Sex differences in peer victimization and suicidal ideation among adolescents: a cross-sectional study
Abstract
Background: Peer victimization is significantly correlated with a heightened incidence of suicidal ideation (SI) among adolescents. The current study sought to investigate their relationship among adolescents, focusing on sex differences.
Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted on data from 55,815 adolescents (53.9% being female) aged 11-18 in Zigong City, China, from October to December 2020. Questionnaires were used to gather information on the individuals' psychosocial, familial, and demographic variables. The Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS) was used to examine peer victimization data. Participants self-reported their SI. The association between peer victimization and SI was evaluated using logistic regression analysis.
Results: The prevalence of SI was 6.03% among boys and 11.85% among girls, reflecting the rates calculated within the entire study population. Adolescents with SI reported substantially higher MPVS and subdimension scores than those without, regardless of sex (all p < 0.001). In boys, physical (OR = 1.062, 95%CI: 1.037-1.088, p < 0.001) and verbal victimization (OR = 1.039, 95%CI: 1.012-1.067, p = 0.004) were closely associated with increased SI risk; however, in girls, physical (OR = 1.051, 95%CI:1.026-1.077, p < 0.001) and verbal victimization (OR = 1.032, 95%CI: 1.011-1.054, p = 0.002), social manipulation (OR = 1.023, 95%CI: 1.001-1.046, p = 0.039), property attack (OR = 1.034, 95%CI: 1.009-1.059, p = 0.007) were all closely…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 55,815 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- The neurocircuitry of addiction: an overview
- Gender Differences in Human Brain: A Review
- Stratified medicine for mental disorders
- The neurobiology of drug addiction: cross-species insights into the dysfunction and recovery of the prefrontal cortex
- Annual Research Review: DNA methylation as a mediator in the association between risk exposure and child and adolescent psychopathology
- Schizophrenia: The new etiological synthesis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.