Child sexual abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, and mental health problems among high schools students: A moderated mediated model

Child sexual abuse can leave young people more vulnerable to further victimization. This large longitudinal survey of Quebec teens found that those who had been sexually abused were about twice as likely to be cyberbullied as their peers. Cyberbullying and in-person bullying partly explained the link between sexual abuse and later mental health problems, including low self-esteem, distress and suicidal thoughts. Strong maternal support weakened this pathway, which suggests that interventions for sexually abused youth could benefit from involving parents.