Bullying and Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis

By Melissa K. Holt, Alana M. Vivolo-Kantor, J. Polanin, Kristin M. Holland, Sarah DeGue, J. Matjasko, M. Wolfe, Gerald M. Reid. Pediatrics, 2015

617 citations recorded by the source corpus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Over the last decade there has been increased attention to the association between bullying involvement (as a victim, perpetrator, or bully-victim) and suicidal ideation/behaviors. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the association between bullying involvement and suicidal ideation and behaviors. METHODS: We searched multiple online databases and reviewed reference sections of articles derived from searches to identify cross-sectional studies published through July 2013. Using search terms associated with bullying, suicide, and youth, 47 studies (38.3% from the United States, 61.7% in non-US samples) met inclusion criteria. Seven observers independently coded studies and met in pairs to reach consensus. RESULTS: Six different meta-analyses were conducted by using 3 predictors (bullying victimization, bullying perpetration, and bully/victim status) and 2 outcomes (suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviors). A total of 280 effect sizes were extracted and multilevel, random effects meta-analyses were performed. Results indicated that each of the predictors were associated with risk for suicidal ideation and behavior (range, 2.12 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.67–2.69] to 4.02 [95% CI, 2.39–6.76]). Significant heterogeneity remained across each analysis. The bullying perpetration and suicidal behavior effect sizes were moderated by the study’s country of origin; the bully/victim status and suicidal ideation results were moderated by bullying assessment method. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrated that involvement in bullying in any capacity is associated with suicidal ideation and behavior. Future research should address mental health implications of bullying involvement to prevent suicidal ideation/behavior.

Subfields: Clinical Psychology, Social Psychology, Sociology and Political Science

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/86e074b6dd02852eca4f603b1e1eb4d2329de68e

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In Clinical Psychology

1. Fatih Toprak
2. Christina Salmivalli
3. Ersilia Menesini
4. M. Geel
5. P. Vedder
6. Anouk Goemans
7. Gianluca Gini
8. E. Poskiparta

In Social Psychology

1. Ersilia Menesini
2. Christina Salmivalli
3. P. Vedder
4. Anouk Goemans
5. Fatih Toprak
6. M. Geel
7. Robert Thornberg
8. Dorothy Espelage

In Sociology and Political Science

1. Christina Salmivalli
2. Ersilia Menesini
3. P. Vedder

Citations in the corpus

• Which personality traits are related to traditional bullying and cyberbullying? A study with the Big Five, Dark Triad and sadism (2017, background): “Such victimization is related to psychosomatic symptoms (Gini & Pozzoli, 2013), internalizing and externalizing problems (Reijntjes et al., 2011; Reijntjes, Kamphuis, Prinzie, & Telch, 2010), sleeping problems (Van Geel, Goemans, & Vedder, 2016), and suicidality (Holt et al., 2015).”
• Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions (2017, background): “Studies have also linked victimisation to suicidal ideation (Holt et al., 2015; Klomek, Sourander, & Elonheimo, 2015).”