New Study Reveals That Bullying Related To Gender Identity Or Orientation Is More Significantly Correlated With Feelings Of Sadness Or Hopelessness, As Well As Suicide Attempts
It has long been known that bullying in schools is tied to feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety, as well as suicide attempts among adolescents. This presents a significant problem with dire consequences since some estimate that approximately 30% of American youth suffer bullying.
Recently, a new study conducted by researchers at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, has also added to these findings– revealing how certain forms of bullying are more significantly correlated with mental distress.
The team, led by John Rovers, analyzed data collected during the 2018 Iowa Youth Survey. This cross-sectional questionnaire is offered every two to three years to both public and private school students across the state of Iowa. However, it is important to note that only students in grades six, eight, and eleven participate.
“Youth surveys undertaken by Education or Public Health Departments in most U.S. states are an underutilized resource in evaluating the problem and any consequences,” the study stated.
So, using the 2018 survey, the researchers analyzed over 70,000 validated responses in order to find correlations between bullying and mental health.
“Unadjusted Odds Ratios (ORs) showed that not all forms of bullying were correlated with a significant risk of mental distress,” the study revealed.
Instead, the researchers found that students who suffered physical bullying, as well as students who were bullied based on their religion, were no more likely to report feeling hopeless or sad than students who reported experiencing no bullying.
But, bullying related to gender identity or orientation was consistently associated with suicide attempts and feelings of hopelessness and sadness.
Similarly, social bullying, cyberbullying, and bullying about race also showed significant correlations with suicide attempts and mental distress.
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When the team set out to conduct this study, they hoped that the results would provide enhanced insight into how anti-bullying literature and programs should be designed.
Now, equipped with these findings, the researchers are confident leaders can start to make changes.
“Being able to evaluate the specific associations of different types of bullying may have implications for teachers or policymakers hoping to implement bullying mitigation strategies in their schools,” the researchers concluded.
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in PLOS ONE, visit the link here.
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