Matias N Frizzo1, Luisa W Bisol, Diogo R Lara. 1. Instituto Cenecista de Ensino Superior de Santo Ângelo (CNEC-IESA) and Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (UNIJUÍ), Ijuí, RS 98700-000, Brazil.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Being bullied has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, but there is very limited evidence on the association of bullying with temperament. METHODS: The data was collected in a large web-survey on psychological and psychiatric measures (BRAINSTEP). Bullying was assessed with a question on time exposed to bullying (none, <1 year, 1-3 years and >3 years) during childhood and adolescence. Emotional traits and affective temperaments were evaluated with the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS). The final sample consisted of 50,882 subjects (mean age 30.8 ± 10.4 years, 73.4% females) with valid answers. RESULTS: About half of the sample reported exposure to bullying and ∼10% reported being victimized by peers for longer than 3 years. Longer exposure to bullying was associated with lower Volition, Coping and Control scores, and more Emotional Sensitivity, Anger and Fear, with statistical significance between all groups. To a lower degree, exposure to bullying was associated with lower Caution and higher Desire scores. Bullying victimization was also associated with a much lower proportion of euthymic and hyperthymic types in both genders, which was compensated by an increase mainly in the proportion of depressive, cyclothymic and volatile types. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective assessment of bullying with a single question on time exposed to bullying and use of self-report instruments only. CONCLUSIONS: Being bullied was associated with a broad and profound impact on emotional and cognitive domains in all dimensions of emotional traits, and with internalized and unstable affective temperaments.
BACKGROUND: Being bullied has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, but there is very limited evidence on the association of bullying with temperament. METHODS: The data was collected in a large web-survey on psychological and psychiatric measures (BRAINSTEP). Bullying was assessed with a question on time exposed to bullying (none, <1 year, 1-3 years and >3 years) during childhood and adolescence. Emotional traits and affective temperaments were evaluated with the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS). The final sample consisted of 50,882 subjects (mean age 30.8 ± 10.4 years, 73.4% females) with valid answers. RESULTS: About half of the sample reported exposure to bullying and ∼10% reported being victimized by peers for longer than 3 years. Longer exposure to bullying was associated with lower Volition, Coping and Control scores, and more Emotional Sensitivity, Anger and Fear, with statistical significance between all groups. To a lower degree, exposure to bullying was associated with lower Caution and higher Desire scores. Bullying victimization was also associated with a much lower proportion of euthymic and hyperthymic types in both genders, which was compensated by an increase mainly in the proportion of depressive, cyclothymic and volatile types. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective assessment of bullying with a single question on time exposed to bullying and use of self-report instruments only. CONCLUSIONS: Being bullied was associated with a broad and profound impact on emotional and cognitive domains in all dimensions of emotional traits, and with internalized and unstable affective temperaments.
Authors: Fernanda Inéz García-Vázquez; Angel Alberto Valdés-Cuervo; Alma Georgina Navarro-Villarreal; Lizeth Guadalupe Parra-Pérez; Maria Fernanda Durón-Ramos; Daniela Fimbres-Celaya Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-02 Impact factor: 3.390