Temporomandibular disorders and bullying: The mediating role of anxiety in young adults

Background: Bullying is a major social issue. Individuals who experience bullying victimization may develop stress-related health disorders, such as anxiety and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). As school bullying can enhance or trigger stress and anxiety, individuals who experience bullying victimization are prone to develop TMD. However, it is still unclear whether this relationship is mediated by anxiety. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anxiety in the relationship between bullying victimization and TMD among young adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 578 students aged 18 to 25 years in Yucatan, Mexico. A mediation model was used to identify whether anxiety mediated the relationship between bullying victimization and the development of TMD. Results: Our results showed that 14.2% of the students self-identified as victims of bullying, and 43.7% reported having a type of TMD. The indirect effect of the pathway "victimization -> anxiety -> TMD" was significant (13= 0.660; p <0.001). There was also an effect, not mediated by anxiety (13= 0.31; p= 0.026). This means that the relationship between victimization caused by bullying and TMD is mostly mediated by anxiety. Conclusion: This study presents the first evidence of the role of anxiety as a mediator of the relationship between bullying victimization and TMD among young adults in Mexico.