The effect of self-esteem development programme applied to secondary school students on self-esteem and peer bullying victimization: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Self-esteem and peer bullying, which affect the academic success and psychological development of secondary school students, are increasingly becoming a serious problem.

AIM

This study was conducted to examine the effect of the Self-Esteem Development Programme applied to secondary school students on self-esteem and peer bullying victimization.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 66 students (intervention = 33, control = 33) studying in the 6th grade at a secondary school. Personal Information Form, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Peer Bullying Identification Scale Adolescent Form were used to collect the data. The intervention group received 8 sessions of Self-Esteem Development Programme in the form of one session per week of 45-60 min; the control group continued their routine education programme.

RESULTS

In the study, after the Self-Esteem Development Programme, the mean self-esteem score of the intervention group increased and the mean peer bullying score decreased, and the difference between the groups was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it can be stated that the Self-Esteem Programme is an effective psychiatric nursing intervention in increasing self-esteem and reducing peer bullying.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICES

Students with low self-esteem are at risk of exposure to peer bullying. This study provides significant evidence for improving the self-esteem and reducing peer bullying among students who are at risk due to low self-esteem and peer bullying. The results of this study demonstrate that the Self-Esteem Development Programme can be utilized to enhance self-esteem and reduce exposure to peer bullying among students.

CLINICALTRIALS ID

NCT04737374.

Atypical brain structural connectivity and social cognition in childhood maltreatment and peer victimisation

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with neurobiological aberrations and atypical social cognition. Few studies have examined the neural effects of another common early-life interpersonal stressor, namely peer victimisation (PV). This study examines the associations between tract aberrations and childhood interpersonal stress from caregivers (CM) and peers (PV), and explores how the observed tract alterations are in turn related to affective theory of mind (ToM).

METHODS

Data from 107 age-and gender-matched youths (34 CM [age = 19.9 ± 1.68; 36%male], 35 PV [age = 19.9 ± 1.65; 43%male], 38 comparison subjects [age = 20.0 ± 1.66; 42%male] were analysed using tractography and whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS).

RESULTS

At the whole-brain level using TBSS, the CM group had higher fractional anisotropy (FA) than the PV and comparison groups in a cluster of predominantly limbic and corpus callosal pathways. Segmented tractography indicated the CM group had higher FA in right uncinate fasciculus compared to both groups. They also had smaller right anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) tract volume than the comparison group and higher left ATR FA than the PV group, with these metrics associated with higher emotional abuse and enhanced affective ToM within the CM group, respectively. The PV group had lower inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus FA than the other two groups, which was related to lower affective ToM within the PV group.

CONCLUSION

Findings suggest that exposure to early-life stress from caregivers and peers are differentially associated with alterations of neural pathways connecting the frontal, temporal and occipital cortices involved in cognitive and affective control, with possible links to their atypical social cognition.

Peer bullying victimization in adolescence is associated with substance use: cross-sectional findings from French high school students

The relationships between peer bullying victimization in adolescence and substance use have been poorly studied. Thus, we examined the associations between peer bullying victimization and tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use in 496 French high school students. Peer bullying victimization was measured with a 17-item standardized assessment and analyzed as quartiles. Tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use were assessed with the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) and the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), respectively. Total scores at the HONC (0 to 10), AUDIT-C (0 to 12), and CAST (0 to 24) were used as dependent variables in generalized linear models, adjusting for sex, age, prepared graduation, last school marks and friends outside high school. Compared to the first quartile (i.e., the least bullied students), those from the second, third and fourth quartiles had significant increase of the AUDIT-C (B = 0.78 [95%CI 0.17-1.40] with p = 0.013; B = 0.86 [95%CI 0.26;1.46] with p = 0.005 and B = 1.00 [95%CI 0.38;1.62] with p = 0.002, respectively), with dose-dependent relationships (B = 0.33 ([95%CI 0.13; 0.52] with p = 0.001). Those from the fourth quartile had a significant increase of the CAST (B = 2.13[95%CI 1.25;3.01], p < 0.001). When examining the role of peer bullying victimization on the number of substances used, there were significant increased odds for students from the third and fourth quartiles, with dose-dependent relationships (OR = 1.24 [95% CI 1.07;1.44], p = 0.005). These findings encourage paying a particular attention to substance use in students who report being bullied. Consequently, information and prevention using standardized screening tools should be proposed. Conversely, substance use could be an indicator of peer bullying victimization and should thus be explored.

