A new publication examines the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and suicide attempts among adolescents

A new GCAMHS research article has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

The cross-national study examines the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and suicide attempts among adolescents, addressing a critical research gap in low- and middle-income countries. The research investigates how this association differs between high-income and low-to-middle-income countries, and explores whether emotional symptoms moderate the cyberbullying-suicide attempt association.

The study’s analysis of 9,892 adolescents across six countries revealed that victims of combined traditional and cyberbullying had the highest suicide attempt odds (ranging from 4.22 to 15.61 times higher risk depending on the country), with emotional symptoms significantly moderating this relationship.

These findings demonstrate a concerning “dose-response effect” where exposure to multiple forms of bullying dramatically increases suicide risk, and highlight significant cross-national variations that demand country-specific intervention strategies.

The research provides crucial evidence for policymakers and mental health professionals, emphasizing that effective suicide prevention programs must address both traditional and cyberbullying simultaneously while screening for underlying emotional disorders, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where such data has been limited.

Grimland, M.; Mori, Y.; Lesinskiene, S.; Li, L.; Ong, S.H.; Praharaj, S.K.; Wiguna, T.; Zamani, Z.; Heinonen, E.; Gilbert, S.; et al. Cyberbullying Victimization and Suicide Attempt Among Adolescents: A Cross-National Comparison. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 385. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22030385