News From HRSA.gov There are a number of reasons why adults should be concerned about bullying among children and youth.
1. Many children are involved in bullying, and most are extremely concerned about it.
• Studies show that between 15-25% of U.S. students are bullied with some frequency ("sometimes or more often") while 15-20% admit that they bully others with some frequency.
• Not only is bullying prevalent, but children and youth report being extremely concerned about it. In a 2003 Harris poll of 8-17 year-old girls, commissioned by the Girl Scouts of the USA, bullying topped girls' list of concerns regarding their safety. When asked what they worried about the most, the most common response was being socially ostracized-being teased or made fun of. [Feeling Safe: What Girls Say by Judy Schoenberg, Ed.M., Toija Riggins, Ph.D., and Kimberlee Salmond, M.P.P. (New York, N.Y.: Girl Scouts of the USA, 2003). 114 pp. (Executive Summary, 23 pp.)]
2. Bullying can seriously affect the mental health, academic work, and physical health of children who are targeted.
• Children who are bullied are more likely than other children to have lower self-esteem; higher rates of depression, loneliness, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Recent studies indicate that there may be reason to be concerned about the school attendance and academic work of children involved in bullying.
• Research on the health-related effects of bullying indicates that victims of frequent bullying are more likely to experience a variety of health problems, including headaches, sleeping problems, and stomach ailments.
• Some emotional scars can be long-lasting. Research suggests that adults who were bullied as children are more likely than their non-bullied peers to be depressed and have low self-esteem as adults.
3. Children who bully are more likely than other children to be engaged in other antisocial, violent, or troubling behavior.
Findings from research in the U.S. and abroad indicate that children who bully are more likely to:
• Get into frequent fights
• Be injured in a fight
• Steal, vandalize property
• Drink alcohol
• Smoke
• Be truant, drop out of school
• Report poorer academic achievement
• Perceive a negative climate at school
• Carry a weapon
4. Bullying can negatively affect children who observe bullying going on around them–even if they aren't targeted themselves.
• Children who are bystanders to bullying can feel fearful ("Maybe I'll be targeted next!"), guilty ("I should do something to stop this, but I'm afraid to."), and distracted from school work.
• Bullying can contribute to a negative social climate at school.
5. Bullying is a form of victimization or abuse, and it is wrong. Children should be able to attend school or take part in community activities without fear of being harassed, assaulted, belittled, or excluded.
For more information about bullying and its impact, and details about how to obtain references to research findings, download
Stop Bullying Now! Tip Sheets.
*Yesterday's disturbing headline, on the Associated Press, read:
Bullying Resources:
*Please leave your thoughts, feelings and experiences on bullying in the comments section below.
Source: stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov
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