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Childhood bullying victimization, self-labelling, and help-seeking for mental health problems
Oexle, Nathalie Ribeiro, Wagner Fisher, Helen L. Gronholm, Petra C. Laurens, Kristin R. Pan, Pedro Owens, Shanise Romeo, Renee Rüsch, Nicolas Evans-Lacko, Sara
Oexle, Nathalie
Ribeiro, Wagner
Fisher, Helen L.
Gronholm, Petra C.
Laurens, Kristin R.
Pan, Pedro
Owens, Shanise
Romeo, Renee
Rüsch, Nicolas
Evans-Lacko, Sara
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research found sustained high levels of mental health service use among adults who experienced bullying victimization during childhood. This could be due to increased psychopathology among this group, but other factors, such as self-perception as having a mental health problem, might contribute to increased service use. Additionally, the relationship between informal help-seeking for mental health problems and bullying victimization is incompletely understood.
Methods
The present study examined associations between the frequency of bullying victimization and both formal service use and informal help-seeking for mental health problems independent from psychopathology. Data on bullying victimization, service use, informal help-seeking for mental health problems, psychopathology, and self-labelling as a person with mental illness were collected among 422 young people aged 13–22 years.
Results
In logistic regression models, controlling for past and current psychopathology and using no bullying victimization as the reference category, we identified a greater likelihood of mental health service use among persons who experienced frequent bullying victimization, as well as a greater likelihood of seeking informal help among persons who experienced occasional victimization. Increased self-identification as a person with mental illness completely mediated the positive association between frequent bullying victimization and mental health service use.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that services to support persons who experienced frequent bullying victimization should focus on improving empowerment and self-perception. Additionally, there might be unserved need for formal support among those who experienced occasional bullying victimization.
Keywords
bullying victimisation, mental health problems, help-seeking, service use, self-labelling
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Book
Volume
55
Issue
1
Page Range
81-88
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open