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese secondary school students

BACKGROUND

Depressive and anxiety symptoms affect about one-fourth of Chinese secondary school students. However, the prevalence and correlates of mental distress among secondary school students from Western China remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and associations of depressive and anxiety symptoms with demographic, family, school, life, and behavior factors in a large, representative sample of secondary school students in Zigong, a city in Western China.

METHODS

Secondary school students were recruited using cluster sampling. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Nine-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form were used. Descriptive statistic was used to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of participants. The clustering effect was adjusted by the "survey" package of R to calculate weighted prevalence. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore associated factors of depression and anxiety, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 63,205 participants were involved, in which the weighted prevalence of depression in all subjects was 23.0% (95% CI: 19.6- 27.0%), and the weighted prevalence of anxiety was 13.9% (95% CI: 11.2- 17.0%). Logistic regression results showed girls, being single-child, non-nuclear family, peer bullying, sleep disturbance, and internet gaming disorder symptoms were positively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Depressive and anxiety symptoms were prevalent among secondary school students in Western China. Our results can guide policy strategies for the assessment, prevention, and intervention of psychological status among Chinese secondary school students.

A meta-analytic review of the relationship between cyber aggression and substance use

BACKGROUND

Prior research has demonstrated that various substances of abuse play a contributing role to acts of physical and verbal aggression. It is less clear if and to what extent substance use is associated with an increased risk in perpetrating cyber aggression, an emerging form of aggressive behavior that occurs through digital communication.

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the literature resulted in 15 studies and 18 unique samples from which effect size estimates were calculated.

RESULTS

Analyses resulted in a moderate, significant mean observed correlation indicating that individuals who engaged in substance use were more likely than those who did not to perpetrate cyber aggression (r = 0.24, k = 18, 95% CI = 0.20, 0.28). Comparing data across types of substances revealed that alcohol use represents a stronger risk factor for cyber aggression than nicotine, cannabis, or other illicit drugs. Results also suggest a stronger relationship between substance use and cyber aggression among older than younger samples and in the context of intimate partner rather than peer aggression. Comparable estimates of substance-related cyber aggression emerged across types of cyber aggression and perpetrator gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is required to increase confidence in estimates used in moderation analyses. As with traditional aggression, alcohol use appears to represent a risk factor for cyber aggression, though it is unclear if the disinhibitory properties of alcohol are the mechanism of action for substance-related cyber aggression.

Impact of earthquake exposure, family adversity and peer problems on anxiety-related emotional disorders in adolescent survivors three years after the Ya'an earthquake

BACKGROUND

Traumatic experiences often give rise to an increased risk of anxiety problems in adolescents. This study investigated the anxiety prevalence in adolescent earthquake survivors and the effect of secondary stressors such as bullying, poverty, or being "left behind" by parents working in the cities.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted three years after the 2013 Ya'an (China) earthquake on 6,132 adolescents aged 9 to 18 years from 11 public schools in three severely earthquake affected counties. The participants completed self-report questionnaires that assessed anxiety, earthquake exposure, poverty level, left-behind duration and bullying.

RESULTS

Separation anxiety (38.7%) and panic symptoms (32.2%) were found to be the primary contributors to anxiety in this adolescent sample. The regression and structural equation modeling indicated that adolescents who had suffered from high earthquake exposure, peer bullying, being left-behind, or poverty were more likely to report problems in all anxiety subcategories, with females reporting more anxiety symptoms than males. The likelihood of all anxiety disorders except separation anxiety was found to increase with age.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted the need for post-disaster interventions aimed at minimizing post-earthquake adversity such as peer bullying and specialized psychological services that target subgroups that might be more susceptible to anxiety-related emotional problems. The results could be used to identify possible markers for anxiety problems in children who had not experienced any major traumas.

[Association between suffering experiences from precollege peer bullying at different stages and the quality of health-related life among college students]

