Risk and Protective Factors of Suicidal Ideation and Attempt among Adolescents with Different Types of School Bullying Involvement

Abstract

Suicide has been found to be prevalent among adolescents involved in bullying; however, there has been a lack of research examining whether the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt are different among adolescents with different types of bullying involvement. The aims of this study were to examine the risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt among adolescents with different experiences of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetration.

A total of 4,533 adolescents participated in this study. Different groups of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetration were determined through use of the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire. The associations of suicidal ideation and attempt with possible risk factors (domestic violence, overweight, depression, anxiety, and alcohol abuse) and protective factors (family support and self-esteem) were examined using logistic regression analysis.

Pure victims, pure perpetrators, and victim-perpetrators were more likely to report suicidal ideation and attempt than the neutral group. The risk and protective factors of suicidal ideation and attempt were different across adolescents with different experiences of bullying involvement, victimization, and perpetrators.

The risk of suicide should be monitored among adolescents who are involved in any type of bullying. The risk and protective factors of suicide identified in this study should be taken into consideration in prevention and intervention programs for suicide in adolescents involved in bullying.

Keywords:

• adolescent
• bullying
• protective factor
• risk factor
• suicide

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cheng-Fang Yen

Cheng-Fang Yen, Tai-Ling Liu, and Pinchen Yang, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, and Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Tai-Ling Liu

Cheng-Fang Yen, Tai-Ling Liu, and Pinchen Yang, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, and Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Pinchen Yang

Cheng-Fang Yen, Tai-Ling Liu, and Pinchen Yang, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, and Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Huei-Fan Hu

Huei-Fan Hu, Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.