The Long-term Effect of Bullying Victimization on Adolescents’ Self-rated Health

• In Event: 4167 - Section on Children and Youth Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Children & Youth Roundtable 2: Physical Health

Abstract

Purpose. To evaluate the long-term and cumulative effect of bullying victimization on adolescents’ self-rated health, and to assess mental health as a mediator and gender as a moderator of this relationship. Methods. Using three waves of data (baseline, year 9 and year 15) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 2327), a population-based birth cohort study designed to examine early home and surrounding ecological experiences, we conducted multinomial logistic regression models to examine adolescents’ self-rated health as a function of previous bullying victimization (being bullied in year 9, in year 15, or both). We also examined mental health as a mediator and gender as a moderator. Results. Overall, 62.8% of adolescents who experienced cumulative bullying and 60% of adolescents who experienced bullying victimization at age 15 only reported ‘excellent’ health compared to 74% of adolescents who were bullied at age 9 only or never bullied. Compared to their non-bullied counterparts, adolescents who reported bullying at age 9 were 44% less likely to rate their health as ‘excellent’ versus ‘poor’ in adjusted multinomial regression models. This association was mediated by depressive symptomatology and differed significantly across male and female adolescent subgroups. Conclusions. The long-term effect of bullying victimization on adolescents’ self-rated health is substantial with cumulative and year 15 bullying victimization being the main cause of low self-rated health. Both mental health and gender are important factors to consider in addressing health disparities due to bullying victimization.

Authors

• Christina Nefeli Caramanis, University of Texas at Austin

• Anao Zhang, University of Michigan

• Susan De Luca, University of Texas at Austin