Stability of early identified aggressive victim status in elementary school and associations with later mental health problems and functional impairments

Bidirectional Relationships between Adolescent Aggression and Mental Health Conditions: Longitudinal Evidence from Secondary School Students in China

A rising global concern, adolescent aggression has been linked to adolescents' mental health conditions, and vice versa. Although longitudinal relationships between the two have been studied, within-person associations between these variables, which are important for informing interventions, have not been adequately examined. To bridge that research gap, this study examined the within-person associations between aggression (i.e., reactive, proactive, and cyber aggression) and mental health problems (i.e., depressive and anxious symptoms), as informed by the frustration-aggression theory and the failure model. Three-wave longitudinal data were collected from a sample of Chinese adolescents (N = 1422; 50.9% girls; mean age = 13.56 years) at three time points, each separated by one-year intervals. The data were analyzed using a random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM), revealing several within-person relationships. The presence of symptoms of depression and anxiety at T2 predicted increased cyber aggression at T3, and depressive symptoms at T2 also predicted an increase in reactive aggression at T3 (p < 0.1). In addition, proactive aggression at T2 predicted an increase in depressive symptoms at T3 (p < 0.1), and reactive aggression at T1 predicted a reduction in symptoms of anxiety at T2. All aggression- and mental health-related variables were significantly correlated at the between-person level. Moreover, the results of the multiple-group RI-CLPMs showed that gender influenced the relationships between proactive aggression and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The study's results lend partial support to the notion of bidirectional relationships between adolescent aggressive behaviors and mental health conditions, as well as to the frustration-aggression theory and the failure model. Insights into the interactions between adolescents' mental health problems and aggression can inform prevention and intervention strategies.

Perceptions of teachers' responses to children's peer victimization: Agreement (and lack of agreement) among teachers and students

Recent research has underscored the importance of teachers' responses to students' peer victimization as well as students' expectations for how their teacher responds to this victimization. However, little research has examined the extent to which teachers and their students have a shared understanding of their teacher's efforts, or lack of efforts, to manage peer victimization. This study addressed this issue using longitudinal data collected on 410 students (47.1% boys; 86.8% White; Mage = 10.29 years) from 26 fourth-grade and fifth-grade classrooms. In the fall and spring, students reported on their teacher's use of six responses to peer victimization and teachers completed self-reports of their use of these same six responses. Peer reports of aggressive behavior and peer victimization were obtained in the fall. Significant agreement among classmates was found for only three teacher responses, including contacting parents, advising independent coping (i.e., telling the student to handle it on their own), and suggesting avoidance, and there was little indication that there was greater agreement among same-gender classmates or among children either high or low in aggression or peer victimization. Overall, there was little association between teachers and their students as to the teachers' uses of the six response strategies. Based on these findings, fostering a shared understanding of the consequences and expectations regarding students' engagement in bullying should be examined as a potential target of anti-bullying interventions.

Psychometric Properties of the Reflective Function Questionnaire in Iranian Prisoners

Reflective functioning is the process of reflecting on the thoughts and feelings of oneself and others and is foundational to healthy human relationships. The 54-item Reflective Function Questionnaire (RFQ) is a self-report measure that assesses reflective functioning, initially developed while studying individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) . The purpose of the present study was to translate the RFQ from English to Persian and evaluate its reliability and validity among Iranian prisoners. The sample of this study included 509 (455 men and 54 women) Iranian prisoners. Findings confirm the translated measure had acceptable face and content validity. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed two dimensions of certainty (RFQ-c) and uncertainty (RFQ-u) of reflective functioning. The correlation analysis showed positive relationships between the dimensions of the RFQ and the borderline personality symptoms questionnaire and the emotional dissatisfaction questionnaire. Correlation analysis also showed negative associations between the dimensions of the RFQ and the Toronto Basic Empathy Scale (BES) and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) questionnaire, confirming the concurrent validity of the RFQ. The Cronbach's alphas of the RFQ-c and RFQ-u subscales were .69 and .7 respectively, which demonstrated relatively acceptable internal consistency. The results of the analysis demonstrated that the translated RFQ had desirable psychometric properties for evaluating reflective function among Iranian prisoners.