Objective: To explore the effects of precollege peer bullying at different stages, on quality of life (QOL) among college students. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select participants in October, 2018. Cluster sampling method was adopted to recruit a sample of 4 034 college students from four universities in Hefei city, Anhui province. Relations between peer bullying at different stages before entering college, and the quality of life, were investigated. t test and analysis of variance were used to compare the differences of QOL in different groups. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the associations between various types of peer bullying at different stages and the QOL at precollege days. Results: Among all the 4 034 college students under study, mean scores of the 4 dimensions of QOL appeared as physical (12.61±2.02), psychological (14.09±2.62), social relationship (13.72±2.71) and environment (13.77±2.46), respectively. After adjusting the confounding factors, data from multiple linear regression showed that, factors as verbal bullying victimization during primary school (β=-0.21)/secondary school (β=-0.27)/or at both periods (β=-0.56), relational (β=-0.21) and physical (β=-0.38) bullying victimization in secondary school, and physical bullying victimization in both periods (β=-0.67) were negatively correlated with the physical dimension of QOL. Verbal bullying victimization in both periods (β=-0.41) and relational bullying victimization in secondary school (β=-0.42) were negatively correlated with psychological dimension of QOL. Factors as relational (β=-0.32) and physical (β=-0.51) bullying victimization in secondary school, physical/cyber bullying victimization in both periods (β=-0.57) were negatively correlated with the social dimension of QOL. Verbal bullying victimization during primary school (β=-0.20) and both periods (β=-0.46), relational bullying perpetration during primary school (β=-0.35) or at both periods (β=-0.90) were negatively correlated with the environmental dimension of QOL (All P<0.05). Index related to bullying victimization (β=-0.33, -0.36, -0.30, -0.33) and bullying perpetration β=-0.28, -0.31, -0.23, -0.28) were both negatively correlated to all the 4 dimensions (physical, psychological, social relationship and environment) of QOL (P<0.001). Conclusions: Various forms of peer bullying experiences occurring before college, were associated with the decreased scores of QOL in different domains, among the university students. Programs on prevention and control of peer bullying in different stages before college days seemed important thus should be strengthened.

Maternal- versus paternal-perpetrated maltreatment and risk for sexual and peer bullying revictimization in young women with depression

BACKGROUND

Childhood maltreatment is one of the strongest predictors of sexual and peer bullying re-victimization. However, it is not clear which types of maltreatment are associated with the greatest risk.

OBJECTIVE

The current study examined the differential relations of maternal- versus paternal-perpetrated emotional maltreatment, neglect, and physical maltreatment, as well as sexual maltreatment, to sexual victimization and peer bullying victimization outside the home. It was hypothesized that paternal-perpetrated emotional maltreatment would be the strongest predictor of later sexual and peer bullying victimization, and that sexual maltreatment would predict sexual re-victimization.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Participants included data from 263 adolescent and young adult women who had previously taken part in one of three larger studies conducted in an academic research setting investigating the relation between stress and depression. All participants had been recruited from the wider community or clinician referral and met criteria for a unipolar depressive disorder.

METHODS

Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed with a structured diagnostic interview. Childhood maltreatment and victimization were assessed retrospectively with a semi-structured contextual interview that includes standardized ratings.

RESULTS

Paternal-perpetrated emotional abuse was the only maltreatment type that was independently associated with sexual (OR = 3.09, p =  .004) and peer bullying (OR = 1.41, p =  .05) re-victimization over other forms of maltreatment and indicators of depression severity.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide an important foundation for future research examining the mechanisms driving the relation between father's hostility, criticism, and rejection and daughters' revictimization that can ultimately provide targets for prevention in girls at highest risk.

The association between bullying victimization in childhood and fibromyalgia. Data from the nationwide Finnish health and social support (HeSSup) study based on a sample of 64,797 individuals

BACKGROUND

Fibromyalgia is a functional pain syndrome presenting with various psychological symptoms. Several studies have shown that adverse life events are associated with fibromyalgia. The aim of the current study is to explore the association between self-reported bullying victimization in childhood and self-reported fibromyalgia in adulthood.

METHODS

The basic study setting is cross-sectional - with focused use of retrospective data - derived from a large on-going postal follow up survey (sample N = 64,797) initiated in Finland in 1998. Only respondents having answered the questions on fibromyalgia in both follow ups in 2003 and 2012 were included (N = 11,924). Severity of bullying was divided into three groups starting from no bullying followed by minor and severe bullying. Covariates having shown statistically significant associations with fibromyalgia in cross tabulation using Pearson's chi-squared test were included in the final multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

In our study, 50.6% of the respondents reported victimization of minor and 19.6% of severe bullying in childhood. Participants reporting fibromyalgia in adulthood reported more bullying, and in females alone this association was statistically significant (p = .027). In multiple logistic regression analysis statistically significant associations between bullying victimization in childhood (reference: no bullying) and fibromyalgia were found: adjusted odds ratio (OR) for minor bullying was 1.35 (95% CI 1.09-1.67) and for severe bullying 1.58 (95% CI 1.21-2.06). However, in log-linear and logistic regression interaction models the association between bullying and fibromyalgia was not statistically significant when depression was included in the models.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that peer bullying victimization might be associated with fibromyalgia. However, in logistic log linear and logistic interaction models there was no statistically significant association when depression was included. As a result, there is need for further, preferably prospective cohort studies. The findings also emphasize the importance of actions to prevent childhood bullying.

