Suicide risk assessment and depressive symptoms among Spanish adolescent bully-victims: Evidence for the importance of emotional intelligence and sex

Cirenia Quintana-Orts; Lourdes Rey; Sergio Mérida-López; Natalio Extremera

doi:10.1177/13591053221116021

Suicide risk assessment and depressive symptoms among Spanish adolescent bully-victims: Evidence for the importance of emotional intelligence and sex

J Health Psychol. 2023 Jan;28(1):94-100. doi: 10.1177/13591053221116021. Epub 2022 Aug 5.

Authors

Cirenia Quintana-Orts¹, Lourdes Rey², Sergio Mérida-López², Natalio Extremera²

Affiliations

¹ University of Seville, Spain.
² University of Málaga, Spain.

PMID: 35929512
DOI: 10.1177/13591053221116021

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore a model examining how emotional intelligence (EI), sex, depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STB) may interact. The sample included 380 Spanish adolescent bully-victims (61.6% boys; mean age = 14.38 years). The results indicated that EI is a significant negative predictor of decreased STB and that this relation is fully mediated by depressive symptoms. This effect was moderated by sex, such that the mediation is stronger for girls compared to boys. The promotion of EI may be core in the development of prevention programmes for suicide, especially among female bully-victims.

Keywords: adolescence; bullying; emotional intelligence; sex; suicide.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Bullying* / psychology
Crime Victims* / psychology
Depression / psychology
Emotional Intelligence
Female
Humans
Male
Risk Assessment
Suicide* / psychology