Bullying victimization is a common experience for many students (Hoover, Oliver, & Hazler, 1992; Lund & Ross, 2017; Modecki, Minchin, Harbaugh, Guerra, & Runions, 2014). The vast majority of studies on the subject have focused on children and adolescents, but research shows that bullying victimization may continue into adulthood for some (Chapell, Casey, & De la Cruz, 2004; Finn, 2004). This suggests that certain students are at risk throughout their lifetime likely due to stable or innate risk factors. Researchers have proposed that personality traits, specifically neuroticism, and emotion regulation deficits are risk factors for bullying victimization (Hemphill, Tollit, Kotevski, & Heerde, 2015; Mynard & Joseph, 1997; Nielsen & Knardahl, 2014). The current study assessed bullying victimization for students attending a public Midwestern university. The rates for college students, influence of prior bullying victimization, and common associated difficulties were assessed. In addition, the current study measured difficulties in emotion regulation and changes in affect in response to bullying victimization vignettes. The results from the current study indicated that bullying continues into college for some students and is best predicted by bullying victimization in primary and secondary school. Results from this study supported the use of a vignette as a mood induction procedure for both victimized and non-victimized students. When taken together, these findings have implications for future research and intervention efforts, which are discussed.

No description available.

Bullying research has grown tremendously throughout the years, and yet, there is a lack of research investigating the biological underpinnings of bullying victimization and perpetration. The single nucleotide polymorphism catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val158Met is an important candidate gene that has been demonstrated to interact with environmental factors and play an important role in emotion processing. However, it remains unknown whether COMT Val158Met influences youth and adolescents’ involvement as both targets and perpetrators of bullying, considering bully-victims are found to struggle with emotion regulation. To address this knowledge gap, the role of COMT Val158Met on the joint trajectories of bullying victimization and perpetration was investigated in a longitudinal community sample. A latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was used to identify distinct patterns of bullying victimization and perpetration across the ages 10 to 18 years (n = 648). A three-class solution was chosen for bullying victimization where most participants were reflected in a trajectory of low decreasing bullying victimization (74%), followed by moderate stable trajectory of bullying victimization (23%) and a final group following a high stable trajectory of bullying victimization (3%). A two-class solution was chosen for bullying perpetration. As predicted, most participants were reflected in the low stable bullying perpetration group (83%) and a small group followed a moderate increasing/decreasing trajectory of bullying perpetration (16.4%). Dual trajectory models revealed distinct subgroup of individuals involved in bullying either as targets, perpetrators, or bully-victims. Conditional probabilities results suggest that highly victimized youth would in time perpetrate against others while remaining targets of high levels of perpetration (i.e., target to bully-victim), whereas youth moderately victimized were more likely to be uninvolved in bullying perpetration. There was no significant difference in allelic variations (i.e., any Met allele vs Val/Val) of COMT Val158Met between bully-victims and children uninvolved in bullying. Implications of these findings are discussed from a differential susceptibility model. Gaining an understanding of the mechanisms behind the impact of bullying victimization and perpetration on children and adolescent will help provide insight and support for school and clinical prevention and intervention efforts.

The aim of this dissertation is to add to the development the knowledge base of bullying research with particular focus on processes of victimization within a Swedish context. The goal is to a contribute to understanding the consequences of being bullied by examining patterns of change in bullying victimization over time and how potential positive social interactions and relationships might promote the well-being of bullied children. A mix-methods research design was used, including quantitative data from a one-year longitudinal study, using individual data, from 3,347 pupils (grades 4 to 9, in 44 schools) and five in-depth qualitative interviews with former victims of bullying. From an overview of the research field it was concluded that there is a general shortage of theoretical perspectives within the field of bullying research. Correlation studies have linked negative health consequences with bullying. However, this kind of research design provides few insights into how and why bullied children experience the kinds of problems that they do. By adopting a theoretical understanding of how ‘self’ is realized through interactions with others, this dissertation moves beyond correlation- based explanations of the mechanisms behind the link between bullying and its consequences in order to be able to offer more targeted support for those schoolchildren who are, or have been subjected to bullying. An argument is made for the importance of understanding the social processes behind bullying It is argued that being subjected to bullying victimization is a transient life experience for about three quarters of the small cohort (about 7%) of Swedish schoolchildren who are victims of bullying at any one time. The trajectories of bullying experiences these children are unstable. However, the negative consequences are likely to remain even after the bullying has ceased. For others, the persistent victims (1.6%). the state of being bullied may become stable and continue over periods of years. Nevertheless, peers and teachers may serve as important resources in supporting transitory and continuing victims of bullying.