Investigation of the relationship between peer victimization and quality of life in school-age adolescents

OBJECTIVE

This research aims to investigate the relationship between peer victimization and quality of life in school-age adolescents.

METHODS

In the study, a total of 332 seventh- and eighth-grade students, who agreed to participate in the research and studying at secondary schools subsidiary of Provincial Directorate for National Education in the Province of Giresun, Turkey, were included in the study. The approval of ethics committee, permission of Provincial Directorate for National Education, and written and verbal consent of the students, who were participated in the research, were obtained. Personal Information Form, Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, and Kiddo-KINDL Adolescent Quality of Life Scale was used for data collection.

RESULTS

Considering the quality of life of adolescents according to the peer victimization, the mean physical well-being, mental well-being, family, friends, and disease sub-scale scores and the mean total score in the quality of life scale was found to be higher in adolescents not involved any bullying/victimization, and the difference was found to be significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this study, it was concluded that peer victimization is widespread in Turkey, males are more prone to bullying, and peer victimization has a negative impact on quality of life.

An Exploration of the Relationship between Experiences with Sibling Abuse and Peer Bullying: a Pilot Study

This paper uses peer reviewed research and a comprehensive literature review to highlight some of connections and similarities between experience with sibling abuse and experience with peer bullying. Specifically, an altered version of the Conflict Tactics Scale (Straus Journal of Marriage and the Family, 41, 75-88, 1979) was used to empirically explore the potential relationship between experience with peer bullying as a survivor or perpetrator, and experience with sibling abuse as a survivor or perpetrator. The results of Person's product moment correlations indicate there is a significant relationship between surviving sibling abuse and surviving peer bullying, as well as perpetrating sibling abuse and perpetrating peer bullying. In addition to a discussion of the details of the study conducted, clinical considerations for interventions, training, research and prevention are discussed.

Psychometric properties of the Violent Experiences Questionnaire

The Violent Experiences Questionnaire-Revised (VEQ-R) is a brief retrospective self-report inventory which provides estimates of annual frequencies of childhood physical abuse, sibling physical abuse, exposure to parental violence, peer bullying, and corporal punishment as they were experienced from ages 5 to 16. The VEQ-R indices rely on a frequency metric that estimates the number of days on average per year a specified class of behavior occurred over a 12year retrospective period. All scores range from a frequency of 0 to a high of 104. Scale normative data was generated from both a college (N=1266) and national (N=1290) sample to expand the research applicability of this relatively new inventory. Subscales were added to estimate the frequency of victimization during childhood, the pre-teen years, and adolescence. Four "hostility" component indices were derived from perpetrator source (parent, sibling, peer, or domestic). Thresholds were established to for High, Moderate, Low, and No Risk classifications. Subscales dimensions were found to have both adequate internal and temporal consistency. Evidence of concurrent and discriminant validity was generated using the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale-Short-Form^©, LONGSCAN Physical Abuse Self-Report scale, and Physical Punishment scale of the Assessing Environments III inventory.

Multiple early victimization experiences as a pathway to explain physical health disparities among sexual minority and heterosexual individuals

Prior research shows that health disparities exist between sexual minority and heterosexual individuals. We extend the literature by testing if the higher prevalence of childhood victimization experienced by sexual minority individuals accounts for lifetime health disparities. Heterosexual (n = 422) and sexual minority (n = 681) participants were recruited on-line in North America. Respondents completed surveys about their childhood victimization experiences (i.e., maltreatment by adults and peer victimization) and lifetime physician-diagnosed physical health conditions. Results showed that sexual minority individuals experienced higher prevalence of childhood victimization and lifetime physical health problems than heterosexuals. Mediation analyses indicated that maltreatment by adults and peer bullying explained the health disparities between sexual minority individuals and heterosexuals. This study is the first to show that multiple childhood victimization experiences may be one pathway to explain lifetime physical health disparities. Intervention programs reducing the perpetration of violence against sexual minority individuals are critical to reduce health care needs related to victimization experiences.