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The Effects of Bullying on a Child Essay

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The Effects of Bullying on a Child

Every day in our schools, children are threatened, teased, taunted, and tormented by bullies. At any given time, about 25 percent of U.S. students are the victims of bullies and about 20 percent are engaged in bullying behavior (Education World, 2000). The National Association of School Psychologists estimates that 160,000 children stay home from school every day because they are afraid of being bullied (Education World, 2000).

Bullying is characterized by three criteria(NCPTB, 2003):

It is aggressive behavior or the intent to harm,

It is carried out repeatedly and over time; and

It occurs within an interpersonal relationship characterized …show more content…

Physical injury or threats of physical injury interfere with victims' concentration and learning.

Victims may develop psychosomatic symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches.

Constant self-devaluation may lead to depression and suicide.

Anxious, distressed, unhappy, depressed, or tearful when he/she comes homes from school.

May lose interest in school work and experience a decline in academic performance.

It is important to note there are often severe affects of bullying. In Why Kids Kill: Exploring the Causes and Possible Solutions, Sylvia Rimm, a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, identifies a common trait among the violent children she's worked with: "There was always a history of problems in peer relationships," Rimm said. "All of them [children who expressed anger violently] had been teased by others more than what is typical." All the violent children, in other words, had been the victims of bullies (Rimm, 2000). Victims of bullying often suffer lifelong problems with low self-esteem. They are prone to depression, suicide, and other mental health problems throughout their lives (Education World, 2000).

What should the parents do about this?

Parents should encourage the child to share their feelings with them. The child

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