title: Concurrent and prospective associations between bullying victimization and substance use among Australian adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adolescence is a vulnerable time for both substance use and bullying involvement; however, there is limited research on substance use among adolescent victims of bullying. This study aimed to examine concurrent and prospective associations between bullying and substance use, differentiating between passive-victims, bully-victims and 'pure' bullies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Associations between bullying involvement and substance use at baseline and 24 months post-baseline were examined in a cohort of adolescents in Australia. Bullying victims were divided into passive-victims (those who get bullied and do not bully others) and bully-victims (those who both get bullied and bully others). Perpetrators of bullying were divided into 'pure' bullies (those who bully others but do not get bullied), and bully-victims (as above). Outcomes examined were past six month use of alcohol (any drinking; risky drinking), tobacco, and cannabis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While there was no evidence of an association between bullying victimization and/or perpetration and substance use at baseline, there was evidence of an association between bullying and substance use 24 months post-baseline. Specifically, there was evidence of increased odds of risky drinking and cannabis use for the bully-victim group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bully-victim status at age 13 was associated with substance use at age 15, controlling for concurrent bullying involvement at age 15. Bully-victims are a particularly high-risk group that could benefit from targeted substance use preventive interventions. Reducing bullying is of great importance in reducing substance use and other harms among adolescents.
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: e.kelly@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Erin V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicola C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Lexine A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Stapinski
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Patricia J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Conrod
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teesson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D058445:Bullying; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescents; Bullies; Bully-victims; Bullying; Longitudinal; Peer victimization; Substance use; Victims