Nathalie Oexle1, Wagner Ribeiro2, Helen L Fisher3, Petra C Gronholm2,4, Kristin R Laurens5,6,7, Pedro Pan8, Shanise Owens9, Renee Romeo4, Nicolas Rüsch1, Sara Evans-Lacko10,11. 1. Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University and BKH Günzburg, Ulm, Germany. 2. Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A2AE, UK. 3. Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. 4. Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. 5. School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, Australia. 6. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 7. Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. 8. Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences (LiNC), Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de Sâo Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 9. Office of Minority Health, Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, MD, USA. 10. Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC2A2AE, UK. s.evans-lacko@lse.ac.uk. 11. Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK. s.evans-lacko@lse.ac.uk.
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.
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.
Entities:
Keywords:
Bullying victimisation; Help-seeking; Mental health problems; Self-labelling; Service use
Authors: Nicola Brimblecombe; Sara Evans-Lacko; Martin Knapp; Derek King; Ryu Takizawa; Barbara Maughan; Louise Arseneault Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2018-05-08 Impact factor: 4.634
Authors: S Evans-Lacko; R Takizawa; N Brimblecombe; D King; M Knapp; B Maughan; L Arseneault Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2016-09-28 Impact factor: 7.723