Associations between peer victimization and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt during adolescence : results from a prospective population-based birth cohort

Abstract

Objective:To test whether adolescents who are victim-ized by peers are at heightened risk for suicidal ideationand suicide attempt, using both cross-sectional andprospective investigations.Method:Participants are from the Quebec LongitudinalStudy of Child Development, a general population sampleof children born in Quebec in 1997 through 1998 andfollowed up until 15 years of age. Information aboutvictimization and serious suicidal ideation and suicideattempt in the past year was obtained at ages 13 and15 years from self-reports (N¼1,168).Results:Victims reported concurrently higher rates ofsuicidal ideation at age 13 years (11.6–14.7%) and suicideattempt at age 15 years (5.4–6.8%) compared to those whohad not been victimized (2.7–4.1% for suicidal ideationand 1.6–1.9% for suicide attempt). Being victimized bypeers at 13 years predicted suicidal ideation (odds ratio[OR]¼2.27; 95% CI¼1.25–4.12) and suicideattempt (OR¼3.05, 95% CI¼1.36–6.82) 2 years later,even after adjusting for baseline suicidality andmental health problems and a series of confounders(socioeconomic status, intelligence, family’s functioningand structure, hostile-reactive parenting, maternal lifetimesuicidal ideation/suicide attempt). Those who werevictimized at both 13 and 15 years had the highest risk ofsuicidal ideation (OR¼5.41, 95% CI¼2.53–11.53) andsuicide attempt (OR¼5.85, 95% CI¼2.12–16.18) at15 years.Conclusion:Victimization is associated with an increasedrisk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt over andabove concurrent suicidality and prior mental healthproblems. The longer the history of victimization, thegreater the risk.