Pubertal Timing and Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: Sex Differences in the Links Through Bullying and Victimization and Internalizing Problems.

Abstract

Objective: Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents globally. Offset (both early and late) pubertal timing exposes adolescents to additional biological and psychosocial challenges, rendering them at heightened risk for psychopathology. Few studies have examined the relations between pubertal timing and suicidal ideation and attempts, as well as associated underlying mechanisms.

Method: Participants were 29,099 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 12.8, 47.9% female) in a large-scale epidemiology survey. Multi-group structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the associations between pubertal timing and suicidal ideation and attempts, the indirect effects through bullying and victimization and internalizing problems, and sex differences in these links.

Results: Early-maturing adolescents were at elevated risk for experiencing suicidal ideation and attempts. These effects were partly mediated through bullying and victimization experiences and internalizing symptoms. Early-maturing male adolescents were more likely to engage in bullying and experience victimization, whereas female adolescents were particularly vulnerable to internalizing problems and suicidal ideation and attempts following victimization experiences. Late-maturing conferred risk for suicidal attempts among female adolescents.

Conclusions: The findings highlight the potent role of offset pubertal timing in adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts, as well as sex differences in associated risk processes. The results also emphasize the importance of focusing on both mental health and social contextual changes elicited by offset pubertal timing among adolescents as intervention targets.