Being Bullied at School May Raise Mental Health Problems

Victims of school bullying have dramatically increased chances of mental health issues and unemployment in later life. The findings of the study are presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference.

The study, presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference at the University of Warwick, found that being bullied in school increases the extent of mental health problems at age 25 by 40 percent.

Workplace Bullying - Statistics, Signs & Effects
Workplace bullying is physical, verbal or psychological abuse at work. It is a deliberate and disrespectful behavior by an employer, manager or group of people.

‘Being bullied may lead to adverse impacts on young people's lives in the long-term, such as mental health conditions, low self-esteem, and poorer job prospects. A new study suggests a more targeted approach to decrease the most extreme forms of bullying.’
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"Our research shows that being bullied has a negative impact on important long-term outcomes, especially unemployment, income, and ill-health," said co-author Emma Gorman from Britain's Lancaster University.

"Bullying is widespread in schools and many studies document a negative relationship between bullying and educational outcomes," Gorman added.

For the study, the team analyzed data on more than 7,000 students aged 14-16. About half of the pupils involved, who were interviewed at regular intervals until they were 21, and once again at age 25, reported experiencing some type of bullying between the ages of 14 and 16.

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The researchers also found that being bullied increases the probability of being unemployed at age 25 by about 35 per cent, and for the employed, it reduces their income by around 2 percent.

"Being bullied causes detrimental effects on children's lives not just in the short-term but for many years after. These are more pronounced among pupils who experience persistent bullying, or violent types of bullying," Gorman said.

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The study shows how specific, long-term bullying is associated with children’s school engagement and achievement.

Source-IANS

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