This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Bullying during adolescence linked to long-term physical health risks
Physical and emotional peer victimization during adolescence cause immediate and long-term physical health problems, according to recent research in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
“We examine the effects of physical and relational victimization on physical symptoms and physical self-concept across 10 years,” researchers Alanna D. Hager, PhD, and Bonnie J. Leadbeater, PhD, of the department of psychology at the University of Victoria, Canada, wrote. “Findings highlight the negative health consequences of peer victimization in adolescence both concurrently and across the transition to young adulthood.”
The researchers studied a cohort of 662 adolescents, aged 12 to 19 years at the time of enrollment. They collected data six times from 2003 to 2014 through the Victoria Healthy Youth Survey. Participants were asked about their experiences with physical and emotional bullying, such as how often they were pushed by peers or made the subject of rumors spread by peers. The researchers also collected information related to physical health symptoms, including headaches, abdominal pain, backaches, dizziness and sleeping problems.
Hager and Leadbeater wrote that relational and physical bullying were linked to increased physical symptoms and decreased physical self-concept. Adolescent boys reported more physical victimization at least “sometimes” (29%-52%) than adolescent girls (20%-39%) across all six time points. The researchers found that about 1%-2% of the cohort reported experiencing physical or relational victimization “all of the time.”
“The stresses resulting from peer victimization can and should be reduced by enhancing coping mechanisms and emotional support,” Hager and Leadbeater wrote. “Primary prevention efforts that diminish the acceptability and occurrences of peer victimization are also needed.” – by David Costill
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
