Cited by 60Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesBullying, Victimization, and AggressionGun Ownership and Violence Research

Peer victimization and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in depressed adolescents

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Stewart, Jeremy G., Valeri, Linda, Esposito, Erika C., Auerbach, Randy P.·2018·Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

Abstract

Suicide is a leading cause of death among youth worldwide, and depressed adolescents are at a significantly elevated risk to report suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts. Peer victimization is a robust predictor of adolescent suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), but little research has focused on why bullying leads to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. To address this empirical gap, we recruited 340 (246 female) depressed adolescents ages 13-19 (M = 15.59, SD = 1.41) within 48 h of admission for acute psychiatric treatment. At the initial assessment, participants were administered clinical interviews characterizing psychopathology, nonsuicidal self-injury, and STBs (ideation, plans, and attempts). Further, they completed questionnaires assessing 3 forms of victimization (overt, relational, and reputational), recent risky behavior engagement, and psychiatric symptom severity. Controlling for internalizing symptoms and age, overt and reputational bullying were associated with more frequent past month suicide attempts, but not suicide ideation. Past month risky behavior engagement, but not NSSI, mediated the relation between victimization and attempts. However, sex differences revealed that this effect only held for males whereas bullying was directly associated with suicide attempts among females. In contrast, overt and relational bullying were non-linearly associated with suicide plans, and these relations were not mediated by risky behaviors or NSSI. Results highlight the complex network of factors that lead victimized adolescents to engage in STBs and may inform targeted suicide prevention and intervention programs.

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  • When environmental exposures, especially acute stress, combine with neural diatheses, the likelihood of suicidal and non-suicidal behaviors may increase.

    “Coupled with specific environmental exposures—particularly acute stress (e.g., peer victimization, interpersonal loss)—the likelihood of suicidal (21–23) and non-suicidal (24–26) behaviors may increase.”
  • Adolescent interpersonal stress may initially compromise cortical regions involved in cognitive flexibility and future-oriented thinking, which over time may potentiate suicidal and non-suicidal thinking.

    “Additionally, adolescent interpersonal stress (e.g., loss (21, 25), peer victimization (22, 24))—may initially act on cortical regions by compromising cognitive flexibility and future oriented thinking (124), which over time, may potentiate suicidal and non-suicidal thinking (125, 126).”

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Authors
Stewart, J. G., Valeri, L., Esposito, E. C., & Auerbach, R. P.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
Stewart, Jeremy G.
Venue
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
Published
2017-04-25
Volume
46
Issue
3
Pages
581-596
ISSN
  • 0091-0627 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2835
OpenAlex
W2608016431
Cited by
60
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 3
FWCI
6.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (K23MH097786)
  • Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation
  • Tommy Fuss Fund
  • Rolfe Fund
  • Simches Fund
  • Kaplen Fellowship on Depression
  • Livingston Fellowship
  • Pope-Hintz Endowed Fellowship
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression
  • Social Sciences › Health › Gun Ownership and Violence Research
Keywords
peer victimization, bullying, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide planning, adolescent depression, relational bullying, risk-taking, non-suicidal self-injury, sex differences, suicide prevention
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Risk-Taking, Sex Factors, Suicide, Attempted, Crime Victims, Young Adult, Bullying, Suicidal Ideation

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