptoms into adulthood (ages 19, 21, and 25). Discussion: Bullying predicts eating disorder symptoms for both bullies and victims. Bullying involvement should be a part of risk assessment and treatment planning for children with eating problems

Internet Pathways in Suicidality: A Review of the Evidence

The general aim of this study was to review the scientific literature concerning the Internet and suicidality and to examine the different pathways by which suicidal risks and prevention efforts are facilitated through the Internet. An online literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases. The main themes that were investigated included pathological Internet use and suicidality, pro-suicide websites, suicide pacts on the Internet, and suicide prevention via the Internet. Articles were screened based on the titles and abstracts reporting on the themes of interest. Thereafter, articles were selected based on scientific relevance of the study, and included for full text assessment. The results illustrated that specific Internet pathways increased the risk for suicidal behaviours, particularly in adolescents and young people. Several studies found significant correlations between pathological Internet use and suicidal ideation and non-suicidal self-injury. Pro-suicide websites and online suicide pacts were observed as high-risk factors for facilitating suicidal behaviours, particularly among isolated and susceptible individuals. Conversely, the evidence also showed that the Internet could be an effective tool for suicide prevention, especially for socially-isolated and vulnerable individuals, who might otherwise be unreachable. It is this paradox that accentuates the need for further research in this field