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Does childhood bullying predict eating disorder symptoms? A prospective, longitudinal analysis.

ABSTRACT: Bullying is a common childhood experience with enduring psychosocial consequences. The aim of this study was to test whether bullying increases risk for eating disorder symptoms.Ten waves of data on 1,420 participants between ages 9 and 25 were used from the prospective population-based Great Smoky Mountains Study. Structured interviews were used to assess bullying involvement and symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as associated features. Bullying involvement was categorized as not involved, bully only, victim only, or both bully and victim (bully-victims).Within childhood/adolescence, victims of bullying were at increased risk for symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as associated features. These associations persisted after accounting for prior eating disorder symptom status as well as preexisting psychiatric status and family adversities. Bullies were at increased risk of symptoms of bulimia and associated features of eating disorders, and bully-victims had higher levels of anorexia symptoms. In terms of individual items, victims were at risk for binge eating, and bully-victims had more binge eating and use of vomiting as a compensatory behavior. There was little evidence in this sample that these effects differed by sex. Childhood bullying status was not associated with increased risk for persistent eating disorder symptoms into adulthood (ages 19, 21, and 25).Bullying predicts eating disorder symptoms for both bullies and victims. Bullying involvement should be a part of risk assessment and treatment planning for children with eating problems.

SUBMITTER: Copeland WE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4715551 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Does childhood bullying predict eating disorder symptoms? A prospective, longitudinal analysis.

Copeland William E WE Bulik Cynthia M CM Zucker Nancy N Wolke Dieter D Lereya Suzet Tanya ST Costello Elizabeth Jane EJ

The International journal of eating disorders 20150904 8

<h4>Objective</h4>Bullying is a common childhood experience with enduring psychosocial consequences. The aim of this study was to test whether bullying increases risk for eating disorder symptoms.<h4>Method</h4>Ten waves of data on 1,420 participants between ages 9 and 25 were used from the prospective population-based Great Smoky Mountains Study. Structured interviews were used to assess bullying involvement and symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa as well as associated features. Bu ...[more]

PMID: 26337405

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Project description:ImportanceChildhood intrafamilial aggression, a series of aggressive behaviors inflicted by family members, and adulthood mental health are associated with childhood peer bullying (eg, in the neighborhood or in school). However, few studies have been able to identify the contribution of childhood peer bullying to the association between childhood intrafamilial aggression and adult depression.ObjectiveTo examine the mediating role of childhood peer bullying in the association between childhood intrafamilial aggression and depression in adulthood.Design, setting, and participantsThis population-based cross-sectional study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Middle-aged and older adults (≥45 years) participated in a CHARLS wave from July 1 to September 30, 2015, and the CHARLS life history survey from June 1 to December 31, 2014, with complete data. A 4-step mediation model with logistic regression was run to test the mediating role of peer bullying. Data analysis was performed from October 1 to 30, 2019.ExposuresChildhood intrafamilial aggression, including parental physical maltreatment and sibling aggression, and peer bullying.Main outcomes and measuresDepressive symptoms measured by a categorical variable derived from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, based on a cutoff score of 12.ResultsAmong the 15 450 respondents (mean [SD] age, 59.5 [9.9] years; 7987 women [51.7%]), 4422 (28.6%) were exposed to parental physical maltreatment; 986 (6.4%), to sibling aggression; and 2504 (16.2%), to peer bullying in childhood. Respondents experiencing intrafamilial aggression were more likely to be bullied by peers (parental physical maltreatment odds ratio [OR], 2.53 [95% CI, 2.25-2.83]; sibling aggression OR, 3.05 [95% CI, 2.46-3.78]). Children with these adverse experiences were at a higher risk of adult depression symptoms (parental physical maltreatment OR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.15-1.42]; sibling aggression OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.13-1.74]; peer bullying OR, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.56-2.01]). Peer bullying mediated 30% (95% CI, 19%-42%) of the association between childhood parental maltreatment and adult depression and 35% (95% CI, 15%-54%) of the association between sibling aggression and depression symptoms in adulthood.Conclusions and relevanceThis study found that being bullied by peers was a mediator of the association between childhood intrafamilial aggression and depression in adulthood. The findings have important implications to mitigate the effect of early-life stress and promote life-course mental health through dealing with childhood intrafamilial aggression and peer bullying experiences coordinately.

Dataset Information

Does childhood bullying predict eating disorder symptoms? A prospective, longitudinal analysis.

Publications

Does childhood bullying predict eating disorder symptoms? A prospective, longitudinal analysis.

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