New Study Reveals How Bullying Impacts Teenage Mental Health

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by the University of Manchester.

A major new study by experts from The University of Manchester has found that bullying has a significant negative impact on the mental health of teenagers – particularly for boys – and has highlighted the need for more effective prevention strategies in schools.

The research, which utilized #BeeWell data from over 26000 young people who were followed from age 12/13 to 14/15, shows that bullying has a profound impact on mental health and is a major factor contributing to internalizing symptoms such as anxiety and depression in adolescents. This highlights the importance of addressing bullying to safeguard young people’s wellbeing.

There are clear differences in how bullying affects boys and girls. For boys, mental health issues like anxiety and depression led to an increased likelihood of being bullied later on. For girls, being bullied led to later reductions in friendship and social support.

The findings emphasize the importance of positive peer relationships – particularly for girls – as a protective factor against mental health problems. The study suggests that social support can help reduce internalizing symptoms.

The study was published by the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

Source: The University of Manchester
https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/bullying-impacts-teenage-mental-health/