Opinion: Being Bullied in High School Can Make Teens Less Optimistic About the Future

Hannah L. Schacter — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 18:01:00 +0000

This article was originally published in

The on teens’ mental health are well-documented. But could bullying also shape their future aspirations?

Our reveals that teens who are bullied in ninth grade become more pessimistic about their educational and career prospects beyond high school. Specifically, being bullied increases teens’ risk for depression, which leaves them feeling hopeless about the future.

As a who studies adolescent well-being, I set out to better understand the long-term effects of bullying on teens’ expectations for the future. My research team recruited 388 high schoolers who had recently started ninth grade. We asked them to complete surveys every several months for three consecutive years.

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Teens who reported being more frequently bullied by peers in ninth grade subsequently reported lower expectations for their future educational and career prospects by 11th grade. That is, bullied teens felt less confident in their ability to achieve their desired level of education, find enjoyable work and make enough money to support themselves after high school. Students who experienced more bullying in ninth grade were likely to see their future expectations drop by approximately eight percentile points, compared with peers who were not bullied. This drop remains significant even after accounting for factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status and earlier expectations for academic achievement.

Interestingly, one type of bullying appeared to have an especially negative impact. Adolescents who experienced forms of peer victimization that involve exclusion – being deliberately ignored or left out of group activities – or who experienced damage to social relationships were the worst off. But adolescents who were the targets of overt victimization – such as hitting and kicking or threats and direct name-calling – did not report lower future expectations.

Why does bullying that affects teens’ relationships and social reputations dampen teens’ optimism for future success? We found that depression plays a role. Teens who experienced this kind of bullying in the ninth grade showed more depressive symptoms by 10th grade. Having greater depressive symptoms in 10th grade was associated with having lower future expectations a year later. Given that , bullying that directly damages these relationships appears to be particularly insidious.

Why it matters

Past research shows that teens with negative future expectations are less likely to and in adulthood. Our findings suggest that bullying at the beginning of high school may start a cycle of hopelessness and pessimism about later educational and career prospects. Investing in proven strategies to prevent bullying, such as programs that promote bystander intervention and offer targeted supports for victims, has and could also help break this cycle.

What’s next

We plan to conduct additional surveys with the young people who participated in our research as they transition to college and the workforce in the coming years. By doing so, we hope to identify the best ways to intervene to prevent bullying and its effects. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that all adolescents feel confident in their potential to thrive as adults.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

Why Are Bullies So Mean? A Psychology Expert Explains Their Harmful Behavior

Sara Goldstein — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

This article was originally published in

Being bullied can make your life miserable, and decades of research prove it: Bullied children and teens for anxiety, depression, dropping out of school, peer rejection, social isolation and self-harm.

Adults can be bullied too, often at a job, and they as kids do.

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who studies child and adolescent development. That includes learning how people become bullies – and how they can be stopped.

First, let’s : It’s mean-spirited, harmful behavior by someone with more power or status – like a popular kid at school or a supervisor at work – who repeatedly picks on, harasses, irritates or injures a person with less power or status.

– physical, like pushing, shoving and hitting; relational, such as spreading rumors, keeping somebody out of a friend group or just rude remarks; or sexual harassment and stalking behavior.

Sometimes, bullies target someone because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or appearance. People from the LGBTQ+ community, or who are overweight, or with a physical or developmental disability are . As a result, they , including depression, anxiety and self-harming behavior.

So why do bullies do it?

People learn how to bully others early on through what psychologists call modeling and social learning. This means bullies see other people bullying and they essentially model, or copy, this aggressive behavior.

Media is . When mean or violent conduct is glamorized and gamified in music, video games, TV and movies, bullies will imitate what they see and hear, especially if it seems cool or if it’s rewarded.

Family . If children grow up in a home without kindness and closeness, but with plenty of physical punishment and heavy conflict – including parents fighting with each other – then children view this behavior as acceptable. They can go on to treat their peers this way.

A similar thing happens when a kid falls into a group of friends who are bullies; they become . To say it another way, they bully because they think it makes them look cool in front of their friends.

And bullies bully for . Some do it because it makes them feel better about themselves when they put other people down. Other bullies discovered that force and intimidation worked for them in the past, so it’s a go-to strategy to get what they want. Still others simply have difficulty controlling themselves and can’t calm down when they’re angry.

And with some bullies, it’s just a way to get ahead. For instance, an adult bully in the workplace about a co-worker to keep a rival from being promoted.

How to handle bullies

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to stop a bully.

If you’re a child or teenager, talk about what has happened with a trusted adult – a parent, teacher, principal or counselor. They will help you figure out your next move. Schools are familiar with this sort of problem; they have to protect victims of bullying.

If you’re an adult who has been bullied in the workplace, talk to your human resources department or a neutral supervisor who can advise you on next steps. You are also legally protected – employment laws .

Whatever your age, it’s a good idea to talk to friends or family members who may not be involved in the incident but who will offer support. Engaging in coping activities – like exercising, or relaxing with a walk – .

You can also use the , available 24/7, by texting 741741. Or call the at 1-800-273-8255; the link also provides international numbers. Or call 988 to reach the national .

And a final word: Bullying is not acceptable. It’s not just “kids being kids,” or that you’re “too sensitive.” If a bully is bothering you, don’t try to handle it alone – getting help is the way to get through.

Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.