Bullying Perpetration and Victimization in Youth: Associations with Irritability and Anxiety

Prior work on has demonstrated that irritability and anxiety are associated with bullying perpetration and victimization, respectively. Even though symptoms of irritability and anxiety often occur concurrently, few studies have tested their interactive effects on perpetration or victimization. The current study recruited 131 youths from a broader program of research that examines the pathophysiology and treatment of pediatric irritability and anxiety. Two moderation tests were performed to examine concurrent irritability and anxiety symptoms and their relation to perpetration and victimization of bullying. More severe anxiety was associated with greater victimization. However, more severe irritability was associated with, not just greater perpetration, but also greater victimization. An irritability-by-anxiety interaction demonstrated that youths with more severe irritability and lower levels of anxiety engaged in more perpetration. Our findings suggest a more nuanced approach to understanding how the commonly comorbid symptoms of irritability and anxiety interact in relation to peer-directed behavior in youths.

How Can Bullying Victimisation Lead to Lower Academic Achievement? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Mediating Role of Cognitive-Motivational Factors

Bullying involvement may have an adverse effect on children’s educational outcomes, particularly academic achievement. However, the underlying mechanisms and factors behind this association are not well-understood. Previous meta-analyses have not investigated mediation factors between bullying and academic achievement. This meta-analysis examines the mediation effect of cognitive-motivational factors on the relationship between peer victimization and academic achievement. A systematic search was performed using specific search terms and search engines to identify relevant studies that were selected according to specific criteria resulting in 11 studies encompassing a sample total of 257,247 children (10 years and younger) and adolescents (11 years and older) (48–59% female). Some studies were longitudinal and some cross sectional and the assessment for each factor was performed by various methods (self, peer, teacher, school and mixed reports). Children involved in bullying behaviour were less likely to be academically engaged (k = 4) (OR = 0.571, 95% CI [0.43, 0.77], p = 0.000), to be less motivated (k = 7) (OR = 0.82, 95% CI [0.69, 0.97], p = 0.021), to have lower self-esteem (k = 1) (OR = 0.12, 95% CI [0.07, 0.20], p = 0.000) and lower academic achievement (k = 14) (OR = 0.62, 95% CI [0.49, 0.79], p = 0.000). Bullying involvement was also significantly related to overall cognitive-motivational factors (k = 17, OR = 0.67, 95% CI [0.59, 0.76], p = 0.000). Cognitive-motivational factors, taken together, mediated the association between bullying victimisation and academic achievement (k = 8, OR = 0.74, 95% CI (0.72, 0.77), p = 0.000). Bullying victimisation was negatively related to cognitive-motivational factors, which, in turn, was associated with poorer academic achievement. These findings were moderated by the design of the studies, assessment methods for the bullying reports, mediators and outcomes, country, age of children in the sample and/or types of bullying. The findings are of relevance for practitioners, parents, and schools, and can be used to guide bullying interventions. Interventions should focus on improving internal and external motivational factors including components of positive reinforcement, encouragement, and programs for enhancing academic engagement and achievement amongst children and adolescents.

Relationship between bullying and type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To carry out a systematic review on the relationship of bullying with type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents.

METHODS

Systematic review, according to the PRISMA methodology, in which the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Thomson Reuters, Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Begell House Digital Library, LILACS, and SciELO were searched using the terms "bullied", "aggression", "peer victimization", "victimization", "school violence", "diabetes mellitus", "type 1 diabetes mellitus", "autoimmune diabetes", "children" and "adolescents." The authors included original studies, involving bullying associated with type 1 diabetes, with children and adolescents, without language restriction and publication period, with texts available in full.

RESULTS

Of the 32 articles found, four studies met the selection criteria. Of these studies 85.7% identified occurrence of victimization in diabetics or found a higher frequency in diabetic children and adolescents when compared with young people with other chronic conditions or with healthy peers. Association between bullying and worse glycemic control was observed in two studies, and all the studies mention the fact that type 1 diabetes is a limiting factor for socialization related to diabetes, with less social support and difficulties for the management of the disease in public environments, such as school. The type of bullying suffered varied, including physical, verbal, social, psychological, and sexual.

CONCLUSION

Most of the studies showed an association between bullying and type 1 diabetes when compared to individuals with no such condition. Knowledge of this association has become essential for the follow-up of these patients and the implementation of preventive programs.

The Mediating Effect of Social Controls on Marijuana Use Among Adolescent Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victims: A Comparison of Various Approaches to Mediation

This study examines the impact of social control measures (e.g. parental attachment and prosocial peer attachment) on marijuana use among adolescents who were pure bullies, pure victims, and bully-victims. Data from the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey was utilized and consisted of a nationwide cross-section of 12,642 adolescents. Results revealed that adolescents who were pure bullies and bully-victims were more likely to use marijuana. Additionally, parental and peer attachments were significant in decreasing the likelihood of marijuana use for two of the bullying statuses (pure bullies and bully-victims). Further, the social control measures partially mediated the relationship between two of the bullying statuses and marijuana use despite having no significant relation of bullying victimization to marijuana use. Considering that parental and peer attachments had significant and direct effects on adolescent marijuana use in the predicted (inverse) direction, prevention programs should focus on building and strengthening these relationships as a means of reducing deviant behaviors such as marijuana use among adolescents.

A longitudinal examination of mediational pathways linking chronic victimization and exclusion to adolescent alcohol use

The current study examined developmentally informed pathways from peer victimization and exclusion to adolescent alcohol use. Using multiple informants (target and peer report of negative peer experiences) and a longitudinal sample of 387 adolescents, we examined 2 developmental pathways from these negative peer experiences to alcohol use, 1 through externalizing symptoms and the other through internalizing symptoms. When analyzed in separate models, results suggested that self-reported chronic peer victimization and exclusion were positively related to alcohol use through internalizing symptoms and coping motivated drinking. The risk pathway replicated for exclusion when using peer report of negative peer experiences. When victimization and exclusion were tested simultaneously in the same model, the risk pathway through internalizing symptoms and coping drinking motives was only supported for chronic exclusion and this finding replicated across reporters. No support was found for negative peer experiences operating through externalizing symptoms. Findings from the present study help clarify developmental pathways linking negative peer experiences to alcohol use and suggest that experiencing chronic exclusion may have a particularly deleterious impact on alcohol use during adolescence. (PsycINFO Database Record

A meta-analysis of the differential relations of traditional and cyber-victimization with internalizing problems

This meta-analysis examined the associations between cyber-victimization and internalizing problems controlling for the occurrence of traditional victimization. Twenty independent samples with a total of 90,877 participants were included. Results confirmed the significant intercorrelation between traditional and cyber-victimization (r = .43). They both have medium-to-large bivariate correlations with internalizing problems. Traditional victimization (sr = .22) and cyber-victimization (sr = .12) were also uniquely related to internalizing problems. The difference in the relations between each type of victimization and internalizing problems was small (differential d = .06) and not statistically significant (p = .053). Moderation of these effect sizes by sample characteristics (e.g., age and proportion of girls) and study features (e.g., whether a definition of bullying was provided to participants and the time frame used as reference) was investigated. Results are discussed within the extant literature on cyber-aggression and cyber-victimization and future directions are proposed.

Rumination and Moderators of Multifinality: Predicting Internalizing Symptoms and Alcohol Use During Adolescence

Rumination, a perseverative cognitive process that involves repetitively and passively focusing on negative emotions, is a transdiagnostic risk factor for the development of psychopathology. Although rumination has been linked to various forms of psychopathology including depression, anxiety, and alcohol misuse, little is known about the conditions that lead to multifinality. Here, we test putative moderators (Nolen-Hoeksema & Watkins, 2011) of the association between rumination and subsequent internalizing symptoms and frequency of alcohol use during adolescence. Participants included 388 youth (52% girls; 90% Caucasian) in a longitudinal birth cohort study who completed questionnaires in Grades 9 and 11. Brooding, a maladaptive form of rumination measured in Grade 9, was associated with greater internalizing symptoms in Grade 11 and greater perceived peer rejection in Grade 9 amplified this association. Brooding was also associated with greater frequency of alcohol use among adolescents who reported having more friends who use alcohol. Gender differences were also examined. Findings provide support for some of the predictions regarding moderators of multifinality made by Nolen-Hoeksema and Watkins. Implications of understanding divergent trajectories in the prevention of psychopathology are discussed.

Emotion Correlates of Bullies, Victims, and Bully-Victims in African American Children

Bullying is a pervasive and widely studied problem. Less is known about the emotion correlates that accompany being a bully, being a victim of bullying, and experiencing both bullying and victimization for African American elementary-school-age students. The current study examined differences in emotion dysregulation and internalizing symptoms (depression, anxiety) across levels of bullying and victimization. Children ( N = 336, Mage = 9.58 years, 42.3% boys, 100% African American) were recruited from two inner-city elementary schools and completed self- and peer-reports of bullying and self-reports of victimization, emotion dysregulation, and internalizing symptoms. Results indicated that emotion dysregulation and anxiety symptoms were predicted by an interaction between self-reported bullying and victimization. For children low in victimization, higher levels of self-reported bullying predicted an increase in emotion dysregulation and anxiety symptoms. However, for children high in victimization, bullying was not predictive of these outcomes. Depressive symptoms were predicted by self- and peer-reported bullying and self-reported victimization. Understanding underlying emotional correlates of bullying and victimization within this context have important implications for prevention programs.

