The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms
Abstract Background Bullying has become a significant global health problem due to its high prevalence worldwide and long-term consequences on mental health, including the onset of psychotic symptoms. This study focuses on exploring the prevalence of bullying across three groups of Mexican individua...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00900-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850190814127325184 |
|---|---|
| author | Tecelli Domínguez Lourdes Nieto Ana Fresán Tamara Sheinbaum Rebeca Robles |
| author_facet | Tecelli Domínguez Lourdes Nieto Ana Fresán Tamara Sheinbaum Rebeca Robles |
| author_sort | Tecelli Domínguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bullying has become a significant global health problem due to its high prevalence worldwide and long-term consequences on mental health, including the onset of psychotic symptoms. This study focuses on exploring the prevalence of bullying across three groups of Mexican individuals with different levels of psychosis risk symptoms: non-psychosis risk (non-PR), psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), and at clinically high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P). In addition, we compare sociodemographic features, self-esteem, and self-reported bullying between the groups and then examine whether these variables are associated with the probability of belonging to the PLEs or CHR-P groups compared to the non-PR. Methods A general population sample completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B) to determine the presence of PLEs. Those meeting the PQ-B cut-off threshold were assigned to the PLEs group (n = 490), while those who scored below the cut-off comprised the non-PR group (n = 1,125). The CHR-P group (n = 45) was an independent clinical sample meeting the criteria established by the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States. All participants completed self-reports of sociodemographic characteristics, bullying, and self-esteem. Results The CHR-P group had a higher percentage of men, single participants, and lower levels of education than the PLEs and the non-PR groups. PLEs and CHR-P participants reported a lower socioeconomic status, lower self-esteem, and higher prevalence of bullying than the non-PR group. The multinomial logistic regression indicated that the factors associated with belonging to the CHR-P group were lower education, being a man, and being single. Furthermore, being younger, having lower self-esteem, and having experienced bullying were associated with belonging to the PLEs and CHR-P groups. Among all these variables, bullying emerged as a robust risk factor associated with psychosis risk symptoms since it increased the odds of being CHR-P by threefold compared to the non-PR group, and it also increased the risk of PLEs compared to the non-PR group. Conclusions Findings highlight the relevance of prioritizing anti-bullying school-based programs to provide a safer school environment, as well as strengthening self-esteem (potential protective factor) in vulnerable individuals to reduce the risk of developing psychosis and minimize the long-term impact of bullying victimization on further mental health conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8fe70d4db8b540dc886e35547969c0ae |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1753-2000 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8fe70d4db8b540dc886e35547969c0ae2025-08-20T02:15:08ZengBMCChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health1753-20002025-05-011911810.1186/s13034-025-00900-wThe association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptomsTecelli Domínguez0Lourdes Nieto1Ana Fresán2Tamara Sheinbaum3Rebeca Robles4Centro de Investigación en Salud Mental Global, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”-UNAMCentro de Investigación en Salud Mental Global, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”-UNAMLaboratorio de Epidemiología Clínica, Subdirección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”Dirección de Investigaciones Epidemiológicas y Psicosociales, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”Centro de Investigación en Salud Mental Global, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría “Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz”-UNAMAbstract Background Bullying has become a significant global health problem due to its high prevalence worldwide and long-term consequences on mental health, including the onset of psychotic symptoms. This study focuses on exploring the prevalence of bullying across three groups of Mexican individuals with different levels of psychosis risk symptoms: non-psychosis risk (non-PR), psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), and at clinically high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P). In addition, we compare sociodemographic features, self-esteem, and self-reported bullying between the groups and then examine whether these variables are associated with the probability of belonging to the PLEs or CHR-P groups compared to the non-PR. Methods A general population sample completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B) to determine the presence of PLEs. Those meeting the PQ-B cut-off threshold were assigned to the PLEs group (n = 490), while those who scored below the cut-off comprised the non-PR group (n = 1,125). The CHR-P group (n = 45) was an independent clinical sample meeting the criteria established by the Comprehensive Assessment of At-Risk Mental States. All participants completed self-reports of sociodemographic characteristics, bullying, and self-esteem. Results The CHR-P group had a higher percentage of men, single participants, and lower levels of education than the PLEs and the non-PR groups. PLEs and CHR-P participants reported a lower socioeconomic status, lower self-esteem, and higher prevalence of bullying than the non-PR group. The multinomial logistic regression indicated that the factors associated with belonging to the CHR-P group were lower education, being a man, and being single. Furthermore, being younger, having lower self-esteem, and having experienced bullying were associated with belonging to the PLEs and CHR-P groups. Among all these variables, bullying emerged as a robust risk factor associated with psychosis risk symptoms since it increased the odds of being CHR-P by threefold compared to the non-PR group, and it also increased the risk of PLEs compared to the non-PR group. Conclusions Findings highlight the relevance of prioritizing anti-bullying school-based programs to provide a safer school environment, as well as strengthening self-esteem (potential protective factor) in vulnerable individuals to reduce the risk of developing psychosis and minimize the long-term impact of bullying victimization on further mental health conditions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00900-wBullyingSelf-esteemEarly psychosisPsychosis risk symptomsUltra high-risk for psychosisPsychosis continuum |
| spellingShingle | Tecelli Domínguez Lourdes Nieto Ana Fresán Tamara Sheinbaum Rebeca Robles The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health Bullying Self-esteem Early psychosis Psychosis risk symptoms Ultra high-risk for psychosis Psychosis continuum |
| title | The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| title_full | The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| title_fullStr | The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| title_short | The association of bullying and self-esteem with psychotic-like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| title_sort | association of bullying and self esteem with psychotic like experiences and clinical high risk for psychosis symptoms |
| topic | Bullying Self-esteem Early psychosis Psychosis risk symptoms Ultra high-risk for psychosis Psychosis continuum |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00900-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tecellidominguez theassociationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT lourdesnieto theassociationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT anafresan theassociationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT tamarasheinbaum theassociationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT rebecarobles theassociationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT tecellidominguez associationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT lourdesnieto associationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT anafresan associationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT tamarasheinbaum associationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms AT rebecarobles associationofbullyingandselfesteemwithpsychoticlikeexperiencesandclinicalhighriskforpsychosissymptoms |