Kids who suffer from bullying could become less optimistic about their future beyond high school, a recent study found.
A new paper studied the well-being of 388 high school students over several years. The students were asked to complete surveys every several months for three consecutive years.
The study, conducted by researchers at Wayne State University, found that teens who were more frequently bullied by their peers in ninth grade were at least 8% more pessimistic about their career and educational prospects by 11th grade than students who were not bullied.
Specifically, bullied high schoolers felt less confident in their ability to either achieve their desired level of education or make enough money so they could support themselves in the future.
What Type of Bullying Had the Worst Impact?
Bullying can manifest in various forms, with the most primary types being physical, which involves using physical actions to harm someone; verbal, which uses words to belittle or demean a victim; and prejudicial, which is bullying someone based on their race, religion, sexual orientation, or personal characteristics.
However, the study found that any bullying that involves exclusion or being outcasted is perhaps the most damaging type. Adolescents who experienced being ignored or deliberately left out of group activities reported the worst outlook for their future.
Furthermore, the study found that noted that teens who were ostracized in the ninth grade showed significantly more depressive symptoms by the 10th grade and had lower future expectations a year later.
How Else Does Bullying Affect Kids?
In addition to pessimism, past research found that teens who suffer from bullying are less likely to attend college. They are also more likely to have higher absenteeism rates, which can further affect their academic performance, per a CDC bulletin.
Being victims of chronic bullying can also push teens to engage in risky behaviors. This includes alcohol abuse or drug abuse as a coping mechanism.
The harmful effects of bullying are not limited to the victim. Teens who witness bullying behaviors can also develop feelings of fear or guilt for being a bystander, experience pressure to bully their peers or engage in self-tormenting behavior, per Better Help.
