From the Guidelines
Bullying and social segregation have a profoundly negative impact on individuals who are perceived as different, leading to increased risk of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Key Impacts
- Mental Health Problems: Experiences of interpersonal discrimination, such as bullying and social segregation, are associated with increased risk of developing mental health problems, including depression and anxiety 1.
- Racial Trauma: Individuals who experience racism and discrimination may develop racial trauma, which can have long-lasting effects on their mental health and well-being 1.
- Social Isolation: Social segregation and bullying can lead to social isolation, which can exacerbate mental health problems and reduce overall well-being 1.
- Internalized Racism: Individuals who experience racism and discrimination may internalize negative stereotypes and beliefs, leading to reduced self-esteem and self-worth 1.
Vulnerable Populations
- Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals: Transgender and non-binary individuals are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of bullying and social segregation, with higher rates of mental health problems and suicidal thoughts 1.
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities: Racial and ethnic minorities are also disproportionately affected by bullying and social segregation, with increased risk of mental health problems and reduced access to healthcare 1.
Importance of Affirmative Care
- Antiracist Care: Providing antiracist care, which acknowledges and addresses the impacts of racism and discrimination, is essential for promoting mental health and well-being in individuals who are perceived as different 1.
- Gender Affirmative Care: Providing gender affirmative care, which respects and supports the identities and experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals, is critical for promoting mental health and well-being in these populations 1.
From the Research
Impacts of Bullying on Individuals
- Bullying victimization is significantly correlated with aggressive behavior, perceived social support, and mental health, including anxiety, depression, and subjective well-being 2
- The relationship between bullying victimization and mental health is mediated by maladaptive behavior and perceived social support, leading to a tragic chain of victimization 2
- Involvement in bullying, as either a victim or a bully, can serve as a stressful life event, leading to psychosocial difficulties and a diathesis-stress connection between bullying, victimization, and mental health problems 3
Social Segregation and Bullying
- Children who are perceived as being 'different' in any way are at greater risk of victimization, with physical appearance being the most frequent trigger of childhood bullying 4
- Bullying can lead to social segregation, with victims reporting impaired peer relations and increasing problems with more serious involvement 5
- Both bullies and the bullied can experience relational, emotional, and self-conceptual problems, but they also differ in whether they succeed in social arenas and to what extent they are affected by different emotional and self-conceptual problems 5
Long-term Impacts of Bullying
- Adolescent bullying victimization can have long-term mental health and well-being outcomes, with the perceived negative long-term impact of adolescent bullying victimization mediating the relationship between bullying victimization intensity and current self-esteem, social interaction anxiety, and life satisfaction 6
- The consequences of childhood bullying can be categorised into three broad categories: educational consequences during childhood, health consequences during childhood, and all consequences during adulthood, with many dose-response relationships existing between the frequency and intensity of bullying experienced and the severity of negative health consequences reported 4