Pathways from Bullying To Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents: A Serial Mediation Approach

Abstract

The link between bullying and suicidal ideation in adolescents is well-entrenched in literature. Theoretical evidence suggests that coping strain and depression may mediate this association. The present study aims to determine whether coping strain and depression mediate the association between bullying and suicidal ideation in Pakistani adolescents. A total of 405 participants were approached via purposive sampling (M ± SD age = 15.74 ± 1.22 years) from Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Multi-dimensional Peer Victimization Scale (MPVS), Coping Strain Scale from PS Scales (PSS-40), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used to assess study variables. Bullying positively influenced suicidal ideation both directly and indirectly via coping strain and depression. Both variables were found to be serially mediated by coping strain and depression. The strain theory of suicide also posits important insights regarding the association of variables in adolescents, where bullying serially associated to coping strain first and then depression, which ultimately leads to suicidal ideation. These findings suggest that psychological interventions aimed at mitigating coping strain and depressive symptoms may be particularly effective in reducing suicidal ideation among individuals with a history of bullying victimization.