Association between the trajectory of peer bullying and incident depressive and anxiety symptoms in western Chinese adolescents.

BACKGROUND

Peer bullying is related to depressive and anxiety symptoms. Little is known about the association between the trajectory of peer bullying and incident depressive and anxiety symptoms in western Chinese adolescents. The aim of the current study was to assess this association.

METHODS

This cohort study included 45,036 adolescents who participated in three survey waves and did not exhibit depressive and anxiety symptoms during the first two waves. Peer bullying, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Multidimensional Peer-Victimization Scale, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire, respectively. The trajectory of peer bullying and its different subtypes were identified using group-based trajectory models. Covariate-adjusted logistic models were used to assess the associations between trajectories and incident depressive and anxiety symptoms in the final survey wave.

RESULTS

The participants had a mean age of 13.7 years, and 52.7 % were male. The interval between each survey was approximately 1 year. The incidence rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms at the final survey were 8.6 % and 3.1 %, respectively. Adolescents with trajectories denoting high-level and increasing, high-level and decreasing, and persistent low-level peer bullying were more likely to exhibit depressive and anxiety symptoms than those with non-exposed trajectories [P < 0.001 for all]. We observed similar results when separately analyzing different peer bullying subtypes.

CONCLUSION

Our study results emphasize the importance of focusing on the trajectory of peer bullying and timely intervention in preventing incident depressive and anxiety symptoms in western Chinese adolescents.