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Why some kids suffer chronic bullying
Oct. 8, 2008
Courtesy JAMA/Archives Journals
and World Science staff
The children most likely to suffer repeated bullying are those who are aggressive in infancy; who come from poorer families; and who experience harsher parenting, a study has found. The children most likely to suffer repeated bullying are those who are aggressive in infancy; who come from poorer families; and who experience harsher parenting, a study has
found. (Image courtesy CT Dept. of Children & Families)
The study, published in the October issue of the research journal
Archives of General Psychiatry, noted that some children fall into “chronic” patterns of victimization by their peers. As many as one in 10 youth are the direct target of physical attacks, hostile words and social aggression from peers during school years, the paper noted.
“Peer victimization becomes increasingly stable over time, with the same children enduring such negative experiences throughout childhood and adolescence,” the authors write.
The consequences include “depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, physical health problems, social withdrawal, alcohol and/or drug use, school absence and avoidance, decrease in school performance, self-harm” and suicidal tendencies.
Edward D. Barker of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and colleagues studied 1,970 boys and girls born in Québec, Montreal, Canada, in 1997 and 1998.
Participating children were assessed eight times between the ages of 4.5 months and seven years. At each point, mothers provided information on factors such as victimization, family adversity, parenting styles, physical aggression and hyperactivity. At age 7.2 years, teachers and children reported on victimization by classmates.
Children who were aggressive at 17 months of age were more likely to become victims in preschool, the researchers found. They also noted that harsh parenting and insufficient family income predicted higher victimization risk. “These results suggest that early preventive interventions should target both child- and parent-level risks and focus on alternatives to harsh and aggressive interactions,” they wrote.
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The children most likely to suffer repeated bullying are those who are aggressive in infancy; who come from poorer families; and who experience harsher parenting, a study has found. The study, published in the October issue of the research journal Archives of General Psychiatry, noted that some children fall into “chronic” patterns of victimization by their peers. As many as one in 10 youth are the direct target of physical attacks, hostile words and social aggression from peers during school years, the paper noted. “Peer victimization becomes increasingly stable over time, with the same children enduring such negative experiences throughout childhood and adolescence,” the authors write. The consequences include “depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, physical health problems, social withdrawal, alcohol and/or drug use, school absence and avoidance, decrease in school performance, self-harm” and suicidal tendencies. Edward D. Barker of the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and colleagues studied 1,970 boys and girls born in Québec, Montreal, Canada, in 1997 and 1998. Participating children were assessed eight times between the ages of 4.5 months and seven years. At each point, mothers provided information on factors such as victimization, family adversity, parenting styles, physical aggression and hyperactivity. At age 7.2 years, teachers and children reported on victimization by classmates. Children who were aggressive at 17 months of age were more likely to become victims in preschool, the researchers found. They also noted that harsh parenting and insufficient family income also predicted higher victimization risk. “These results suggest that early preventive interventions should target both child- and parent-level risks and focus on alternatives to harsh and aggressive interactions,” they wrote.