Childhood and adolescent bullying victimization procures mental health issues and dysfunction. Using a longitudinal design from the McMaster Teen study dataset, a semi-parametric group- based trajectory analysis was used to identify distinct patterns of peer victimization across ages 10 to 18. A three-class solution of peer victimization was selected. Most individuals followed a low decreasing trajectory of peer victimization (71.3%). The next largest group followed a moderate decreasing peer victimization trajectory (25.2%), and the smallest group followed a high stable peer victimization trajectory (3.5%). These trajectory groups were used to predict Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) symptoms and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in emerging adulthood (ages 19 to 22). Results indicated that the high stable and moderate decreasing groups differed from the low decreasing group on BPD symptoms; individuals who were bullied by their peers in childhood and adolescence were more likely to have elevated symptoms of BPD in adulthood. However, when controlling for gender and childhood maltreatment, this differentiation only held true for the high stable group. Results also indicated that children and adolescents who followed a high stable trajectory of bullying victimization were more likely to meet PTSD diagnostic criteria in emerging adulthood than those who followed a low decreasing or moderate decreasing trajectory. The implications of the positive associations of childhood and adolescent bullying victimization on BPD symptoms and PTSD are considered via a group socialization theory lens. High levels of bullying victimization are explained as a form of relational trauma. Results suggest that peer relations are powerful enough to lead to subsequent personality pathology, and implications of these associations are examined through a developmental trauma framework. Understanding the developmental impact of childhood and adolescent bullying on BPD symptoms and PTSD provides insight and supports prevention and intervention initiatives at the school level and in clinical practice.

This study aimed at determining the prevalence rate of bullying and victimization among middle school students and investigating the role of locus of control, self-esteem, parenting style, loneliness, and academic achievement in predicting participation in bullying and victimization. The sample consisted of 742 participants recruited from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Results revealed that of the total 742 students: 4.6 % of the students were bullies, 21.3 % were victims, 6.5 % were bully/victims, 44.7% were pure not involved and 22.9 % were not involved. Regarding the types of bullying, the most common bullying behavior used by the bullies and experienced by the victims was verbal bullying. When gender and grade level were investigated in relation to bullying, meaningful gender differences were found. However, no significant grade level differences were found. The binary logistic regression analysis indicated that / female students who involved in bullying had low acceptance/involvement and academic achievement scores, but higher loneliness and psychological autonomy scores. Furthermore, male involved students had external locus of control, higher self-esteem, and loneliness scores, and lower strictness/supervision scores. Logistic regression analysis also revealed external locus of control and higher loneliness scores / but lower acceptance/involvement and academic achievement scores among the victim group.

Bullying is a universal problem affecting the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of school-age children worldwide. Individual level correlates of bullying have been well-documented; however, there is limited research identifying variables at the school level which contribute to bullying involvement, especially among high school students. In this dissertation, school characteristics associated with bullying were investigated using an ecological systems framework. In the first paper, a comprehensive review of the bullying literature was conducted. Research in the following areas were summarized: definitions of bullying, measures of bullying, individual correlates, influences of cognitive development and social context across age groups, contextual variables (family, school, and community), evidence-based interventions, and bullying from a socio-ecological perspective. In the second paper, research findings are presented for an original study investigating school level predictors of bullying involvement across Kentucky high schools. The study used aggregated data from a survey of 9th to 12th grade students in 26 high schools across the state, combined with existing school datasets, in order to examine: (1) the prevalence of bullies, victims, and bully-victims across Kentucky high schools and (2) school characteristics associated with elevated rates of bullying involvement. Results revealed important differences in school bullying incident reports and student reports of bullying experiences, as well as unique differences between school environments with high and low rates of bullying involvement. Overall, academic performance and parent involvement were the strongest predictors of bullying involvement at the school level; however, the relationships between these variables and prevalence rates were not as expected. In several analyses, individual level findings from the bullying research did not translate to the school level as hypothesized. Overall, these findings have important implications for researchers when using multilevel analyses in the school context, when investigating the impact of bullying interventions at the school level, and when investigating how the school environment contributes to bullying. Results also provide important information for schools developing or revising bullying data collection procedures.

