Victimization and suicide ideation in the TRAILS study: specific vulnerabilities of victims.
BACKGROUND
Scientific studies have provided some support for a link between being a victim of bullying and suicide ideation. We examine whether (1) parental psychopathology and (2) feelings of rejection (at home and at school) exacerbate vulnerability to suicide ideation in victims of bullying (pure victims and bully-victims).


METHODS
Data were from a population-based cohort study of Dutch children (n = 1526, mean age = 12.29 years). Using peer nominations, three groups were established: (1) victim only; (2) bully-victims (children who are victims and who also bully others); (3) uninvolved. Self-report data on suicide ideation were obtained using two items from the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach, 1991). Parental internalizing and externalizing disorders were assessed, as were self-reported feelings of rejection at home and social well-being among classmates.


RESULTS
The association between victimization and suicide ideation was moderated by parental internalizing disorders (but not externalizing disorders) and feelings of rejection at home. Victims (but not bully-victims) with parents with internalizing disorders reported elevated levels of suicide ideation compared to children uninvolved in bullying. Victims feeling more rejected at home also reported more suicide ideation. There were no overall sex differences in suicide ideation. Surprisingly, bully-victims did not report higher levels of suicide ideation compared to children uninvolved in bullying.


CONCLUSIONS
Parental internalizing disorders and feelings of rejection at home confer a specific vulnerability for suicide ideation among victims of bullying.
Herba
Catherine M
CM
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands. c.herba@erasmusmc.nl
Ferdinand
Robert F
RF
Stijnen
Theo
T
Veenstra
René
R
Oldehinkel
Albertine J
AJ
Ormel
Johan
J
Verhulst
Frank C
FC
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires