Temporal Stability of Victimization, Bullying and Prediction of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents

Abstract

Introduction: Bullying is a critical issue during adolescence due to its well-documented
association with emotional maladjustment, impaired psychosocial
adjustment, and increased suicide risk. Objectives: to describe bullying roles
at two time points, analize their temporal stability and determine whether
the victimization and bullying scores in time 1 predicted depression and suicidal
ideation at time 2. Method: The sample consisted of 188 adolescents
from secondary schools in Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina, aged 12-17 years
(M = 14.17, SD = 1.64), of whom 68% were female, and assessed at two
time points. Participants completed the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire,
the depression subscale of the DASS-21, and the suicidal ideation
subscale of the ISO-30. Results: A decrease was observed in the prevalence
of victimization, bullying, and bully-victim roles over time. Stability was higher
among uninvolved adolescents. In the predictive analyses, victimization at
Time 1 significantly predicted both depression and suicidal ideation at Time
2, whereas bullying did not emerge as a significant predictor. Discussion
and conclusion: These findings suggest that bullying roles have low stability,
whereas the experience of being victimized represents a key longitudinal risk
factor for emotional problems in adolescents, highlighting the importance of
early detection and targeted intervention for victimized youth.