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L’intimidation à l’école est un facteur de stress associé à de multiples manifestations psychiatriques. À ce jour, la recherche se limite à des études majoritairement transversales, or pour développer des stratégies d’intervention efficaces, il est nécessaire d’adopter une approche temporelle des liens. Cette étude invite à répondre à ce besoin en ayant pour objectif (1) d’étudier la direction des associations entre l’intimidation et les symptômes internalisés et externalisés, (2) d’examiner la spécificité des associations au travers des profils de personnalité comme modérateurs de la relation entre l’intimidation et les symptômes internalisés et externalisés, (3) d’explorer le rôle médiateur des symptômes internalisés et externalisés entre l’intimidation et la consommation d’alcool, (4) d’identifier les corrélats neuronaux qui sous-tendent les liens entre l’intimidation et les symptômes internalisés et externalisés à l’adolescence. Les données de deux cohortes longitudinales ont été utilisées. Co-Venture comprend 3800 adolescents âgés de 12 ans et suivis annuellement pendant cinq ans. Neuro-Venture correspond à un sous-échantillon de Co-Venture, soit 151 adolescents âgés de 12 ans et suivis à 12-14, 15 et 17 ans. Des random-intercepts cross-lagged panel model et des modèles multiniveaux ont été choisis afin d’estimer les effets cross-lagged (influences réciproques entre deux variables), les effets between-person (effet général, sur les cinq ans), les effets within-person (influences à court terme, au cours d’une année), les effets lagged-within-person (influences persistantes, d’une année à l’autre). Il existe des influences bidirectionnelles entre l’intimidation et les symptômes internalisés et une influence unidirectionnelle de l’intimidation vers les symptômes externalisés (étude 1). Être sensible à l’anxiété et avoir des pensées négatives augmentent le risque des adolescents intimidés à développer des symptômes internalisés dans la même année. Être impulsif et rechercher des sensations fortes augmentent le risque de développer des symptômes externalisés dans la même année (étude 2). Des voies médiatriques sont identifiées, de l’intimidation vers la consommation d’alcool par les symptômes internalisés et externalisés, ces voies sont renforcées avec les profils de personnalité (étude 3). Plus les adolescents sont intimidés plus ils ont tendance à avoir de grands volumes cérébraux (i.e., gyrus orbitofrontal supérieur droit, gyrus orbitofrontal moyen gauche, thalamus droit) et des petits (i.e., gyrus parahippocampique droit, putamen bilatéral, amygdale 6 bilatérale). Une augmentation des niveaux d’intimidation au cours d’une année est suivie par une plus forte diminution de volume du thalamus droit et d’une moins forte augmentation de volume de l’amygdale bilatérale dans la même année. Une augmentation des niveaux d’intimidation au cours d’une année est suivie d’une augmentation des symptômes externalisés à travers une moins forte augmentation du volume de l’amygdale droite dans la même année (étude 4). Les découvertes suggèrent que l’intimidation joue un rôle majeur dans l’émergence de nouveaux symptômes psychiatriques par le biais potentiel d’un développement cérébral atypique. Les différences individuelles (i.e., profils de personnalité) et les deux voies médiatrices symptomatiques suggèrent une complexité des liens, révélée par l’approche temporelle de l’étude. Les associations observées sont majoritairement à court terme, soulignant l’importance d’une prise en charge précoce de l’intimidation afin d’éviter ses multiples répercussions négatives. / Bullying victimization is a salient stressor that is associated with a broad variety of psychopathology. The lack of prospective studies has made it difficult to disentangle the temporal precedence of these associations. The present study aimed to (1) examine reciprocal cross-lagged associations between bullying victimization, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms, (2) study the specificity of effects through personality profiles as moderators in the association between bullying victimization, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms, (3) explore mediation effects between bullying victimization and alcool use through internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and (4) identify neural correlates underlying the association between bullying victimization, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms during adolescence. Data from a 5-year longitudinal cohort study (Co-Venture) of a population-based sample (n = 3800, 49.2% female, mean age = 12.8, SD = 0.4 years), and neuroimaging data from a sub-sample of 151 participants (54.3% female, mean age = 13.6, SD = 0.6 years, 3 neuroimaging sessions) were analyzed. Random intercepts cross-lagged panel models (objective 1) and multilevel models (objectives 2, 3, 4) were conducted to estimate cross-lagged effects (reciprocal influences between variables), between-person effects (overall effects, over a 5-year period), within-person effects (concurrent effects, within a year), and lagged-within-person effects (lasting effects, past year). Results provided evidence for bidirectional effects between bullying victimization and internalizing symptoms, and unidirectional effects from bullying victimization to externalizing symptoms (study 1). Anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness increased common vulnerability and concurrent effect of bullying victimization on internalizing symptoms. Impulsivity and sensation seeking increased common vulnerability and concurrent effect of bullying victimization on externalizing symptoms (study 2). There was significant between and within effects on alcohol use through internalizing symptoms for adolescents with high anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness, and significant between, within, and lagged effects on alcohol use through externalizing for adolescents with high impulsivity and sensation seeking (study 3). Adolescents prone to higher bullying victimization were prone to higher volumes in the right superior orbitofrontal gyrus, left middle orbitofrontal gyrus, and right thalamus, and, to lower volumes in the right para-hippocampal gyrus, bilateral putamen, and bilateral amygdala over the 5-year period. An increase in bullying 8 victimization in a given year is followed by a steeper decrease in the right thalamus volume, and a smaller volumetric increase in the bilateral amygdala during that same year. An increase in bullying victimization in a given year was associated with increased externalizing symptoms through a smaller volumetric increase in the right amygdala, during that year (study 4). Findings suggest that bullying victimization confers additional risk for psychopathological outcomes, and implicate two risk pathways that account for how bullying victimization enhances alcohol use risk and emphasize the importance of personality profiles that can shape the immediate and long-term consequences of victimization. Findings also suggest that bullying victimization plays a role in shaping brain development, but when victimization experiences can be addressed and stopped, such changes appears to be short-lived, and have immediate repercussion on mental health. Current interventions should broaden their scope to simultaneously target bullying victimization and psychopathology as each of these manifestations co-occurent within a year.