A groundbreaking report published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in 2003ref found that bullying at home or at school may lead to more aggressive behavior as the child gets older. The report analyzed information from a 1998 survey of more than 15,000 students in grades 6-10 in public and private schools across the United States. The report identified bullying as a strong risk factor for possible violence in the future. Among those who pose the greatest risk for violence are bullies who often feel threatened themselves.
The study found that both children who bully and those who are bullied carry weapons to schools:
- About 50 percent of boys and 30 percent of girls who had bullied others in school reported carrying a weapon.
- Thirty-six percent of boys and 15 percent of girls who had been bullied carried a weapon.
- Youth who are bullied and who also bully others away from school were nearly 16 times more likely to carry a weapon.
The short-term consequences of bullying for the victim are more than a black eye from a fight or a damaged reputation from an e-mail message. Those who are bullied feel tense and afraid and unable to concentrate on their studies. However, available figures indicate that bullying is coming at tremendous health, educational, and other costs to society.
Source: SAMHSA , the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services