Possible Avoidant Personality Disorder Magnifies the Association Between Bullying Victimization and Depressive Symptoms Among Chinese University Freshmen

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Bao-Liang Zhong¹  Yi Li¹  Yan-Min Xu¹  Shan-Shan Pu² 

[1] Department of Psychiatry, Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China;Wuhan Mental Health Center, School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Wuhan, China;

关键词: bullying victimization;    depressive symptoms;    avoidant personality;    freshmen;    China;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyt.2022.822185

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundBullying victimization has been associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese university students. This study examined the moderating effect of possible avoidant personality disorder (APD) on association between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms in university freshmen.MethodsA total of 1,453 freshmen were recruited from a comprehensive university in Wuhan, China, and administered a self-report questionnaire. The APD subscale of Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire–Version 4 and Beck Depression Inventory were used to measure the presence of possible APD and depressive symptoms, respectively. The moderating effect of possible APD was examined by testing the statistical significance of the interaction between victimization and possible APD in multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms was 24.8%. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the interaction between bullying victimization and possible APD was significantly associated with depressive symptoms (OR: 1.80, P = 0.029). Subsequent subgroup analyses according to the status of possible APD showed that, the victimization-depression association was stronger among freshmen with possible APD (OR: 3.23, P < 0.001) than those without possible APD (OR: 1.82, P = 0.001).ConclusionIn Chinese university freshmen, bullying victimization is significantly associated with depressive symptoms, and possible APD magnifies the victimization-depression association. Bullied freshmen, particularly freshmen with possible APD, could be considered as the target group of campus-based depression intervention programs.

【 授权许可】

Unknown