Bullying’s Long-Term Effects
The effects of bullying extend beyond the school years. Bullying may lead to criminal behavior for those who bully and future health and mental health problems for both the bully and the victims:
- Six out of 10 kids identified as bullies in middle school are convicted of a crime by the time they reach age 24.ref
- Years after experiencing bullying, adults who were bullied as teens have higher levels of depression and poorer self-esteem than other adults.ref
- Children exposed to violence either at home or at school often suffer long-term problems such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, anger, and self-destructive behaviors.ref
Yet, despite its prevalence, bullying often is overlooked or downplayed as a problem among parents and educators. Many bullying activities take place out of the view of adults. But even those activities that occur within plain sight are frequently ignored:
- As many as one-fourth of elementary and middle school teachers don’t understand the seriousness of bullying or putdowns and, therefore, intervene in only 4 percent of bullying incidents.ref
- More than two-thirds of middle school students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying.ref
Most school bullying doesn’t lead to headline-grabbing incidents of students brandishing guns in mass attacks against their perceived enemies. The consequences of bullying are often less obvious, yet nonetheless damaging and lasting. Left unchecked, bullying creates an atmosphere of intimidation and fear that can send a message to students that aggressive and violent behavior is accepted.
Source: SAMHSA, an Agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
