Association between school bullying and late-life depression: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study

Background

Existing literature suggests that school bullying can have long-lasting effects on mental health, but its specific impact on late-life depression remain underexplored. This study aims to investigate the association between early-life school bullying experiences and depression symptoms in old age and the variations by sex, place of residence and educational level.

Method

Data were derived from the Life History Survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2014, including 4333 older adults aged ≥60 years. School bullying was assessed on the basis of self-reported experiences during childhood. Depression symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10. Poisson regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between early-life school bullying experience and late-life depression.

Results

Of the 4333 respondents, 607 (14%) reported being bullied during childhood, and 1274 (29.4%) exhibited symptoms of depression. Older adults who experienced school bullying were 1.17 times more likely to exhibit depression symptoms compared with those without such experiences (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.173; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.027–1.3390). This association was more prominent among women (PR, 1.284; 95% CI, 1.093–1.475), rural residents (PR, 1.477; 95% CI, 1.210–1.803) and those with education at primary school level (PR, 1.172; 95% CI, 1.017–1.352). The results remained robust using an alternative school bullying cutoff and after imputing all missing data.

Conclusion

Early-life school bullying is a significant risk factor for depression in later life, with its impact being particularly pronounced among women, rural residents and those with lower educational levels. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health interventions for individuals with a history of early-life school bullying to mitigate long-term psychological effects. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25: 454–462.