Toward a re-interpretation of self-harm: A cross-contextual approach

A common view is that self-harmers are individuals who are exposed to or have been exposed to stressors and hostility in everyday settings. A strand of research has also found that self-harmers expose other people to their hostility. Extending these findings, this study examined whether adolescent self-harmers are simultaneously exposed and expose others to hostility in their everyday interpersonal contexts-at home, at school, and during leisure-time. The participants were 1,482 adolescents, ranging from 13 to 16 years of age, who attended different schools in a medium-sized city in central Sweden. The results show that the adolescents involved in mutually hostile relationships in their different interpersonal contexts exhibited higher self-harm than the adolescents who were exposed to others' hostility or exposed other people to their hostility. Also, the more mutually hostile settings the adolescents were involved in, the more self-harm they reported. Overall, our findings suggest not only that self-harmers are exposed to hostility in their different interpersonal contexts, as has been typically assumed, but also that they simultaneously expose others to hostility in these contexts. This has implications for our understanding of young people who harm themselves and also for intervention. Aggr. Behav. 42:522-532, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prenatal, perinatal, and adolescent exposure to marijuana: Relationships with aggressive behavior

This manuscript reviews research exploring the relationship between prenatal, perinatal, and adolescent exposure to marijuana and aggressive behavior, including physical aggression. Areas of inquiry include animal research, as well as human research, on prenatal exposure and on marijuana use during adolescence. Potential psychosocial and psychopharmacological mechanisms are identified, as well as relevant confounds. The prenatal marijuana exposure literature provides minimal support for a direct relationship with aggressive behavior in childhood. The adolescent use literature suggests a marginal (at best) association between acute intoxication and aggressive behavior, and an association between chronic use and aggressive behavior heavily influenced by demographic variables, rather than direct, psychopharmacological mechanisms. Cannabis withdrawal symptoms also may include aggression and anger, but there is little evidence to suggest that these effects are large or specific to withdrawal from marijuana compared to other substances. This review will offer recommendations for clinical care and public policy, as well as important questions for future research.

Trajectories of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Childhood Predict Different Forms of Peer Victimization in Adolescence

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits (e.g., lack of empathy and guilt) differentiate a group of children at particularly high risk for engaging in aggressive behavior, notably bullying. However, little is known about whether youths with CU traits are at risk for being victimized by their peers. We examined the associations between trajectories of CU traits in childhood (between 7 and 12 years old) and peer victimization in adolescence (14 years old). The participants were drawn from the Twins Early Development Study, a longitudinal population-based study of twins born in England and in Wales. The trajectories of CU traits (i.e., stable high, increasing, decreasing and stable low) were identified through general growth mixture modeling. Four forms of peer victimization were considered: physical victimization, verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property. We found that youths with stable high levels, increasing levels, and decreasing levels of CU traits in childhood had higher levels of physical victimization in adolescence, not explained by other predictors at age 7 (e.g., conduct problems). Youths with increasing levels of CU traits, compared with the ones with stable low levels, also had higher levels of verbal victimization, social manipulation, and attacks on property. Our findings highlight the importance of distinct trajectories of CU traits in accounting for the experience of different forms of peer victimization. Youths with CU traits may benefit from bullying prevention programs, as they are likely to be the targets of peer victimization.

Socioeconomic Adversity, Negativity in the Parent Child-Relationship, and Physiological Reactivity: An Examination of Pathways and Interactive Processes Affecting Young Children's Physical Health

OBJECTIVE

We tested the hypothesis that socioeconomic status (SES) would predict children's physical health problems at the end of kindergarten among children whose parent reported greater parent-child relationship (PCR) negativity and/or who exhibited greater parasympathetic (RSA) reactivity. We also tested whether RSA and PCR negativity mediated the SES-health association.

METHODS

Data were collected from 338 children (mean [SD] age, 5.32 [.32] years) and their primary caregivers (87% biological mothers) during the fall and subsequent spring of kindergarten. In the fall, parents reported income and education level (SES) and PCR negativity, and RSA reactivity was assessed via a standardized challenge protocol for young children. In the fall and then spring, parents reported children's chronic medical conditions and physical health impairments. Multivariate regression was conducted within a structural equation-modeling framework to test hypotheses.

