Bullying and Suicide

The authors of a study on the long-term effects of bullying recommend that questions about bullying be included in suicide screening protocols. This recommendation is based on their findings that high school students who were frequently bullied, bullied others, or both, and who also experienced suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, depression, or substance abuse were more likely to be functionally impaired, depressed, or suicidal at the end of a four-year follow-up period than students who were frequently involved in bullying, but did not experience any of the other risk factors.

The study assessed an ethnically diverse group of adolescents (ages 13-18) at six New York area high schools and administered a follow-up assessment four years later (after the students were out of high school). Students were categorized in two dimensions: (1) whether they exhibited frequent bullying behavior, and (2) whether they were “at risk.” Frequent bullying was defined as being bullied or bullying others at least once a week. A student was considered to be at risk if he or she reported any of the following: (1) serious suicidal ideation, (2) a suicide attempt, (3) depression (at a clinical level), or (4) significant substance abuse.

The research revealed the following: 
 

• Adolescents who reported frequent bullying while in high school but were not at risk had significantly fewer psychiatric problems than students who were at risk, but were not involved in frequent bullying. There was no significant difference in substance abuse problems between these two groups at follow-up.
• Adolescents who (1) reported frequent bullying in high school and (2) were at risk were more functionally impaired at follow-up than their peers. This functional impairment affected their interpersonal relationships, school/work, general behavior or mood, and use of leisure time.
• Adolescents who (1) bullied other youth and were victims of bullying while in high school and (2) were at risk exhibited more problems at follow-up than students who were (1) at risk and (2) were either bullied or perpetrators of bullying (but not both).
• Adolescents who (1) were at risk in high school and (2) were victims of bullying had higher rates of depression and suicidality at follow-up than students who were at risk and bullied others, but were not victims of bullying.

Most of these patterns held true for both boys and girls. This research suggests that (1) any experience with bullying (as perpetrator, victim, or both) combined with other risk factors (i.e. suicidal ideation, attempts, substance abuse, or depression) while in high school results in the most significant long-term impact (including psychiatric problems, suicidal ideation, and functional impairment). It also suggests that at-risk adolescents who were bullied, or were both victims and perpetrators of bullying, are more at risk for future problems than at-risk adolescents who perpetrated bullying, but were not victims of bullying.

Klomek, A. B., Kleinman, M., Altschuler, E., Marrocco, F., Amakawa, L., & Gould, M. S. (2011). High school bullying as a risk for later depression and suicidality. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 41(5), 501-516.

This is the second of four summaries of articles that appeared in a special supplement to the Journal of Adolescent Health on the issue of bullying and suicide, published in July 2013. The supplement can be downloaded at no cost from the ScienceDirect website.

Resource Note

SPRC’s Suicide and Bullying Issue Brief examines the relationship between suicide and bullying among children and adolescents, with special attention to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. It also explores strategies for preventing these problems.