Subject: Bullies More Dangerous Than You Think

April 16, 2003 9:55 PM

Contrary to what many people believe, bullying is not a normal, if nasty, part of childhood.

Both bullies and their victims are at greater risk for committing violence and having other behavior problems, says a study by researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

The study of 15,686 students in grades 6 through 10 across the United States found bullies are more likely to engage in more serious violent behavior, such as carrying a weapon or frequent fighting. It also found children who are victims of bullies are also at greater risk for committing violent behaviors.

The findings appear in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Among boys who said they had bullied other children at least once a week in school, 52.2 percent had carried a weapon in the past month, 43.1 percent carried a weapon in school, 38.7 percent were involved in frequent fighting, and 45.7 percent said they’d been injured in a fight.

Among boys who said they’d been bullied in school every week, 36.4 percent had carried a weapon, 28.7 percent carried a weapon in school, 22.6 percent were involved in frequent fighting and 31.8 percent said they’d been injured in a fight.

Those figures were much lower for boys who had never bullied others in school: 13.4 percent carried a weapon in the past month, 7.9 percent carried a weapon in school, 8.3 percent had frequent fights, and 16. 2 percent said they’d been injured in a fight.

Among boys who’d never been bullied in school, 18.7 percent carried a weapon in the last month, 12.2 percent carried a weapon in school, 12.4 percent got into frequent fights, and 18.3 percent were injured in a fight.

The study found that in all age groups boys were more likely to be involved in bullying and violent behavior than girls.

The study authors conclude that bullies may benefit from programs designed to prevent not just bullying, but other kinds of violent behavior as well.