RESULTS

Significant interactions were found between SES and PCR negativity (b = -0.074, p = .035) and between SES and RSA reactivity (b = 0.169, p = .019) as predicts children's spring health impairment, adjusting for health in the preceding fall. Lower SES was associated with greater health impairment among children whose parents reported more PCR negativity (b = -0.110, p = .024) and children who showed greater RSA reactivity (b = -0.106, p = .011). Socioeconomic status was unrelated to physical health at low PCR negativity or RSA reactivity. Mediation models were not supported.

CONCLUSION

Parent-child relationship quality and individual differences in stress reactivity may modulate the influence of SES on physical health in childhood.

Interpretations of bullying by bullies, victims, and bully-victims in interactions at different levels of abstraction

According to the Social Information Processing Model of children's adjustment, children develop general interpretation styles for future social events based on past social experiences. Previous research has shown associations between interpretations of social situations and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. This study investigated whether bullies, victims, bully-victims, and uninvolved children interpreted ambiguous human interactions differently in terms of bullying and whether these interpretations generalized to abstract non-human interactions. Participants were 390 children (49% girls, Mage  = 10.3 years) who completed self-report measures of bullying and victimization. In addition, they indicated whether video fragments of positive, negative, or ambiguous interactions between humans, animals, and abstract figures depicted bullying situations. Bully-victims reported more bullying than victims and uninvolved children in ambiguous abstract figure, animal, and human fragments and in positive animal fragments. Children who bully did not differ from the other groups. These findings indicate that interpretations of bullying generalized from ambiguous human interactions to more abstract ambiguous animal and abstract figure interactions. Implications for further research and practice were discussed.

Concurrent and prospective associations between bullying victimization and substance use among Australian adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is a vulnerable time for both substance use and bullying involvement; however, there is limited research on substance use among adolescent victims of bullying. This study aimed to examine concurrent and prospective associations between bullying and substance use, differentiating between passive-victims, bully-victims and 'pure' bullies.

METHOD

Associations between bullying involvement and substance use at baseline and 24 months post-baseline were examined in a cohort of adolescents in Australia. Bullying victims were divided into passive-victims (those who get bullied and do not bully others) and bully-victims (those who both get bullied and bully others). Perpetrators of bullying were divided into 'pure' bullies (those who bully others but do not get bullied), and bully-victims (as above). Outcomes examined were past six month use of alcohol (any drinking; risky drinking), tobacco, and cannabis.

RESULTS

While there was no evidence of an association between bullying victimization and/or perpetration and substance use at baseline, there was evidence of an association between bullying and substance use 24 months post-baseline. Specifically, there was evidence of increased odds of risky drinking and cannabis use for the bully-victim group.

CONCLUSIONS

Bully-victim status at age 13 was associated with substance use at age 15, controlling for concurrent bullying involvement at age 15. Bully-victims are a particularly high-risk group that could benefit from targeted substance use preventive interventions. Reducing bullying is of great importance in reducing substance use and other harms among adolescents.

Early adversity, elevated stress physiology, accelerated sexual maturation, and poor health in females

Evolutionary-minded developmentalists studying predictive-adaptive-response processes linking childhood adversity with accelerated female reproductive development and health scientists investigating the developmental origins of health and disease (DOoHaD) may be tapping the same process, whereby longer-term health costs are traded off for increased probability of reproducing before dying via a process of accelerated reproductive maturation. Using data from 73 females, we test the following propositions using path analysis: (a) greater exposure to prenatal stress predicts greater maternal depression and negative parenting in infancy, (b) which predicts elevated basal cortisol at 4.5 years, (c) which predicts accelerated adrenarcheal development, (d) which predicts more physical and mental health problems at age 18. Results prove generally consistent with these propositions, including a direct link from cortisol to mental health problems. DOoHaD investigators should consider including early sexual maturation as a core component linking early adversity and stress physiology with poor health later in life in females.

Suicidality, internalizing problems and externalizing problems among adolescent bullies, victims and bully-victims

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to compare suicidality, internalizing problems and externalizing problems among adolescent victims, bullies and bully-victims.

METHOD

This study examined bullying involvement among a subset of the baseline sample of the Climate and Preventure study, a trial of a comprehensive substance use prevention intervention for adolescents in 2012. The sample included 1588 Year 7-9 students in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia.

RESULTS

Victims, bullies and bully-victims had more problems than uninvolved students. Students with internalizing problems were more likely to be a victim than a bully. Some externalizing problems (alcohol and tobacco use) were associated with increased odds of being a bully, but not others (cannabis use and conduct/hyperactivity symptoms). Suicidal ideation, internalizing problems and some externalizing problems increased the odds of being a bully-victim compared to being a bully or a victim.

