Bullying and suicide: a public health approach.

Several recent studies have found an association between bullying and depression [1] or bullying and suicide-related behaviors [2], and one study found evidence consistent with a causal link, at least for girls [3,4]. These studies, in conjunction with extensive media coverage of the deaths by suicide of several young people who were victims of bullying, led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to convene an expert panel focusing on the relationship between bullying involvement and suicide-related behaviors. The purpose of the panel, held in September 2010, was to synthesize the latest research about the relationship between youth involvement in bullying (youth who bully, youth who are bullied, and thosewho bully and are bullied) and suicide-related behaviors (attempts, fatalities, and risk factors associated with suicide, such as depression). Experts on the topics of bullying and suicide presented their research about the relationship between these two behaviors; their work is contained in this supplement. The panel and this special issue provide clarity around the complicated issues of bullying and suicide among youth. Three key themes emerged: (1) bullying among youth is a significant public health problem; it is prevalent and frequently has detrimental effects; (2) there is a strong association between bullying and suiciderelated behaviors, but this relationship is often mediated by other factors, including depression and delinquency; and (3) there are public health strategies that can be applied to the prevention of bullying and suicide.