Citation

Vergara GA, Stewart JG, Cosby EA, Lincoln SH, Auerbach RP. J. Affect. Disord. 2018; 245: 744-749.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Division of Clinical Developmental Neuroscience, Sackler Institute, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: rpa2009@columbia.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2018.11.084

PMID

30448758

Abstract

BACKGROUND: While prior research has demonstrated that peer victimization and bully perpetration contribute to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), it remains unclear whether these interpersonal processes differentiate self-injuring adolescent suicide ideators and attempters.

METHODS: The study included adolescents aged 13-18 years (n = 223; M = 15.31, SD = 1.34) recruited from an acute inpatient program. Participants were divided into two groups: (1) NSSI_SI (n = 106): endorsed past year NSSI, current suicide ideation, and no lifetime suicide attempts and (2) NSSI_SI+SA (n = 117): endorsed past year NSSI, current suicide ideation, and lifetime suicide attempts. Adolescents completed clinical interviews (i.e., mental disorders, NSSI, and STBs) and self-report measures assessing peer victimization, bully perpetration, and depression severity.

RESULTS: NSSI_SI+SA youth reported higher levels of peer victimization and bully perpetration than NSSI_SI youth (ps < 0.01, ds = 0.36-0.37). Among the NSSI_SI+SA youth, bully perpetration was associated with a greater number of past month suicide attempts (p = 0.02, RR = 1.07). Only peer victimization was associated with greater NSSI behaviors in the past month (p = 0.04, RR = 1.01). LIMITATIONS: The study is cross-sectional, and reports of peer victimization and bully perpetration rely on self-report assessment.

CONCLUSIONS: Peer victimization and bully perpetration differentiated adolescent suicide ideators and attempters, highlighting the need to address bully perpetration in addition to peer victimization in suicide interventions and research.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescent depression; Bullying; Non-suicidal self-injury; Suicidal thoughts and behaviors