Bullying Behavior is Related to Suicide Attempts but not to Self-Mutilation Among Psychiatric Inpatient Adolescents

The association of bullying behaviour with suicide attempts & self-mutilation was investigated in a sample of 508 Finnish psychiatric inpatient adolescents. DSM-IV diagnoses & variables measuring suicidal behaviour & bullying behaviour were obtained. Logistic regression analyses were conducted. After adjusting for age, school factors, family factors, & psychiatric disorders, there was a higher risk of suicide attempts in girls who were victims of bullying or who bullied others. Corresponding associations were not found for boys, nor was any association of bullying behaviour with self-mutilation found among either gender. (22 refs.) JA