Bullying: Mental Health Consequences

Article written by Brennan Davis, THINK Educator

What is Bullying  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define bullying as,

“Any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social or educational harm.” (2019)

Bullying is a pervasive issue with 1 in 5 high school students reporting to have been bullied at school in the last year. It can be inflicted in many ways including through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices. This is referred to as cyberbullying. Regardless of how bullying is done, it has been found to have an impact on the youth who experience it whether that be in the role of the victim, perpetrator, or bystander.

Bullying Victims

Victims of bullying may experience a variety of negative mental health effects including high rates of depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Youth who are bullied in the role of the victim also have been found to have lower academic achievement and lower social functioning (Rivers et al.,2009). Victims of bullying may also experience sleep difficulties (CDC, 2019). The National Eating Disorders Association (2018) states that being a victim of bullying can contribute to poor body image and has been shown to directly contribute to the development of eating disorders. A study done by Perren, Ettakal, and Ladd (2013) found that youth who believed that they deserved to be bullied are more likely to face negative consequences such as depression or maladjustment. Not only does bullying have a present effect on youth’s mental health, the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (2002) states that even years after the bullying has ceased that adults who were bullied as teens have higher levels of depression and lower self-esteem when compared to other adults. 

Youth who Bully

Youth who demonstrate bullying behavior have lower levels of school engagement and perform higher rates of delinquent and aggressive behaviors when outside of the school setting (Evans et al. ,2019:Rivers et al.,2009). Youth who bully are at an increased risk for substance use as well. Lastly, the CDC notes that they also have an increased risk for experiencing violence in adolescence and adulthood (CDC, 2019).

Dual Roles: Bully-Victims

Some individuals may occupy both the role of the victim and the role of the perpetrator depending on the situation. According to the CDC (2019) youth who identify with both the role of the bully and the victim suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems.  These bully-victims have higher rates of depression and as students, they have higher rates of being referred to psychiatric assessments when compared to students who are primarily the perpetrator or primarily the victim. There are also higher rates of substance use among youth who identify as bully-victims. (Rivers et al.,2009).

Bullying Bystanders 

Bystanders who witness bullying may experience negative mental health effects even though they were not an active participant in the bullying. Evans et al. (2019) research notes that youth who witnessed bullying while at school experienced increased anxiety and depression regardless if they supported the victim or the bully. The CDC (2014) notes that bystanders report significantly more feelings of helplessness and less sense of connectedness when compared to youth who did not observe bullying. Bystanders may experience stress related to fears of retaliation or because they wanted to intervene but did not. 

Bullying and Suicide 

When discussing bullying risks, an unnerving one commonly displayed in media, from the news to popular television shows such as 13 Reasons Why, is suicide. The CDC (2014) notes that, a vast majority of youth who are involved in bullying do not engage in suicide related behavior. However, it has been shown that involvement in bullying, along with other risk factors, can increase the chance that a young person will engage in suicide related behaviors. The CDC (2014)  states that bully-victims have the highest risk for suicide related behavior when compared to any other groups involved in bullying. For more helpful information on this specific topic, read the article The Relationship Between Bullying and Suicide: What We Know located at https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-suicide-translation-final-a.pdf .

What Parents Can Do

The possible implications of bullying can seem overwhelming for parents and guardians. Parents should know that they are not alone in dealing with these issues and that it may be helpful to employ the help of a mental health professional. No matter what the child’s role was, health care professionals can help youth process the potential effects of being involved in bullying. Being proactive in addressing bullying and mental health concerns early can help prevent harmful negative experiences from hindering youth personal development (Stopbullying.com,2019).

References 

Bullying and Eating Disorders (2019).National Eating Disorder Association. Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/help-overcome-eating-disorders/neda

Effects of Bullying on Mental Health (2019). Stopbullying.gov. Retrieved from https://www.stopbullying.gov/blog/2019/10/25/effects-bullying-mental-health

Evans, C.B.R., Smokowski, P.R., Rose, R.A. et al. (2019). Cumulative bullying experiences, adolescent behavioral and mental health, and academic achievement: An integrative model of perpetration, victimization, and bystander behavior. J Child Fam Stud 28, 2415–2428. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-018-1078-4

Facts for Teens: Bullying (2002).National Youth Violence Prevention Center Resource Center. Retrieved from http://www.ncdsv.org/images/NYVPRC_FactsForTeensBullying.pdf

Preventing Bullying (2019). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/fastfact.html

Perren, S., Ettekal, I., & Ladd, G. (2013). The impact of peer victimization on later   maladjustment: Mediating and moderating effects of hostile and self-blaming attributions. Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54, 46-55. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3527635/ .

Rivers, I., Poteat, P., Noret, N., & Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing bullying at school: The mental health implications of witness status. School Psychology Quarterly.  Retrieved July 10, 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232891077

The Relationship Between Bullying and Suicide: What We Know and What it Means for Schools (2014). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-suicide-translation-final-a.pdf