The influence of cyberbullying on nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidal thoughts and behavior in a psychiatric adolescent sample

Cyberbullying is a well-established risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behavior in adolescents. However, research examining the differential influence of different forms of cyberbullying on suicidality is limited. This exploratory study investigated the association between cyberbullying and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors separately. Specifically, the study sought to examine how being the subject of online rumors, illicit photographs, and threatening messages related to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), suicidal ideation (SI), and suicide attempt (SA) history in an adolescent psychiatric sample (n = 64). The findings demonstrated that endorsement of any form of cyberbullying was significantly associated with NSSI. Further, victims of online rumors were over fifteen times more likely to engage in NSSI, and all participants who reported involvement in illicit photographs endorsed NSSI. Additionally, participants who endorsed involvement in an online rumor were nearly seventeen times more likely to report SA history. The forms of cyberbullying assessed were not significantly associated with SI.