Past research shows that mental health issues are often linked to past bullying. This applies to both the bully and the one being bullied.
MSNBC reports that a recent study links future emotional problems to bullying. Dr. Louise Arseneault of King's College in London writes that students that have been victimized have significantly more problems with behaviors in school by age 7. They are also more likely to bully themselves. A recent lawsuit in Australia shows how serious residual effects can be.
What Are The Symptoms?
Students that have been victimized by bullying show the following behaviors:
Less happy in school by age 7
More withdrawn
Less considerate of people's feelings
More adjustment problems
Anxiety
Depression
Likely Targets
The likely targets are students who look different, act different, or select activities that are not mainstream. And, according to Cliff Isaacson, author and therapist, the most likely birth order to be bullied or become a bully is the fourth born.
Dr. Arseneault concludes that "bullying could be regarded as a stressful life event that might influence children's normal development." Read the latest on a bullying lawsuits: Bully Victim Gets $1 Million, Bully Costs Private School $4M.
The copyright of the article Long-Term Effects of Bullying in Educational Issues is owned by Barbara Pytel. Permission to republish Long-Term Effects of Bullying in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
Thanks for a great, concise review
of the effects of bullying. This is the perfect time for that list - when
schools are just starting in many areas and when students may find
themselves in these situations.
Teachers and schools need to be
vigilant when dealing with bullying for the very reasons you mention.
Thanks for a great article!
Irene
Feb 22, 2007 2:54 AM
Hannah :
Is there any evidence to suggest that bullying can prompt speech
difficulties, such as stammering, in later life?
Feb 22, 2007 4:49 AM
Barbara Pytel :
Actually, the article posted on Educational Issues on August 11,
Stuttering: New Research, shows that it is more like to be a genetic and
neurological predisposition more than caused by parents or teachers. You
can find it by scrolling down to archives. Vanderbilt University in
Nashville, TN did the study. "Reactive" students are more likely
to stutter. However, are reactive students more likely to be bullied?
Vanderbilt plans on doing more studies on this topic.
Nov 6, 2008 7:59 AM
Guest :
ok wow this site is pretty pathetic i mean its not our fault that these
kids MAKE themselves targets for being bullied i mean ya'll mothers out
there need to tell them how to fight back and stop running to the teacher
EVERYTIME there is a problem
Nov 19, 2008 9:36 PM
Guest :
Kids making themselves targets? Guest, it sounds as if you have some
firsthand experience with bullying people. Just because someone is
different than you; color, race, religion, artistic abilities, etc... does
not give you or anyone else a license to "TARGET" and terrorize
anyone.
Bullying at an early age affected my self-esteem so
badly that I dropped out of school. My parents/Mother did not make me a
target as you suggest, but there were many highly effective approaches that
I could have taken that would have stopped the bullying dead in its tracks
before it escalated.
After the final gang attack when I was
16, I started studying Karate full time. Only one person harassed me after
that, and I quickly sent that bully to the hospital. I am not proud of
that, but I had no other choice, he had a knife. After teaching numerous
styles of martial arts for over 30 years, and reviewing how our educational
system is attempting to deal with the rapidly growing problem of bullying,
we as parents and professionals need to learn and teach highly effective
and legal methods for stopping bullying before it escalates to violence.
Violence should be a LAST RESORT, but if forced to defend against an
assailant, technique should be executed with enough speed and control to
simply stop the attacker. Each situation is different and professional
training is required.
It is my belief that any individual
(even at the age of 5) can learn to stop bullying before it escalates into
physical violence. This is why my Son (also a Black Belt) and I have
decided to write a very unique book on how to defuse a bully situation.
These are legal, proven methods that work, and are not taught in our
schools. It is our goal to empower everyone that reads this book with the
strength and wisdom to overcome all bully situations.
In
closing I would like to add that this website is an excellent resource to
open up communication and knowledge. Thank you!
Bruce Crary -
President - American Martial Arts Certified Professionals www.AMACP.com
Nov 24, 2008 6:27 PM
Guest :
nothing leads to bullying
Dec 9, 2008 12:29 PM
Guest :
Hey! I hope that you get help later in life or learn how to fight back. Good Luck!! Shelbe Carter
