Open AccessBullying Perpetration and Victimization in Youth: Associations with Irritability and Anxiety
Author(s) -
Hung Wei Chen,
Erin Gardner,
Tessa Clarkson,
Nicholas R. Eaton,
Jillian Lee Wiggins,
Ellen Leibenluft,
Johanna M. Jarcho
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
child psychiatry and human development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1573-3327
pISSN - 0009-398X
DOI - 10.1007/s10578-021-01192-9
Subject(s) - irritability , anxiety , psychology , moderation , peer victimization , aggression , clinical psychology , poison control , injury prevention , suicide prevention , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , medical emergency
Prior work on has demonstrated that irritability and anxiety are associated with bullying perpetration and victimization, respectively. Even though symptoms of irritability and anxiety often occur concurrently, few studies have tested their interactive effects on perpetration or victimization. The current study recruited 131 youths from a broader program of research that examines the pathophysiology and treatment of pediatric irritability and anxiety. Two moderation tests were performed to examine concurrent irritability and anxiety symptoms and their relation to perpetration and victimization of bullying. More severe anxiety was associated with greater victimization. However, more severe irritability was associated with, not just greater perpetration, but also greater victimization. An irritability-by-anxiety interaction demonstrated that youths with more severe irritability and lower levels of anxiety engaged in more perpetration. Our findings suggest a more nuanced approach to understanding how the commonly comorbid symptoms of irritability and anxiety interact in relation to peer-directed behavior in youths.