CONCLUSION

Early intervention for adolescents frequently involved in bullying may reduce the onset of substance use and other mental disorders. It would be advisable for bullying interventions to include a focus on substance use and mental health problems. A reduction in these chronic and detrimental problems among adolescents could potentially lead to a concomitant reduction in bullying involvement.

Preschool externalizing behavior predicts gender-specific variation in adolescent neural structure

Dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus is believed to underlie the development of much psychopathology. However, to date only limited longitudinal data relate early behavior with neural structure later in life. Our objective was to examine the relationship of early life externalizing behavior with adolescent brain structure. We report here the first longitudinal study linking externalizing behavior during preschool to brain structure during adolescence. We examined the relationship of preschool externalizing behavior with amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex volumes at age 15 years in a community sample of 76 adolescents followed longitudinally since their mothers’ pregnancy. A significant gender by externalizing behavior interaction revealed that males—but not females—with greater early childhood externalizing behavior had smaller amygdala volumes at adolescence (t = 2.33, p = .023). No significant results were found for the hippocampus or the prefrontal cortex. Greater early externalizing behavior also related to smaller volume of a cluster including the angular gyrus and tempoparietal junction across genders. Results were not attributable to the impact of preschool anxiety, preschool maternal stress, school-age internalizing or externalizing behaviors, or adolescent substance use. These findings demonstrate a novel, gender-specific relationship between early-childhood externalizing behavior and adolescent amygdala volume, as well as a cross-gender result for the angular gyrus and tempoparietal junction.

Verbal school bullying and life satisfaction among Brazilian adolescents: profiles of the aggressor and the victim

BACKGROUND

Bullying is a common occurrence in adolescence that may damage the physical and emotional health.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to analyze the profile of the adolescent aggressor only, aggressor/victim, victim only, and those not involved in verbal school bullying, and to associate their profiles with life satisfaction and familial characteristics evaluated through socioeconomic status.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out with 366 Brazilian adolescents between 13 and 15years. Verbal school bullying was identified using the Brazilian National School-Based Adolescent Health Survey (PeNSE) questionnaire. The life satisfaction of the adolescents was assessed using the Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale for Adolescents (MLSSA). Statistical analyses involved the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and the Poisson regression with robust variance.

RESULTS

Sixty-six adolescents (18%) were aggressors, 5.5% were victims, 2.7% were both aggressor and victim, and 73.8% were not involved in verbal school bullying. Most aggressors were male (PR=1.97, 95% CI: 1.23-3.14) and were satisfied with their family life (PR=2.13, 95% CI: 1.18-3.8). Victims of verbal school bullying exhibited a low prevalence of non-violence (PR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.09-0.64). Those who were both aggressors and victims were associated with factors of family support (PR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.07-0.89) and self-efficacy (PR=6.29, 95% CI: 1.54-25.6). Most of the adolescents who were not involved in verbal school bullying were female (PR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.16-1.51).

CONCLUSIONS

Boys tend to be aggressors and girls tend not to get involved in verbal school bullying. Family satisfaction, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and levels of violence are important factors that can influence the profile of adolescents in relation to verbal school bullying.

Adolescent adrenocortical activity and adiposity: differences by sex and exposure to early maternal depression

Prior research has linked either basal cortisol levels or stress-induced cortisol responses to adiposity; however, it remains to be determined whether these distinct cortisol measures exert joint or independent effects. Further, it is unclear how they interact with individual and environmental characteristics to predict adiposity. The present study aims to address whether morning cortisol levels and cortisol responses to a psychosocial stressor independently and/or interactively influence body mass index (BMI) in 218 adolescents (117 female) participating in a longitudinal community study, and whether associations are moderated by sex and exposure to early maternal depression. Reports of maternal depressive symptoms were obtained in infancy and preschool. Salivary cortisol measures included a longitudinal morning cortisol measure comprising sampling points across ages 11, 13, 15, and 18 and measures of stress-induced cortisol responses assessed via the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) at age 18. Lower morning cortisol and higher TSST cortisol reactivity independently predicted higher age 18 BMI. Morning cortisol also interacted with sex and exposure to early maternal depression to predict BMI. Specifically, girls exposed to lower levels of early maternal depression displayed a strong negative morning cortisol-BMI association, and girls exposed to higher levels of maternal depression demonstrated a weaker negative association. Among boys, those exposed to lower levels of maternal depression displayed no association, while those exposed to higher levels of maternal depression displayed a negative morning cortisol-BMI association. Results point to the independent, additive effects of morning and reactive cortisol in the prediction of BMI and suggest that exposure to early maternal depression may exert sexually dimorphic effects on normative cortisol-BMI associations.

