Effects of traditional and cyber homophobic bullying in childhood on depression, anxiety, and physical pain in emerging adulthood and the moderating effects of social support among gay and bisexual men in Taiwan

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic characteristics, mental health, and bullying victimization (N=500)

Characteristics	n (%)	Mean (SD)	Range
Age (years)		22.9 (1.6)	20–25
Paternal education level
High (more than 9 years)	385 (77.0)
Low (9 years or fewer)	115 (23.0)
Maternal education level
High (more than 9 years)	388 (77.6)
Low (9 years or fewer)	112 (22.4)
Perceived family support on the APGAR		8.5 (3.8)	0–15
High (higher than 9)	216 (43.2)
Low (9 or lower)	284 (56.8)
Perceived peer support on the APGAR
High (higher than 11)	273 (54.6)
Low (11 or lower)	227 (45.4)
Sexual orientation
Bisexuality	129 (25.8)
Homosexuality	371 (74.2)
Depression on the MC-CES-D		17.5 (10.3)	0–53
Anxiety on the STAI-S		20.4 (11.6)	0–54
Physical pain problems on the TQOLA		3.9 (2.2)	0–12
Bullying victimization
Victims of traditional bullying	190 (38.0)
Victims of cyber bullying	201 (40.2)
Any type of bullying victimization	282 (56.4)
Victims of both traditional and cyber bullying	109 (21.8)
Victims of only traditional or cyber bullying	173 (34.6)

Abbreviations: APGAR, Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, Resolve Index; MC-CES-D, Mandarin Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; STAI-S, State subscale on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y; TQOLA, Taiwanese Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents.

Table 2 Differences in depression, anxiety, and pain in emerging adulthood among participants who experienced various types of bullying victimization in childhooda

Types of bullying victimization	Depression on the MC-CES-D, mean (SD)	Anxiety on the STAI-S, mean (SD)	Physical pain on the TQOLA, mean (SD)
Victims of both traditional and cyber bullying (BV) (n=109, 21.8%)	21.1 (10.5)	24.2 (12.4)	4.4 (2.2)
Victims of only traditional or cyber bullying (OV) (n=173, 34.6%)	19.2 (10.9)	20.7 (11.8)	4.2 (2.3)
Nonvictims (NV) (n=218, 43.6%)	14.3 (8.7)	18.2 (10.5)	3.3 (2.1)
F	21.026	10.132	11.532
p-value	<0.001	<0.001	<0.001
Post hoc	BV, OV>NV	BV>OV>NV	BV, OV>NV

Note:

a Analysis of variance.

Abbreviations: MC-CES-D, Mandarin Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale; STAI-S, State subscale on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y; TQOLA, Taiwanese Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents.

Table 3 Association between bullying victimization in childhood with depression, anxiety, and pain in emerging adulthooda

	Depression						Anxiety						Pain
	Beta	t	p-value	Beta	t	p-value	Beta	t	p-value	Beta	t	p-value	Beta	t	p-value	Beta	t	p-value
Age	0.020	0.473	0.637	0.015	0.354	0.723	0.003	0.073	0.942	−0.001	−0.021	0.984	0.009	0.210	0.834	0.009	0.198	0.843
Low paternal education	0.021	0.466	0.642	0.019	0.412	0.680	0.067	1.396	0.163	0.056	1.165	0.245	0.064	1.320	0.188	0.052	1.055	0.292
Low maternal education	0.034	0.745	0.457	0.031	0.669	0.504	0.013	0.281	0.778	0.012	0.260	0.795	−0.049	−1.019	0.309	−0.047	−0.981	0.327
Sexual orientation*	−0.051	−1.228	0.220	−0.046	−1.105	0.270	−0.059	−1.386	0.166	−0.054	−1.270	0.205	0.053	1.202	0.230	0.055	1.256	0.210
Low family support	0.245	5.583	<0.001	0.191	2.994	0.003	0.217	4.796	<0.001	0.095	1.443	0.150	0.109	2.358	0.019	0.006	−0.094	0.925
Low peer support	0.117	2.716	0.007	0.063	1.194	0.233	0.121	2.711	0.007	0.085	1.550	0.122	0.028	0.621	0.535	−0.032	0.706	0.480
Victims of bullying	0.203	4.808	<0.001	0.477	3.587	<0.001	0.101	2.314	0.021	0.369	2.700	0.007	0.180	4.028	<0.001	0.278	4.604	<0.001
Low family support×victims of bullying				0.078	1.122	0.262				0.180	2.529	0.012				0.171	2.395	0.017
Low peer support×victims of bullying				0.241	1.792	0.074				0.174	1.259	0.209
R^2	0.164			0.174			0.110			0.128			0.067			0.077

Notes:

a Multiple regression analysis.

* Bisexuality as the reference.