Gender, Bullying Victimization, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidality

Author(s):  
Emily Strohacker ◽  
Lauren E. Wright ◽  
Stephen J. Watts

Bullying victimization can have serious consequences for adolescents. This article examines the association between traditional and cyberbullying victimization, depressive symptoms, and suicidality in a national school-based sample, utilizing general strain theory (GST) as a guide to how these variables might relate to each other. We additionally examine whether the associations between these variables differ by gender. Results suggest that traditional and cyberbullying victimization have significant, positive associations with both depressive symptoms and suicidality. Results are partly supportive of the full model suggested by GST, with the associations between bullying and suicidality being weakened in some models when accounting for depressive symptoms. Gender differences also emerge. These findings are discussed in relation to their relevance for policy and theory.

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 1021-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Baker ◽  
William V. Pelfrey

Guided by the propositions of general strain theory, this study examines the impact of experienced and anticipated strains on the delinquent coping of adolescents while accounting for the usage of social networking sites. Specifically, this study uses self-report survey data collected from 3,195 middle and high school students in a single Midwest city in the United States to explore the effect of experiencing the strains of traditional bullying victimization and cyberbullying victimization on adolescents self-reported soft drug use, hard drug use, and weapon carrying behavior. These relationships are explored among both frequent and infrequent users of social networking sites. Results indicate that cyberbullying victimization and the anticipated strain of feeling unsafe at or on the way to or from school are significantly and positively associated with all three mechanisms of delinquent coping among both frequent and infrequent social network users.


2003 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carter Hay

In the last decade, Robert Agnew's general strain theory (GST) of delinquency has received considerable empirical attention, with most studies yielding favorable evidence. One aspect of GST neglected by researchers, however, concerns its ability to explain why certain demographic variables are related to delinquency. This article reports such a test of GST with respect to the gender-delinquency relationship in particular—one of the strongest relationships in delinquency research. The focus is on family-related strain faced by adolescents and how it may account for the gender gap in delinquency. Building on the work of Broidy and Agnew, and using questionnaire data collected from a sample of urban adolescents, this study tests three GST explanations for males' higher involvement in delinquency. The results of the analysis suggest that the gender gap in delinquency may be closely linked to gender differences in both the experience of and response to family-related strain.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-65
Author(s):  
Yeoju Park ◽  
Christi Metcalfe

Objectives: Using a developmental extension of Agnew’s general strain theory (GST), the current study aims to assess the within-individual associations between bullying victimization and delinquency, as well as the recent versus enduring effects of bullying victimization experiences and the moderating influences of several risk factors. Method: Random effects Tobit models are conducted to examine the relationship between changes in bullying victimization and five forms of delinquency using five waves from the Korean Youth Panel Survey. A measure calculating the duration of consecutive bullying experiences is introduced into these models to capture the enduring effects of this strain, and margins analyses are used to assess moderating influences. Results: There is a positive relationship between experiencing a bullying event and delinquency, and this relationship is stronger at higher levels of risk factors. Moreover, bullying victimization over consecutive years has a consistent harmful effect with regard to analogous behavior and violence and theft, as opposed to a diminishing effect for overall delinquency, substance use, and bullying. Conclusions: While there is support for many of the propositions of GST, there are some inconsistences regarding the duration effects. The findings suggest the need for further assessments of the temporal patterns of strains.


2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis T. Cullen ◽  
James D. Unnever ◽  
Jennifer L. Hartman ◽  
Michael G. Turner ◽  
Robert Agnew

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