Does parental monitoring moderate the relationship between bullying and adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal behavior? A community-based self-report study of adolescents in Germany

Abstract

BackgroundBeing a victim of bullying in school is clearly linked to various social, emotional, and behavioral problems including self-harm behavior. However, it is not known whether even occasional victimization has similar negative consequences and whether protective factors such as social support may prevent those harmful developments. The present study therefore focuses on the nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behavior (SB) in victims of bullying and the potentially moderating effect of parental monitoring.MethodsIn all, a cross-sectional sample of 647 adolescents (mean age 12.8 years) were surveyed concerning bullying experiences, NSSI and SB, and parental monitoring.ResultsA total of 14.4 % of respondents reported being a victim of frequent bullying in the past few months (with verbal and social bullying playing the most important role), which increased the risks of both NSSI (OR = 11.75) and SB (OR = 6.08). This relationship could also be shown for occasional victims of bullying (35.6 %), although to a lesser extent. Parental monitoring had a significant protective effect on SB in victims of occasional bullying. However, parental monitoring did not show any protective effect in victims of repetitive bullying.ConclusionsVictims of bullying show a substantial risk for engaging in self-harm behavior. Therefore, the dissemination of anti-bullying programs in schools would probably also prevent such disorders. Parental participation in school-based prevention may increase its effect; this also matches the results of the present study, showing that parental monitoring may be able to buffer the negative effects of bullying victimization, at least to a certain degree.

Is there an association between verbal school bullying and possible sleep bruxism in adolescents?

“…The use of nicknames that degrade the image of the adolescent, verbal provocation and sexual harassment characterises episodes of school bullying (16,17). Victims of verbal school bullying may suffer from depression, anxiety or even commit suicide (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23). The teenager who suffers bullying is more prone to suicide than others who are not involved in episodes of bullying (18).…”

Bullying e fatores associados em adolescentes da Região Sudeste segundo a Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar

“…National and international studies highlight the consequences of bullying in the short and long term in the lives of children and adolescents who experience this situation [11][12][13] , interfering in cognitive and socioemotional development, whether as victims, aggressors, or even spectators of such events. When suffering bullying, children and adolescents are more exposed to difficulty concentrating, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, consummate suicide, self-harm, and psychological stress [12][13][14][15][16][17] . A study developed in the countryside in Southeast Brazil identified that adolescents who are victims of bullying present emotions such as feelings of anger, discouragement, sadness, and shame 11 .…”

“…A study developed in the countryside in Southeast Brazil identified that adolescents who are victims of bullying present emotions such as feelings of anger, discouragement, sadness, and shame 11 . It has been shown that the effects of bullying interfere with the way of life of children and adolescents, affecting even the school performance of this age group 12,13,[16][17][18] . In Brazil, young male adolescents are more subject to bullying, associated with risk situations, such as domestic violence, among others, which suggests a need for a holistic approach from education and health professionals, parents, and the community in the search for preventive measures 10 .…”

Bullying: Prevalência E Fatores Associados À Vitimização E À Agressão No Cotidiano Escolar

“…In addition to conceptual differences, another aspect that generates disagreement is the definition of a cut-off point for bullying, that is, the minimum frequency capable of transforming a violent school event into bullying. [12][13] The construction of a scientific consensus would contribute to the formulation of the understanding of the phenomenon, since studies show a direct relationship between the consequences of involvement in bullying and the frequency, duration and severity of these actions. 14 Considering these scientific weaknesses and the impact on the health of children and adolescents, it is necessary to identify the elements that contribute to the emergence and propagation of bullying.…”