Associations Between Peer Victimization and Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt During Adolescence: Results From a Prospective Population-Based Birth Cohort

Marie-Claude Geoffroy; Michel Boivin; Louise Arseneault; Gustavo Turecki; Frank Vitaro; Mara Brendgen; Johanne Renaud; Jean R Séguin; Richard E Tremblay; Sylvana M Côté

doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2015.11.010

Associations Between Peer Victimization and Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt During Adolescence: Results From a Prospective Population-Based Birth Cohort

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016 Feb;55(2):99-105. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.11.010. Epub 2015 Nov 26.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ McGill University, Montreal and the McGill Group for Suicide Studies at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal; Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment at University of Montreal. Electronic address: Marie-claude.geoffroy@mcgill.ca.
² Laval University, Quebec, the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment at Laval University, and the Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development at the Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russian Federation.
³ Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King's College London.
⁴ McGill University, Montreal and the McGill Group for Suicide Studies at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal.
⁵ University of Montreal, the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment at the University of Montreal, and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, Montreal.
⁶ University of Quebec in Montreal, the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment at the University of Montreal, and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre.
⁷ McGill University, and with the McGill Group for Suicide Studies and the Manulife Centre for Breakthroughs in Teen Depression and Suicide Prevention at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute.
⁸ University of Montreal, the University College Dublin, and the Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development at the Tomsk State University.
⁹ University of Montreal, the Institute of Genetic, Neurobiological, and Social Foundations of Child Development at the Tomsk State University, the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment at the University of Montreal, and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre.

PMID: 26802776
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.11.010

Abstract

Objective: To test whether adolescents who are victimized by peers are at heightened risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, using both cross-sectional and prospective investigations.

Method: Participants are from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a general population sample of children born in Quebec in 1997 through 1998 and followed up until 15 years of age. Information about victimization and serious suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in the past year was obtained at ages 13 and 15 years from self-reports (N = 1,168).

Results: Victims reported concurrently higher rates of suicidal ideation at age 13 years (11.6-14.7%) and suicide attempt at age 15 years (5.4-6.8%) compared to those who had not been victimized (2.7-4.1% for suicidal ideation and 1.6-1.9% for suicide attempt). Being victimized by peers at 13 years predicted suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.25-4.12) and suicide attempt (OR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.36-6.82) 2 years later, even after adjusting for baseline suicidality and mental health problems and a series of confounders (socioeconomic status, intelligence, family's functioning and structure, hostile-reactive parenting, maternal lifetime suicidal ideation/suicide attempt). Those who were victimized at both 13 and 15 years had the highest risk of suicidal ideation (OR = 5.41, 95% CI = 2.53-11.53) and suicide attempt (OR = 5.85, 95% CI = 2.12-16.18) at 15 years.

Conclusion: Victimization is associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt over and above concurrent suicidality and prior mental health problems. The longer the history of victimization, the greater the risk.

Keywords: adolescence; bullying; peer victimization; suicidal ideation; suicide attempt.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Bullying*
Crime Victims / psychology*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Peer Group
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Self Report
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide / psychology*
Suicide, Attempted / psychology*
Surveys and Questionnaires

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding