Bullying linked to mental health problems

Bullying during early school years may trigger mental health problems in both bullies and their victims when they grow up, a study reported in the August issue of Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, suggested last month.

The study spanned 10-15 years: It was first conducted among 2,540 boys aged eight, who were questioned on bullying. Their parents and teachers had also been interviewed. A decade later, information on the boys was collected to determine the presence of psychiatric disorders when the participants reached 18-23 years of age. The study did not refer to girls.

Andre Sourander and other colleagues from Turku University in Finland, supported by the Finish Pediatric Research Foundation (Lastentautien Kummisäätiö), found out that bullying and victimisation during early school years may identify boys at risk for psychiatric disorders in early adulthood.

"Both bullying and victimisation during early school years are public health signs that identify boys who are at risk of suffering psychiatric disorders in early adulthood. The school health and educational system has a central role to play in detecting these boys at risk," the researchers said.

However, the effects on victims were different from those who were also bullies and victims, or only bullies.

The researchers say that children who engage in frequent bullying behaviour but who are not victims of bullying are more likely to develop antisocial personality, substance abuse, and depressive and anxiety disorders. On the other hand, victims of bullying are more likely to develop anxiety disorder; whereas those who are victims and who also engage in bullying behaviour are more likely to develop both antisocial personality and anxiety disorder.

It seems that boys who are both bullies and victims seem especially in need of help, the researchers said. "Of these boys, who made up three per cent of the study group, nearly all had some psychiatric problem at the age of eight".

The researchers recommend early screening to identify bullies, victims, and combined bullies and victims:

"Proponents of preventing or stopping bullying in schools should consider the provision of individual psychiatric assessments for those involved, and subsequently offering them mental health treatment for their problems. Additional studies that address resilience factors (for example, parental and social support systems and the child's cognitive and social skills in dealing with bullying behaviour) are warranted. Because childhood bullying is a complex behaviour with potentially serious consequences, the early identification of children at risk should be a priority for society," the researchers conclude.