Bullying In Adolescents

To begin this essay, it is essential to define some key terms. The Nature-Nurture debate argues whether our behaviour is as a result of our biology (such as our genes or neurochemistry), or if our behaviour arises from learning from others. For the purpose of this essay, a bully is defined as “a person who uses their strength or power to hurt or frighten people who are weaker” (Oxford Student’s dictionary, 2007). It is essential to investigate why bullying occurs and how to prevent it as bullies as well as their victims are likely to develop mental health problems. Children and adolescents who bully often develop increased levels of negative mental health outcomes in adulthood, as shown in Copeland, Wolk & Angold et al’s (2013) study; 9.4%

*Bullying is still prevalent today- Bullying, continues to affect an estimated 50–80% of young people. Approximately 16 children each year in the UK commit suicide as a result of being bullied (Side, & Johnson, 2014). In spite of decades of research and more recent guidance by Government, bullying in schools remains a serious concern to young people and educational Practitioners (Side, & Johnson,

Bullying is defined as the prolonged malicious act of harming peers by abusing their own--or an existing imbalance of--power, and has become one of the most common sources of trauma among adolescents. One report shows that one of three children were victims of bullying during some point in their life, and that 10-14% of all adolescents were victims of chronic bullying for at least six months prior to participating in the survey. Children who were victims of bullying are also found to be at a higher risk of diagnoses for anxiety disorders and depression during young and middle adulthood. These victims are reported to be more likely to have lower levels of general/physical health, and lower educational acquirements than young and middle-aged adults who were not bullied (Wolke & Lereya, 2015). Because bullying is such a prominent problem, citizens, policymakers, and social scientists alike, should feel or have some social and moral obligation to address, and hopefully avert bullying. The state of bullying, and how it is enacted, is constantly changing and adapting to social frameworks. Because bullies can adapt to social changes and regulations, we, as a society, should be equally adaptive in how we perceive, address, prevent, and punish bullying.

The third and final study simply explored the harmful effects of bullying and how they came to be. They interviewed children and surveyed adults who were victims of bullying at some point in their lives. Some of the more common short term effects they discovered include anger, anxiety, depression, interference with work or school and suicidal thoughts. Uncovered patterns of long term effects include self-esteem issues, difficulty trusting others, bitterness, and increased risk of being bullied in the future. (Lynch, E.

According to an article about bullying and victimization, it was noted that male victimization rates for bullies was among the highest and because bullying became more detrimental in the later stages of middle to late adolescents, due to self-blame, loneliness, anxiety and low self-esteem (Graham and Juvonen 1998). Also, peer victimization may lead to depression, low self-evaluation, anxiety and other different mental health problems (Crick &

The current paper is a review of the literature on the effect of bullying on adolescent development. There are a range of definitions of bullying but the most widely accepted one is the definition put forth by Olweus (1978), who was one of the first to apply a system wide successful intervention in Norway. He states

Seals and Young (2003) studied the prevalence of bullying and its relationship to grade-level, gender, ethnicity, self-esteem, and depression. Participants in their study consisted of 454 seventh- and eighth-graders in five school districts in the Northern Delta area. These students were primarily African American (79%) and Caucasian (18%). Researchers gave these students three questionnaires to assess exposure to and effects of bullying/victimization: the Peer Relations Questionnaire, which assessed bully, victim, and prosocial behaviors; the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; and the Children’s Depression Inventory. This study found that 24% of respondents reported being directly involved in bullying activities, of which 10% reported doing the bullying, and 13% reported being victims of bullying. The results also suggested that males were significantly more involved in bullying than females, and were twice as likely to be identified as a bully. Both genders, however,

Bullying is a pervasive problem among children and adolescents, and may take various forms including physical (e.g., hitting), verbal (e.g., name-calling), relational (e.g., social isolation), or occurring in cyber space. Previous studies have consistently shown that depression is associated with exposure to bullying. Bully-victims, a group of individuals who are both bullies and victims, are a distinct group at highest risk for psychosocial problems.

