Doctors Urged to Join Anti-Bullying Efforts

Part of the problem with addressing bullying is that it is accepted as a normative behavior, Dr. Joseph L. Wright said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem,” he said.

The issue of bullying is gaining recognition with the recent increase in school-based violent events involving multiple victims. A Secret Service report on 37 such incidents confirms conventional wisdom on these incidents: “Most attackers felt bullied or persecuted and had engaged in behavior that worried others before the attack,” said Dr. Wright, executive director of Child Health Advocacy Institute at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

A 2003 study showed that children who were bullied often and those who frequently bullied others were more likely to carry a weapon or bring a weapon to school (Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2003;157:348–53). The effects of bullying increased with the frequency of bullying.

In this study of 15,686 children surveyed, those who reported being bullied weekly at school were about 50% more likely than other children to carry a weapon or to bring a weapon to school. Children being bullied weekly away from school were about four times more likely to carry a weapon or bring one to school. The highest incidence of weapon carrying was seen among youths who bullied others away from school on a weekly basis. These children were six times more likely than others to carry a weapon and five times more likely to bring a weapon to school.

Bullying behaviors differ between the sexes: Studies show that boys are more likely to carry out direct or physical bullying (pushing, slapping, punching, spitting, or tripping), and girls are more likely to carry out indirect bullying (threats, teasing, rumors, stealing or extortion, or shunning). But Dr. Wright pointed out the disturbing trend that girls are now engaging in more physical bullying.

Being bullied carries long-term risks. According to a study of 4,811 children in the Netherlands, bullied children are more likely to have depression and suicidal ideation, and this association is stronger for indirect rather than direct bullying (Pediatrics 2003;111:1312–17).

Among girls, frequent direct bullying increased the risk of depression and suicidal ideation by 3.3-fold and 2.6-fold, respectively, while frequent indirect bullying raised the risks by 8.9-fold and 3.6-fold, respectively.

Overall, 43% of all frequently directly bullied girls reported depression, compared with 6% of girls who were almost never directly bullied.

The effects of direct bullying on boys were not significant after controlling for confounding factors, although frequent indirect bullying in boys increased the risk of depression by 11-fold and the risk of suicidal ideation by 5.6-fold.

Dr. Wright urged physicians to engage with families of young children to help prevent the later development of bullying behavior.

'In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem.' DR. WRIGHT

Part of the problem with addressing bullying is that it is accepted as a normative behavior, Dr. Joseph L. Wright said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem,” he said.

The issue of bullying is gaining recognition with the recent increase in school-based violent events involving multiple victims. A Secret Service report on 37 such incidents confirms conventional wisdom on these incidents: “Most attackers felt bullied or persecuted and had engaged in behavior that worried others before the attack,” said Dr. Wright, executive director of Child Health Advocacy Institute at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

A 2003 study showed that children who were bullied often and those who frequently bullied others were more likely to carry a weapon or bring a weapon to school (Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2003;157:348–53). The effects of bullying increased with the frequency of bullying.

In this study of 15,686 children surveyed, those who reported being bullied weekly at school were about 50% more likely than other children to carry a weapon or to bring a weapon to school. Children being bullied weekly away from school were about four times more likely to carry a weapon or bring one to school. The highest incidence of weapon carrying was seen among youths who bullied others away from school on a weekly basis. These children were six times more likely than others to carry a weapon and five times more likely to bring a weapon to school.

Bullying behaviors differ between the sexes: Studies show that boys are more likely to carry out direct or physical bullying (pushing, slapping, punching, spitting, or tripping), and girls are more likely to carry out indirect bullying (threats, teasing, rumors, stealing or extortion, or shunning). But Dr. Wright pointed out the disturbing trend that girls are now engaging in more physical bullying.

Being bullied carries long-term risks. According to a study of 4,811 children in the Netherlands, bullied children are more likely to have depression and suicidal ideation, and this association is stronger for indirect rather than direct bullying (Pediatrics 2003;111:1312–17).

Among girls, frequent direct bullying increased the risk of depression and suicidal ideation by 3.3-fold and 2.6-fold, respectively, while frequent indirect bullying raised the risks by 8.9-fold and 3.6-fold, respectively.

Overall, 43% of all frequently directly bullied girls reported depression, compared with 6% of girls who were almost never directly bullied.

The effects of direct bullying on boys were not significant after controlling for confounding factors, although frequent indirect bullying in boys increased the risk of depression by 11-fold and the risk of suicidal ideation by 5.6-fold.

Dr. Wright urged physicians to engage with families of young children to help prevent the later development of bullying behavior.

'In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem.' DR. WRIGHT

Part of the problem with addressing bullying is that it is accepted as a normative behavior, Dr. Joseph L. Wright said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem,” he said.

The issue of bullying is gaining recognition with the recent increase in school-based violent events involving multiple victims. A Secret Service report on 37 such incidents confirms conventional wisdom on these incidents: “Most attackers felt bullied or persecuted and had engaged in behavior that worried others before the attack,” said Dr. Wright, executive director of Child Health Advocacy Institute at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington.

A 2003 study showed that children who were bullied often and those who frequently bullied others were more likely to carry a weapon or bring a weapon to school (Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2003;157:348–53). The effects of bullying increased with the frequency of bullying.

In this study of 15,686 children surveyed, those who reported being bullied weekly at school were about 50% more likely than other children to carry a weapon or to bring a weapon to school. Children being bullied weekly away from school were about four times more likely to carry a weapon or bring one to school. The highest incidence of weapon carrying was seen among youths who bullied others away from school on a weekly basis. These children were six times more likely than others to carry a weapon and five times more likely to bring a weapon to school.

Bullying behaviors differ between the sexes: Studies show that boys are more likely to carry out direct or physical bullying (pushing, slapping, punching, spitting, or tripping), and girls are more likely to carry out indirect bullying (threats, teasing, rumors, stealing or extortion, or shunning). But Dr. Wright pointed out the disturbing trend that girls are now engaging in more physical bullying.

Being bullied carries long-term risks. According to a study of 4,811 children in the Netherlands, bullied children are more likely to have depression and suicidal ideation, and this association is stronger for indirect rather than direct bullying (Pediatrics 2003;111:1312–17).

Among girls, frequent direct bullying increased the risk of depression and suicidal ideation by 3.3-fold and 2.6-fold, respectively, while frequent indirect bullying raised the risks by 8.9-fold and 3.6-fold, respectively.

Overall, 43% of all frequently directly bullied girls reported depression, compared with 6% of girls who were almost never directly bullied.

The effects of direct bullying on boys were not significant after controlling for confounding factors, although frequent indirect bullying in boys increased the risk of depression by 11-fold and the risk of suicidal ideation by 5.6-fold.

Dr. Wright urged physicians to engage with families of young children to help prevent the later development of bullying behavior.

'In the United States, we are quite behind the eight ball in terms of recognizing this problem.' DR. WRIGHT