Cyberbullying Victimization and Suicide Attempt Among Adolescents: A Cross-National Comparison

Meytal Grimland, Yuko Mori, Sigita Lesinskiene, Liping Li, Say How Ong, Samir Kumar Praharaj, Tjhin Wiguna, Zahra Zamani, Emmi Heinonen, Sonja Gilbert, Anat Brunstein Klomek (), Andre Sourander and the EACMHS Study Group
Additional contact information
Meytal Grimland: INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Yuko Mori: INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Sigita Lesinskiene: Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, LT-01131 Vilnius, Lithuania
Liping Li: School of Public Health, Shantou University, Shantou 515041, China
Say How Ong: Department of Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore 539747, Singapore
Samir Kumar Praharaj: Department of Psychiatry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal 576104, India
Tjhin Wiguna: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia
Zahra Zamani: Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 13399-73111, Iran
Emmi Heinonen: INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Sonja Gilbert: INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
Anat Brunstein Klomek: Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Reichman University, Herzliya 4610101, Israel
Andre Sourander: INVEST Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
the EACMHS Study Group: The EACMHS Study Group: Shahin Akhondzadeh (Psychiatric Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran); Daniel S. S. Fung (Department of Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore); Raden Irawati Ismail (Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia-dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta-Indonesia); Praveen A. Jain (Department of Psychiatry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India); Avinash G. Kamath (Department of Psychiatry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India); Jerrine Z. N. Khong (Advocacy and Research Department, Singapore Children’s Society, Singapore); Albert Prabowo Limawan (Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia); Maryam Mohseny (Department of Community Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran); Ali Najafi (Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran); Zhekuan Peng (Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China); Rini Sekartini (Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia-dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Jakarta-Indonesia); Yi Ren Tan (Department of Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore).

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: The widespread use of the Internet among teenagers has raised concerns about cyberbullying and its impact on adolescent well-being. This study examined the association between cyberbullying victimization and suicide attempts among adolescents in high-income and low/middle-income countries. Data from six countries (Singapore, China, Iran, Indonesia, India, and Lithuania) were collected as part of the Eurasian Child Mental Health Study. A total sample of 9892 adolescents aged 13–15 years old (51.9% girls) was analyzed. Generalized estimating equation models with school-wise clusters were conducted. The prevalence of suicide attempts was 4.8%, with higher rates among girls. Cyberbullying victimization only was reported by 5.4% of the participants, while traditional bullying victimization only was reported by 19.2%. The study found that being a victim of combined (both traditional and cyberbullying) had the highest odds of suicide attempt in both high-income and low/middle-income countries. Emotional symptoms were identified as a moderator, influencing the association between combined bullying victimization and suicide attempt. These findings highlight the urgent need for global efforts to prevent and intervene in cyberbullying and its detrimental effects on adolescent mental health. The study emphasizes the importance of examining regional risk factors and implementing targeted interventions to address this growing public health concern.

Keywords: bullying; cyberbullying; suicide attempt; adolescents; cross-national comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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