Personality Traits and Links between Bullying, Emotional Distress, and Substance Use among Emerging Adults

Bullying is a form of interpersonal aggression that is associated with mental health and substance use problems. Certain personality traits are risk factors for both bullying involvement (i.e., bullying perpetration and/or victimization), and psychopathology, particularly among adolescents. However, little is known about whether these associations between bullying involvement, personality vulnerability, and psychopathology persist into emerging adulthood. This study examined how bullying involvement and maladaptive personality traits (anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, impulsivity, sensation seeking) cluster together in groups and how those groups differ in emotional distress/substance use symptoms. Five profiles were identified using latent profile analysis: 1) high victimization, inhibited personality; 2) high perpetration/victimization, impulsive personality; 3) high-risk personality; 4) resilient/inhibited personality; and 5) resilient/externalizing personality. The high-risk personality profile demonstrated the highest emotional distress, followed by profiles characterized by bullying involvement. Elevated substance use was observed among groups characterized by both bullying involvement and personality vulnerability.