Is Your Child Being Bullied at School? Here's Why It's Critical to Intervene
A new study reveals that children who experience bullying at school are at greater risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues than those who suffer neglect or abuse from adults.
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Bullying at school causes children to experience sustained psychological trauma on the same scale as severe physical abuse, according to a new study conducted in the United States.
The study, which included 480 students aged 18 to 22, found that the damage caused by bullying among children can persist for many years and affect the mental health of victims even after reaching adulthood. While most research on bullying has focused on ages from kindergarten to high school, this study on college students revealed the need to examine the impact of the issue on older age groups as well.
The study, conducted by educational psychologist Professor Dorothy Espelage from the University of Florida, found that students who experienced frequent bullying during childhood reported a higher number of mental health issues compared to their peers. According to the research, bullying from other children was the strongest predictor of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder among students—a stronger predictor even than exposure to community violence or neglect and abuse from adults.
Girls who were bullied by their peers particularly suffered emotional damage and reported higher levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder compared to boys who were bullied.
"Being significantly bullied by peers was a significant predictor of depression and anxiety levels in young adulthood, beyond other traumatic childhood experiences," says Espelage.
The researchers suggest that mental health professionals working with students should be aware that students requiring psychological help likely suffered various types of trauma that should be explored, and it is likely that suffering from bullying in school played a major role in the development of their problems. Interventions that assist young people in developing protective social support networks are likely the best way to help them overcome the trauma of the bullying they experienced as children, the researchers add.
