Examining the Association Between Bullying and Internalizing Problems As Moderated By Sexual Orientation and Age

Introduction: School bullying and cyberbullying are associated with many negative outcomes. For sexual minority youth, school bullying has particularly serious consequences while little is known about the impact of cyberbullying for this population. Studies also suggest that, in high school, lower classmen may be particularly vulnerable to the consequences of victimization, but this warrants additional research. To address these gaps, we assessed the extent to which experiencing bullying was associated with depressive symptoms and engaging in suicidal behavior. We also determined whether sexual orientation and grade level moderated these associations.

Methods: The data come from the fall 2009 New York City (NYC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey involving a representative sample of 11,877 students from 105 public high schools. The data were weighted to represent all students in grades 9-12 in NYC. Students voluntarily completed a self-administered, anonymous, 99-item questionnaire, which asked them about their sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, or bisexual [LGB]), bullying experiences, depressive symptoms, and suicidal behaviors. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the hypothesized associations and test three-way interactions between bullying, sexual orientation, and grade level.

Results: We observed significant three-way interactions between bullying, sexual orientation, and grade level on internalizing problems. Among non-LGB youth, both bullied lower and upper classmen were at increased risk for depressive symptoms. Among LGB youth, however, depressive symptoms were more likely among bullied lower classmen. At greatest risk for depression were LGB lower classmen who experienced both school and cyberbullying. Similarly, among non-LGB youth, both bullied lower and upper classmen were at increased risk for suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was also greatest among non-LGB youth who experienced both school and cyberbullying. Finally, associations between bullying and suicide attempts were observed only among lower classmen. Suicide attempts were more likely among non-LGB youth experiencing both school and cyberbullying compared to LGB youth. However, they were more likely among school bullied LGB youth compared to school bullied non-LGB youth.

Conclusions: This study sheds light on the associations between bullying and internalizing problems among both non-LGB and LGB youth. Bullied lower classmen generally are more likely to report internalizing problems compared to upper classmen. Yet, bullied lower classmen LGB students were at greatest risk for depressive symptoms and suicide attempts. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive systems that foster safe and supportive climates in schools for these vulnerable youth.