Bullying Perpetration and Victimization as Externalizing and Internalizing Pathways: A Retrospective Study Linking Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem to Depression, Alcohol Use, and Alcohol-Related Problems

Abstract

Emerging research suggests significant positive associations between bullying and substance use behaviors. However, these studies typically focused either on the link between substance use and bullying perpetration or victimization, and few have conceptualized bullying perpetration and/or victimization as mediators. In this study, we simultaneously tested past bullying perpetration and victimization as mediational pathways from retrospective report of parenting styles and global self-esteem to current depressive symptoms, alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Data were collected from a college sample of 419 drinkers. Mediation effects were conducted using a bias-corrected bootstrap technique in structural equation modeling. Two-path mediation analyses indicated that mother and father authoritativeness were protective against bully victimization and depression through higher self-esteem. Conversely, having a permissive or authoritarian mother was positively linked to bullying perpetration, which in turn was associated with increased alcohol use, and to a lesser degree, more alcohol-related problems. Mother authoritarianism was associated with alcohol-related problems through depressive symptoms. Three-path mediation analyses suggested a trend in which individuals with higher self-esteem were less likely to report alcohol-related problems through lower levels of bullying victimization and depression. Results suggested that bullying perpetration and victimization may respectively serve as externalizing and internalizing pathways through which parenting styles and self-esteem are linked to depression and alcohol-related outcomes. The present study identified multiple modifiable precursors of, and mediational pathways to, alcohol-related problems which could guide the development and implementation of prevention programs targeting problematic alcohol use.

Maternal depression and bullying victimization among adolescents: Results from the 2004 Pelotas cohort study

“…According to the literature, children with lower social competence, lower self‐esteem, higher anxiety, lack of social self‐efficacy, lower self‐regard and greater withdrawal are more likely to be bullied (Guerra, Williams, & Sadek, ; Luk et al., ; Meland, Rydning, Lobben, Breidablik, & Ekeland, ; Nation, Vieno, Perkins, & Santinello, ; Navarro, Yubero, & Larrañaga, ; Perren & Alsaker, ). Despite this general profile, some differences have been found regarding the way victims react to aggression; victims are not a homogeneous group, some are passive, submissive victims, and react by crying or withdrawing, while others are aggressive victims, with a negative attitude toward violence (Brockenbrough, Cornell, & Loper, ; Olweus, ).…”

Estilos parentais e comportamentos de bullyingem adolescentes e jovens adultos: Efeito moderador da personalidade

“…O bullying "direto" caracteriza-se pela presença de agressões físicas e/ou verbais incisivas face à vítima, enquanto o bullying "indireto" consiste em as ações de isolamento ou exclusão intencional do grupo (Martins, 2005). Cabe clarificar, ainda, que o bullying na sua grande maioria das vezes é desvalorizado, na medida em que não é completamente percetível para os demais, pois certos comportamentos dos jovens são compreendidos pelos outros como condutas normativas do crescimento (Luk et al, 2016).…”

“…De acordo com a literatura, as atitudes implementadas pelas figuras parentais no seio familiar parecem constituir aspetos importantes ao nível da regulação comportamental da população juvenil. Esta questão é corroborada pela investigação desenvolvida por Luk et al (2016) que apurou que as condutas parentais pautadas quer pela indulgência quer pela coerção física e punição estabeleciam importantes preditores dos comportamentos de bullying. Outras investigações apuraram que os jovens que desenvolvem comportamentos agressivos revelavam características ligadas ao traço de personalidade de extroversão, enquanto os jovens tidos como vítimas apresentavam maiores níveis de introversão e rejeição social (e.g., Fossati, Borroni, & Maffei, 2012).…”

Parenting Styles and Alcohol Use in Brazilian Males

“…Studies have shown that the various parenting styles involved in parent-child relationships act as psychosocial variables capable of exerting a great influence on the adoption of diverse health-threatening behaviors among young people, including psychoactive substance use (Calafat, García, Juan, Becoña, & Fernández-Hermida, 2014;Martínez-Loredo et al, 2016). Lack of moral behavior (Nurco & Lerner, 1996), negative moral emotions, such as shame and guilt (Luk et al, 2016), physical and psychological abuse and neglect are all predictors of alcohol use by teenagers (Martínez-Loredo et al, 2016). Parental disapproval of alcohol use and a good parent-child relationship are both associated with lower levels of drinking in later adolescence (Ryan, Jorm, & Lubman, 2010).…”

“…Various parental behaviors are associated with both the age at which a teenager begins drinking and subsequent drinking problems (Penjor, Thorsteinsson, Price, & Loi, 2019). Drug use by parents themselves, their permissive attitudes in the face of such use by their children and their incapacity to control their children are predisposing factors for initiating or continuing drug use (Berge, Sundell, Ojehagen, & Hakansson, 2016;Cablova, Csemy, Belacek, & Miovsky, 2016;Calafat et al, 2014;Luk et al, 2016;Paiva, Bastos, & Ronzani, 2012;Valente, Cogo-Moreira, & Sanchez, 2017). Lack of support and negligence on the part of parents can make adolescents more vulnerable to drug abuse, especially because this can increase the likelihood of their involvement with peers that use drugs (Martínez-Loredo et al, 2016;Valente et al, 2017).…”