Grant: Operating Grant

Bullying in schools is a severe problem in many countries. In Canada between 20% and 25% of girls and boys are bullied by peers at some point during their school years. Little is known, however, about how chronic peer victimization during the school years may affect later mental health in young adulthood. Understanding this association is crucial, because mental health problems during young adulthood have profound implications for the quality of later life. It is also critical to identify the bio-physiological mechanisms through which peer victimization gets "under the skull, skin and cells" and leads to mental health problems in young adult women and men. Adverse experiences such as peer victimization are thought to trigger long-lasting disruptions in bio-physiological systems, which increase the risk of negative health outcomes later in life. From a prevention perspective, it is equally important to identify protective factors that may prevent bio-physiological system disruptions and the development of long-term mental health problems during adulthood in bullying victims. It is also essential to investigate differences between female and male victims in this regard, with in turn may explain health disparities between young adult men and women. To address these issues, we will use a genetically informed design based on 420 twin pairs (840 individuals) who were recruited at birth and followed until the end of high school. By accounting for the role of genetic influences, this design is ideal for understanding the influence of adverse environmental experiences on health. Together with the previously collected data, the proposed research will provide unique insights into the long-term effect of peer victimization and offer empirically-based resources for health professionals concerned with promoting a healthy transition to adulthood for female and male victims of school bullying.