Exploring the Links Between Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Ideation for Secondary Students with Disabilities: The Mediating Role of Mental Health

Abstract Bullying victimization is a well-established risk factor for adverse mental health outcomes, including suicidal ideation, yet less is known about the mechanisms linking these experiences for students with disabilities. Using data from the Georgia Student Health Survey ( N = 356,292 high school students across 496 schools), this study examined differences in bullying victimization, mental health difficulties, and suicidal ideation by Individualized Education Program (IEP) status and tested direct, mediated, and moderated pathways among these constructs. Students with IEPs reported higher levels of bullying victimization, mental health difficulties, and suicidal ideation compared to peers without IEPs, although effect sizes were small. Bullying victimization was directly associated with suicidal ideation, and this association did not differ by IEP status. Structural equation modeling indicated that mental health difficulties mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation, with a partially mediated model providing the best fit. Multi-group analyses further revealed that bullying victimization exerted a stronger effect on mental health difficulties among students with IEPs, which in turn elevated their risk for suicidal ideation. These findings highlight the importance of examining mechanisms of suicide-related risk and underscore the need for school-based prevention and intervention efforts that simultaneously address bullying experiences and mental health, particularly for students with disabilities.