Prior work on has demonstrated that irritability and anxiety are associated with bullying perpetration and victimization, respectively. Even though symptoms of irritability and anxiety often occur concurrently, few studies have tested their interactive effects on perpetration or victimization. The current study recruited 131 youths from a broader program of research that examines the pathophysiology and treatment of pediatric irritability and anxiety. Two moderation tests were performed to examine concurrent irritability and anxiety symptoms and their relation to perpetration and victimization of bullying. More severe anxiety was associated with greater victimization. However, more severe irritability was associated with, not just greater perpetration, but also greater victimization. An irritability-by-anxiety interaction demonstrated that youths with more severe irritability and lower levels of anxiety engaged in more perpetration. Our findings suggest a more nuanced approach to understanding how the commonly comorbid symptoms of irritability and anxiety interact in relation to peer-directed behavior in youths.

先前的研究表明，易怒和焦虑分别与欺凌行为和受害有关。尽管易怒和焦虑的症状经常同时出现，但很少有研究测试它们对犯罪或受害的交互影响。目前的研究从一个更广泛的研究项目中招募了 131 名青年，该项目检查了小儿易怒和焦虑的病理生理学和治疗。进行了两次适度测试，以检查并发的易怒和焦虑症状及其与欺凌的实施和受害的关系。更严重的焦虑与更大的受害有关。然而，更严重的易怒不仅与更大的犯罪有关，而且与更大的受害有关。易怒与焦虑的交互作用表明，易怒和焦虑程度较低的青少年犯罪率更高。我们的研究结果提出了一种更细致入微的方法来理解易怒和焦虑的常见共病症状如何与青少年的同伴指导行为相互作用。