Associations between child disciplinary practices and bullying behavior in adolescents

OBJECTIVE

to investigate associations between different types of child disciplinary practices and children and adolescents' bullying behavior in a Brazilian sample.

METHODS

cross-sectional study, with a school-based sample of 10- to 15-year-old children and adolescents. Child disciplinary practices were assessed using two main subtypes: power-assertive and punitive (psychological aggression, corporal punishment, deprivation of privileges, and penalty tasks) and inductive (explaining, rewarding, and monitoring). A modified version of the Olweus Bully Victim Questionnaire was used to measure the frequency of bullying.

RESULTS

247 children and adolescents were evaluated and 98 (39.7%) were classified as bullies. Power-assertive and punitive discipline by either mother or father was associated with bullying perpetration by their children. Mothers who mostly used this type of discipline were 4.36 (95% CI: 1.87-10.16; p<0.001) times more likely of having a bully child. Psychological aggression and mild forms of corporal punishment presented the highest odds ratios. Overall inductive discipline was not associated with bullying.

CONCLUSIONS

bullying was associated to parents' assertive and punitive discipline. Finding different ways of disciplining children and adolescents might decrease bullying behavior.

Early-life predictors of internalizing symptom trajectories in Canadian children

BACKGROUND

Previous research examining the development of anxious and depressive symptoms (i.e., internalizing symptoms) from childhood to adolescence has often assumed that trajectories of these symptoms do not vary across individuals. The purpose of this study was to identify distinct trajectories of internalizing symptoms from childhood to adolescence, and to identify risk factors for membership in these trajectory groups. In particular, we sought to identify risk factors associated with early appearing (i.e., child onset) symptoms versus symptoms that increase in adolescence (i.e., adolescent onset).

METHOD

Drawing on longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, latent class growth modeling (LCGM) was used to identify distinct trajectories of internalizing symptoms for 6,337 individuals, from age 4-5 to 14-15. Multinomial regression was used to examine potential early-life risk factors for membership in a particular trajectory group.

RESULTS

Five trajectories were identified as follows: "low stable" (68%; reference group), "adolescent onset" (10%), "moderate stable" (12%), "high childhood" (6%), and "high stable" (4%). Membership in the "adolescent onset" group was predicted by child gender (greater odds for girls), stressful life events, hostile parenting, aggression, and hyperactivity. Membership in the "high stable" and "high childhood" trajectory groups (i.e., child-onset) was additionally predicted by maternal depression, family dysfunction, and difficult temperament. Also, several significant gender interactions were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Causal mechanisms for child and adolescent depression and anxiety may differ according to time of onset, as well as child gender. Some early factors may put girls at greater risk for internalizing problems than boys.

Reactive aggression and peer victimization from pre-kindergarten to first grade: accounting for hyperactivity and teacher-child conflict

BACKGROUND

The role of reactive aggression in the development of peer victimization remains unclear due in part to a failure to account for confounding problems of behavioural undercontrol (e.g., hyperactivity). As well, the school social context has rarely been examined to see whether these risks are mediated by relationships with teachers.

AIMS

This study tests the prospective relations between reactive aggression, hyperactivity, victimization, and teacher-child (T-C) relationship, to determine whether conflict mediates the relationships between externalizing problems and victimization.

SAMPLE

A sample of 1,114 Australian students were followed from pre-kindergarten through first grade.

METHODS

Cross-lagged path analyses were conducted, with comparison of gender-moderating models and autocorrelation models. Full-information maximum likelihood was deployed to account for missingness.

RESULTS

Best fitting models found that the relationship of early externalizing problems to later victimization was mediated by T-C conflict. No evidence of victimization increasing externalizing problems nor gender differences were observed. T-C conflict in kindergarten predicted subsequent increases in victimization, reactive aggression, and hyperactivity.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the processes whereby externalizing problems confer risk of victimization involves understanding the whole social context of classrooms, including relationships with teachers. Finer-grained research is needed to better understand how peer dynamics may be influenced by observation of T-C relationships. Pre-service teacher education needs to ensure a focus on the potential social impact of teacher's relationships with students.

