Journal of Psychology & Psychotherapy
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0487
+44 1478 350008
ISSN: 2161-0487
+44 1478 350008
Yo Hyeong KIM1, Yancy SHI2, Chenpeng SUN2
1 Shanghai American School, China 2 The Education University of Hong Kong, HK
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Psychol Psychother
Statement of the Problem: During and following the epidemic, bullying, particularly cyberbullying, became more prevalent among teenage girls. Concurrently, depression is also emerging as a significantly escalating issue. This study investigated the correlation between bullying, cyberbullying, and depression in a substantial sample of adolescent girls in China. Methods: A total of 15,577 adolescent girls (10-19 years old) completed surveys online. School bullying (verbal, physical and social/relational bullying) was measured using the Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale-Student. Cyberbullying was measured using the Revised Cyberbullying Inventory. Distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization were measured by the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire. Linear mixed models were performed for analysis to examine the associations between school bullying and distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization. The associations were adjusted for age, BMI, city level, and school type. Results: Both school and cyber bullying scores were positively associated with distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization scores. Age was negatively associated with distress, depression, and anxiety. For somatization, the negative association of age was found only among school bullying (verbal, physical and social/relational bullying) but not in cyberbullying. Conclusions: Verbal, physical, social, and cyberbullying in adolescent girls were associated with higher levels of distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization. Whereas older adolescents experienced lower levels of distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization when encountering verbal, physical, and social bullying at school. Cyberbullying does not discriminate based on age. Subsequent research might address the role of age when exploring the relationship between bullying and depression.
Yo Hyeong Kim is a young entrepreneur passionate in self-care and bullying issues among adolescents. She has initiated and participated in various service projects, such as co-founded “haf haf,” a self-care brand that donates products to underprivileged communities; “Ni Liu,” an underwater dance piece that advocates for anti-bullying; and Team Treehole, an AI chatbot that supports students who face non-physical bullying. She seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between theory and practice through positive psychology, hoping to improve her capacity for comprehension of people, make wise judgments, and eventually help more youth in developing stronger self-confidence.