Childhood bullying ‘linked to long-term health issues’

Children involved in bullying behaviour are likely to see negative long-term health consequences as a result.

This is according to a new study from the University of Pittsburgh, which tracked a diverse group of more than 300 American men from the US from childhood into their early 30s, finding that bullying victims and bullies themselves both experienced negative outcomes in adulthood.

Those who were bullies during childhood were shown to be more likely to smoke cigarettes and use cannabis, as well as being more inclined to experience stressful circumstances and regularly feel aggressive and hostile more than 20 years later.

Meanwhile, those who were bullied as children tended to have more financial difficulties, felt more unfairly treated by others and were less optimistic about their future.

Study leader Karen Matthews, a psychology researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, said: "The childhood bullies were still aggressive as adults, and victims of bullies were still feeling like they were treated unfairly as adults. Both groups had a lot of stress in their adult lives, so the impact of childhood bullying lasts a long time."

The findings indicate that identifying children who are at risk for involvement in bullying and intervening early on may yield long-term psychosocial and physical health benefits.

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