Is bullying bad for your health? The consequences of bullying perpetration and victimization in childhood on health behaviors in adulthood

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12936808
AutoresJaimee Stuart (0000-0002-4376-1913, Victoria University of Wellington, autor de correspondencia), Paul E Jose (0000-0002-3104-1871, Victoria University of Wellington)
Año2014
Volumen6
Número3
Páginas185-195
Fecha de publicación2014-07-08
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Aggression Conflict and Peace Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1759-6599 • E-ISSN: 2042-8715
EditorialEmerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1108/jacpr-01-2014-0003
OpenAlexW2082416040
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas9
Referencias citadas42

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether young people who bully others in childhood (aged seven to 12 years old) go on to have worse health outcomes than non-bullies 39 years later. Furthermore, four categories of engagement in bullying behaviors (bully, victim, bully-victim, and not involved) were compared in order to assess differences in health and well-being in late adulthood. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 305 teacher-identified childhood bullies were selected from the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s cohort and matched with a sample of 305 non-bullies using propensity score matching methods. These groups were then tested for differences in six health outcomes (perceived support, depression, poor health, presence of a long-term illness, history of smoking, and frequent alcohol consumption) measured in late adulthood. Categories of bullying engagement (bully, victim, bully-victim, not involved) were also constructed using the matched groups and adult recollection of victimization, and differences between the four groups on health outcomes were tested. Findings – Bullies were found to be significantly more likely than non-bullies to have a history of smoking and currently have a long-term illness and victims reported significantly lower levels of perceived support and greater depression than non-victims. Furthermore, bully-victims reported experiencing significantly less support and more depression than bullies, and were significantly more likely to currently have a long-term illness than non-bullies. Originality/value – Results indicate that bullying in childhood is associated with negative health outcomes much later in life. Being both a perpetrator and victim of bullying was associated with worse health outcomes than either being a bully, victim, or not being involved. These results indicate that there are long-lasting implications for individuals involved in bullying almost four decades later in life

Depression (economics · Developmental psychology · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Mental health · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Suicide prevention · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Clinical Psychology · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Medicine · Psychology · Youth Development and Social Support