Victims can respond with low self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, aggression, and isolation. These effects can last ten to fifteen times longer than the period in which the bullying occurred. ("The Effects of Bullying on a Child's Development - TeenSafe", 2014) Both victims and bullies had an increased risk for depression later in life. Victims of frequent bullying also had higher rates of anxiety disorders and suicide. The American Journal of Psychiatry also linked childhood bullying to lack of social relationships and low socioeconomic status later in life. (Takizawa, Maughan, & Arseneault,

In the present day, numerous hours are spent discussing bullying and its mental health effects, but very little is spent on the mental issues the bullies themselves have. Historically, research into mental health related to bullying focused exclusively on those being bullied. These studies found a negative effect on mental health by being bullied, and how some people on the receiving end of bullying have mental health issues to begin with. However, a new study looked at the mental health of those who are considered bullies. Analyzing the influence mental health has on bullying verifies the association between the two, causing the need for resources to decrease bullying.

Not only are bullied children anxious, depressed, and underachieving during the months and years of their torment, but even years later, they have lower self-esteem as well as painful memories. 7 The picture is somewhat different, but often more ominous, for bullies. Contrary to the public perception that bullies are actually insecure and lonely, at the peak of their bullying they usually have friends who abet, fear, and admire them, and they seem brashly unapologetic about the pain they have inflicted, as they often claim, "all in fun." But their popularity and school success fade over the years, and especially if they are boys, they run a high risk of ending up in prison. In one longitudinal study done by Olweus, by age 24, two-thirds of the boys who had been bullies in the second grade were convicted of at least one felony, and one- third of those who had been bullies in the sixth through the ninth grades were already convicted of three or more crimes, often violent ones. International research likewise finds that children who are allowed to regularly victimize other children are at high risk of becoming violent offenders as adolescents and adults. 8 Unfortunately, bullying during middle childhood seems to be universal: it occurs in every nation that has been studied, is as much a problem in small

Bullying is a continuing problem that has affected individuals from their childhood and continuing well into adulthood. Consequences of bullying are vast in their potential to negatively impact the person 's physical, emotional, and psychological state of well being. The poor management of stress brought by the onset of bullying affects social health both short term and long term foreshadowing numerous potential risk factors and actions. Prevalent issues in victims include higher chances of mental health problems damaging, self-esteem, low morale, and irrational decision making. Among various topics surrounding bullying, we will give an idea of how prevalent the magnitude of the problem has become. We will touch basis on risk factors and

It has been highlighted from the research that the effect of bullying on both the victim and the bully can result in a wide variety of physical and psychological issues, which can stay with them for the rest of their lives. Within my theme I have mainly focussed on bullying within schools.

Peer relations play a major part in the social development and social upbringing of children at school. However, bullying during schooling years is an environmental factor that causes an increase in teenage aggression, especially after an adverse event. Studies conducted by Roland and Idsøe (2001) demonstrate that being victimised by bullying causes increases in teenage aggression, especially that of reactive aggression. Reactive aggression is regarded as a frustrating or provoking event occurring to the individual, the individual may then display aggressive behaviour while they are angry. While this behaviour is generally short lived, an investigation into the effects of long-term bullying by Sharp, Thompson, & Arora, (2000) revealed that the most common negative reactions to long-term bullying was irritability which was linked to higher levels of stress and aggression. This study shows that if children are bullied throughout their schooling life they may be at higher risk of

In Introduction to Psychology we watched the powerful documentary “Bully” directed by Lee Hirsch. In this 2011 documentary it examined five different bullying scenarios and how the constant -everyday- bullying shaped their lives. Bullying has been an ongoing issue; an issue that cannot seem to be resolved. Although this has been an escalating subject it seems as though bullying is still oblivious to many people despite age, gender, ethnicity, and line of work. As revealed in the documentary, bullying effects the lives of many students. These students are mocked, physically and verbally abused, made fun of. Regardless of tangible evidence, school faculty and staff still cannot believe bullying is happening in their schools. This however,