The Association of Current Violence from Adult Family Members with Adolescent Bullying Involvement and Suicidal Feelings

PLoS One. 2016 Oct 6;11(10):e0163707. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163707. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Although several studies have reported that child physical abuse increased the risk for bullying involvement, the effect of current violence from adult family members (CVA) on bullying involvement and suicidal feelings among adolescents has not been sufficiently examined. This study investigated the association of CVA with adolescent bullying involvement and the interaction effect of CVA and bullying involvement on suicidal feelings. This cross-sectional study used data from a school-based survey with a general population of adolescents (grades 7 to 12). Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire completed by 17,530 students. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association of CVA with adolescent bullying involvement and suicidal feelings. The overall response rate was 90.2%. The odds of students being characterized as bullies, victims, and bully-victims were higher among adolescents with CVA than without CVA (odds ratios (OR) = 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI), [2.3-3.7], 4.6 [3.6-5.8], and 5.8 [4.4-7.6], respectively). Both CVA (OR = 3.4 [95% CI 2.7-4.3]) and bullying (bullies, victims, and bully-victims; OR = 2.0 [95% CI 1.6-2.6], 4.0 [3.1-5.1], 4.1 [3.0-5.6], respectively), were associated with increased odds of current suicidal feelings after adjusting for confounding factors. Furthermore, positive additive effects of CVA and all three types of bullying involvement on suicidal feelings were found. For example, bully-victims with CVA had about 19-fold higher odds of suicidal feelings compared with uninvolved adolescents without CVA. This study, although correlational, suggested that CVA avoidance might prevent bullying involvement and suicidal feelings in adolescents.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Bullying*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Schools
  • Sex Factors
  • Suicidal Ideation*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Violence / psychology*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by a Grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan #H19-kokoro-ippan-012 Atsushi Nishida, a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan 23118001, 23118002, & 23118004; Adolescent Mind & Self-Regulation Kiyoto Kasai, a Grant-in-aid from the Research Group for Schizophrenia in Japan (Award for Research Excellence 2011 to A. N.) Atsushi Nishida, JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP 16H01689, 16H06395, 16H06398, 16H06399, and 16K21720 Kiyoto Kasai