School Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Tendency Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Internalizing Problems and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

ABSTRACTBackground Adolescent suicide has become an increasingly serious social problem in China. Bullying victimization was found to be an influential factor of suicidal tendency, but less attention has been paid to the internal mechanisms of the relationship.Objective This paper examined the relationship between adolescents’ bullying victimization and suicidal tendency, and the mediating effects of internalizing problems and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).Method Generalized Structural Equation Model was employed to a sample of 3,575 Chinese secondary school students.Results Bullying victimization has a direct positive impact on adolescents’ suicidal tendency, but also has an indirect impact on suicidal tendency through three paths: the independent mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI, and the chain mediating role of internalizing problems and NSSI.Conclusions The results suggested that students who are bullied tend to have a higher risk of suicidal tendency, and internalizing problems and NSSI are usually the prelude to suicidal behaviors.KEYWORDS: Bullying victimizationsuicidal tendencyinternalizing problemsnon-suicidal self-injuryadolescentsChina Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFundingThis work was funded by the National Social Science Fund of China (Grant No. 21BZZ079; Grant No. 23XRK001).Notes on contributorsXinhong WangXinhong Wang, PhD, is a professor at the Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Her research interests include higher education policy and administration, STEM, psychological development of adolescents.Yujin LiuYujin Liu, MA, is a master at the Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Her research interests focus on psychological development of adolescents.Shupeng LyuShupeng Lyu, PhD, is an associate professor at the School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University. His research interests focus on emergency management, campus safety and risk, political psychology, culture and behavior.Tingshuai GeTingshuai Ge, PhD, is an assistant professor at the Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. His research interests include mental health of adolescents and older adults.Quanbao JiangQuanbao Jiang, PhD, is a professor at the Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi’an Jiaotong University. His research interests include demographic analysis and public policy, ageing and health.