Do Spiritual Health Connections Protect Adolescents When They Are Bullied: A National Study of 12,593 Young Canadians
Open Access
- 1 July 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Interpersonal Violence
- Vol. 37 (13-14), NP11034-NP11065
- https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260521989853
Abstract
It has long been established that bullying has many negative impacts on the mental health of adolescents. Young people who are victimized by bullying may cope by drawing on available assets to protect themselves from harm. One such asset with ancient roots but with the potential for contemporary application is the concept of spiritual health-the idea that the connections in our lives (whether to ourselves, others, nature, or something transcendent) affect our well-being. In this study, we examined 12,593 Canadians aged 11-15 years to determine the effects of being victimized by bullying on their mental health, as measured by frequent subjective health complaints. We then explored whether strong spiritual health connections were effect modifiers that buffer such negative pathways, thereby acting as protective health assets. Data were obtained from the 2017/18 Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study. Generalized linear regression models were used to estimate associations and evaluate effect modification in different age and gender groups. Approximately 21% of participants reported being victimized by bullying. Strength of "connections to self" (i.e., a sense of meaning/purpose or joy and happiness in one's life) was found to act as an effect modifier, but in girls alone. Contrary to expectations of a buffering effect, the strongest associations between victimization and frequent health complaints were identified for girls with high connections to self. Relative risks for poor mental health among these highly self-connected girls were 1.63 [95% CI: 1.26-2.12] and 1.25 [1.06-1.47] for younger and older girls, respectively. We interpreted this unexpected finding in light of cognitive theories of trauma, which suggest that adverse events may lead to worse health outcomes among those who place particular value on their world being meaningful, controllable or benevolent. Implications for clinical intervention and health promotion are considered.This publication has 62 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prognostic significance of functional somatic symptoms in adolescence: a 15-year community-based follow-up study of adolescents with depression compared with healthy peersBMC Psychiatry, 2012
- Protecting and Promoting: An Integrative Conceptual Model for Healthy Development of AdolescentsJournal of Adolescent Health, 2011
- The Four Domains Model: Connecting Spirituality, Health and Well-BeingReligions, 2011
- Co-occurrence of Victimization from Five Subtypes of Bullying: Physical, Verbal, Social Exclusion, Spreading Rumors, and CyberJournal of Pediatric Psychology, 2010
- A cross-national profile of bullying and victimization among adolescents in 40 countriesInternational Journal of Public Health, 2009
- Indigenous health part 2: the underlying causes of the health gapThe Lancet, 2009
- Bullying and symptoms among school-aged children: international comparative cross sectional study in 28 countriesEuropean Journal of Public Health, 2005
- The impact of direct and indirect bullying on the mental and physical health of Italian youngstersAggressive Behavior, 2004
- Assumptive Worlds and the Stress of Traumatic Events: Applications of the Schema ConstructSocial Cognition, 1989
- The moderator–mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1986