The Role of Disability in the Relationship Between Mental Health and Bullying: A Focused, Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Lilly Augustine; Ylva Bjereld; Russell Turner

doi:10.1007/s10578-022-01457-x

The Role of Disability in the Relationship Between Mental Health and Bullying: A Focused, Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2022 Oct 23. doi: 10.1007/s10578-022-01457-x. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lilly Augustine¹, Ylva Bjereld², Russell Turner³

Affiliations

¹ CHILD, School for Learning and Communication, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden. lilly.augustine@ju.se.
² Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning (IBL), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
³ Department of Social Work, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

PMID: 36273388
DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01457-x

Abstract

Having both a disability and being bullied increases the risk of later mental health issues. Children with disabilities are at greater risk of being bullied and therefore at greater risk of adverse mental health outcomes. We conducted a limited systematic review of longitudinal studies focusing on the role of disability in relation to bullying and mental health problems. Twelve studies with an initial measure of mental health or disorder, measured no later than 10 years of age, were found. Ten of these twelve studies suggested that having a disability before victimisation increased the impact of mental health problems measured after bullying experiences. The conclusion is that children with a disability, such as behavioural problems, have an increased risk of later mental health problems through bullying victimization. Children with two risk factors had significantly worse mental health outcomes. These additional mental health problems may be alleviated through reduced bullying victimisation.

Keywords: Bullying; Disability; Literature review; Mental health problems; Symptoms.