“Bullying in children: impact on child health” by Richard Armitage (BMJ Paediatrics Open, 2021):
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Citation Details:
Bullying in childhood is a major global public health problem. It has immediate and long-term effects on education, physical and mental health, and social outcomes—not only for victims, but also for bullies and individuals who are both (bully–victims).
Key Concepts and Classifications:
Types of Bullying:
Roles in Bullying:
Prevalence:
Risk Factors and Influencing Variables:
Educational Consequences (During Childhood & Adolescence):
Example: Students bullied weekly score 7.5% lower in standardized tests.
⚠ Health Consequences (During Childhood & Adolescence):
Physical Health (Mainly Psychosomatic):
Mental Health:
Long-Term Consequences (During Adulthood):
Clinical and Policy Implications:
Conclusion:
Bullying is not a minor schoolyard issue—it’s a deeply consequential health and social problem that begins in childhood and may leave scars lasting into midlife. A coordinated global response focusing on early prevention, systemic intervention, and healthcare awareness is urgently needed.
Bullying in children: impact on child health - PMC
Bullying in childhood is a major public health problem that increases the risk of poor health, social and educational outcomes in childhood and adolescence. These consequences are felt by all those involved in bullying (bullies, victims and ...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Citation Details:
- Title: Bullying in children: impact on child health
- Author: Richard Armitage
- Published in: BMJ Paediatr Open, 2021; 5(1): e000939
- DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000939
- PMCID: PMC7957129
- PMID: 33782656
Bullying in childhood is a major global public health problem. It has immediate and long-term effects on education, physical and mental health, and social outcomes—not only for victims, but also for bullies and individuals who are both (bully–victims).
Key Concepts and Classifications:
Types of Bullying:
| Type | Characteristics | Examples |
| Traditional | Physical, verbal, or emotional abuse | Hitting, name-calling, exclusion, defacing property |
| Sexual | Unwanted sexual attention or harassment | Touching, sexualized language, coercion |
| Cyberbullying | Digital aggression via phones, internet, or social media | Online shaming, fake rumors, exclusion from online spaces |
- Cyberbullying does not usually create new victims—it mostly targets children who are already bullied offline.
Roles in Bullying:
- Victim: Target of repeated aggression.
- Bully: Perpetrator of the aggression.
- Bully–Victim: Someone who is both a target and an aggressor—often has the worst health outcomes.
Prevalence:
- Globally, about 1 in 3 children have been bullied in the past 30 days.
- Highest prevalence: Sub-Saharan Africa (48.2%)
- Lowest prevalence: Central America (22.8%)
- Cyberbullying is less common than traditional bullying, despite high media attention.
Risk Factors and Influencing Variables:
| Factor | Impact Summary |
| Sex | Boys more likely to face physical bullying. |
| Age | Bullying decreases with age, but cyberbullying may increase |
| Physical Appearance | Most frequent trigger for bullying |
| Disabilities | Higher risk for children with physical or learning disabilities |
| Race & Nationality | Second most cited reason for being bullied |
| Gender Non-conformity | Higher victimization risk |
| Socioeconomic Status | Disadvantaged children are more often targets |
| Migration Status | Immigrant children face more bullying than native-born peers |
Educational Consequences (During Childhood & Adolescence):
- Bullying damages academic performance and school engagement.
- Victims often:
- Score lower on tests
- Skip school more frequently
- Want to leave school earlier
- Feel more isolated
Example: Students bullied weekly score 7.5% lower in standardized tests.
⚠ Health Consequences (During Childhood & Adolescence):
Physical Health (Mainly Psychosomatic):
- Stomach aches
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
- Appetite issues
Mental Health:
- Victims and bully–victims most affected.
- Strong links to:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Suicidal thoughts & behaviors
- Self-harm
- Psychotic symptoms
- Loneliness & low self-esteem
- Substance misuse
Long-Term Consequences (During Adulthood):
| Category | Outcomes |
| Psychopathology | Depression, anxiety, panic disorder, suicidal ideation & behavior |
| Criminality | Particularly in bullies and bully–victims—including violent crime and drug misuse |
| Social Outcomes | Poor social adjustment, fewer relationships, lower life satisfaction, economic hardship at age 50 |
- Dose–response relationship: More frequent bullying = worse adult outcomes.
- Bully victimization can have longer-lasting effects than maltreatment by adults.
Clinical and Policy Implications:
- Bullying prevention is critical for achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education.
- Most current anti-bullying programs are not evidence-based.
- Whole-school cooperative learning has the strongest evidence of effectiveness.
- Healthcare systems lack clear referral and management pathways for addressing bullying-related health concerns.
Conclusion:
Bullying is not a minor schoolyard issue—it’s a deeply consequential health and social problem that begins in childhood and may leave scars lasting into midlife. A coordinated global response focusing on early prevention, systemic intervention, and healthcare awareness is urgently needed.
stop playing victim and move on"