Associations of child insomnia, sleep movement, and their persistence with mental health symptoms in childhood and adolescence

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine the patterns of insomnia and sleep-related movement from ages 4.5 to 9 years, their concurrent associations with mental health symptoms in childhood, and the longitudinal associations of sleep-problem persistence with mental health symptoms at ages 9 and 18 years.

DESIGN

A 14-year prospective follow-up study. Assessments included maternal report on the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire at ages 4.5 and 9, and child mental health symptoms via maternal report at age 4.5, multi-informant (child, teacher, mother) report at age 9, and adolescent report at age 18.

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 396 children (51% female).

INTERVENTIONS

N/A.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Sleep problems were more common at age 4.5 than 9; symptoms of insomnia and abnormal sleep movement both had persistence rates of 9-10%. At age 4.5, insomnia was associated with hostile-aggressive and hyperactive-distractible behavior, but there were no significant associations for sleep movement. At age 9, both insomnia and sleep movement were associated with symptoms of depression, externalizing, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Insomnia persistence was associated with symptoms of depression, externalizing, and ADHD at age 9 and anxiety and externalizing at age 18; sleep- movement persistence was associated with externalizing and ADHD at age 9, and ADHD at age 18. The age 18 persistence effects for insomnia and anxiety and for sleep movement and ADHD were significant when controlling for earlier mental health.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood insomnia and sleep movement are common and associated with mental health symptoms. Their persistence from middle to late childhood predicts associations with specific types of mental health symptoms at age 18.

Longitudinal links between childhood peer victimization, internalizing and externalizing problems, and academic functioning: developmental cascades

Developmental cascade models linking childhood peer victimization, internalizing and externalizing problems, and academic functioning were examined in a sample of 695 children assessed in Grade 3 (academic only) and Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. Results revealed several complex patterns of associations in which poorer functioning in one domain influenced poorer outcomes in other areas. For example, a symptom driven pathway was consistently found with internalizing problems predicting future peer victimization. Support for an academic incompetence model was also found-- lower GPA in Grade 5, 6, and 7 was associated with more externalizing issues in the following year, and poor writing performance in Grade 3 predicted lower grades in Grade 5, which in turn predicted more externalizing problems in Grade 6. Results highlight the need to examine bidirectional influences and multifarious transactions that exist between peer victimization, mental health, and academic functioning over time.

Bullied children and psychosomatic problems: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

A previous meta-analysis showed that being bullied during childhood is related to psychosomatic problems, but many other studies have been published since then, including some longitudinal studies. We performed a new meta-analysis to quantify the association between peer victimization and psychosomatic complaints in the school-aged population.

METHODS

We searched online databases up to April 2012, and bibliographies of retrieved studies and of narrative reviews, for studies that examined the association between being bullied and psychosomatic complaints in children and adolescents. The original search identified 119 nonduplicated studies, of which 30 satisfied the prestated inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

Two separate random effects meta-analyses were performed on 6 longitudinal studies (odds ratio = 2.39, 95% confidence interval, 1.76 to 3.24) and 24 cross-sectional studies (odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval, 1.91 to 2.46), respectively. Results showed that bullied children and adolescents have a significantly higher risk for psychosomatic problems than non-bullied agemates. In the cross-sectional studies, the magnitude of effect size significantly decreased with the increase of the proportion of female participants in the study sample. No other moderators were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between being bullied and psychosomatic problems was confirmed. Given that school bullying is a widespread phenomenon in many countries around the world, the present results indicate that bullying should be considered a significant international public health problem.

Relational aggression in children with preschool-onset psychiatric disorders

OBJECTIVE

The role of preschool-onset (PO) psychiatric disorders as correlates and/or risk factors for relational aggression during kindergarten or first grade was tested in a sample of 146 preschool-age children (age 3 to 5.11 years).

METHOD

Axis-I diagnoses and symptom scores were derived using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. Children's roles in relational aggression as aggressor, victim, aggressive-victim, or nonaggressor/nonvictim were determined at preschool and again 24 months later at elementary school entry.

RESULTS

Preschoolers diagnosed with PO psychiatric disorders were three times as likely as the healthy preschoolers to be classified aggressors, victims, or aggressive-victims. Children diagnosed with PO disruptive, depressive, and/or anxiety disorders were at least six times as likely as children without PO psychiatric disorders to become aggressive-victims during elementary school after covarying for other key risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggested that PO psychiatric disorders differentiated preschool and school-age children's roles in relational aggression based on teacher report. Recommendations for future research and preventative intervention aimed at minimizing the development of relational aggression in early childhood by identifying and targeting PO psychiatric disorders are made.