Relations between bullying and distress among youth living in First Nations communities: Assessing direct and moderating effects of culture-related variables

The well-being of Indigenous peoples continues to be affected by intergenerational effects of numerous harmful government policies, which are considered root causes for bullying and cyberbullying that exist in some communities. Despite ongoing stressors, Indigenous youth demonstrate resilience, which often appears grounded in connecting to their cultural identities and traditional practices. However, few studies have tested the direct and stress-buffering role of various aspects of culture in relation to well-being among First Nations youth. Analyses of the 2015-16 First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS) revealed that bullying and cyberbullying were associated with increased psychological distress among youth aged 12-17 living in First Nations communities across Canada (N = 4,968; weighted = 47,918), and that these links were stronger for females. Feelings of community belonging were directly associated with lower distress and buffered the relationships between bullying/cyberbullying and distress. Among youth who experienced cyberbullying, those who participated in community cultural events at least sometimes reported lower distress compared to those who rarely or never participated. Those who disagreed that traditional cultural events were important reported the highest levels of distress, but perceived importance of such events failed to buffer the associations between bullying/cyberbullying and distress. These national data highlight the importance of certain culture-related variables as key factors associated with the well-being of youth living in First Nations communities across Canada.

Automated summary

This study found that bullying and cyberbullying were associated with increased psychological distress among Indigenous youth living in First Nations communities in Canada, with a stronger impact on females. Feelings of community belonging were directly related to lower distress levels and buffered the relationships between bullying/cyberbullying and distress. Participation in community cultural events sometimes resulted in lower distress levels for those who experienced cyberbullying. However, the perceived importance of traditional cultural events did not buffer the associations between bullying/cyberbullying and distress.