|
Citation
|
Wang GF, Han AZ, Zhang GB, Xu N, Xie GD, Chen LR, Yuan MY, Su PY. J. Affect. Disord. 2020; 268: 12-19. |
|
Affiliation
|
Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No.81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of study on abnormal gametes and reproductive tract, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China. Electronic address: supuyu@ahmu.edu.cn. |
|
Abstract
|
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether timing and chronicity of bullying victimization (BV) play a significant role in linking exposure to BV to suicidal behaviors in university students.
METHODS: A multistage stratification sampling method was used to select a sample of 4034 university students (18-23 years, mean age 20.38±1.35 years, 41.9% female). We used latent class analysis and developmental-stage-based characterizations of BV timing and chronicity to explore the sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors.
RESULTS: The prevalence rates of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts among our study participants were 9.9%, 3.0% and 1.3%, respectively. BV during primary school (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.55-2.90) and secondary school (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.80-3.90) was associated with suicidal ideation among university students. We identified four classes of life-course BV experiences (low BV, 73.8%; moderate BV, 18.6%; secondary school BV, 4.4% and persistent BV, 3.2%). Persistent BV was associated with 2.50 times (95% CI: 1.56-3.98), 2.98 times (95% CI: 1.48-6.02), and 6.13 times (95% CI: 2.48-15.14) higher risk of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts, respectively. Both moderate BV (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.35-2.26) and secondary school BV (OR=2.01, 95% CI: 1.29-3.12) were positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Furthermore, there was a dose-response relationship between the number of periods of BV and suicidal behaviors. LIMITATIONS: This study was a cross-sectional study based on self-reported measures, especially BV experiences in each school stage.
CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies sensitive periods for the effect of BV on suicidal behaviors among university students in China.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Language: en |