Bullies and Victims Feel Worthless, Sad, Unsafe

Adolescents who are involved in bullying–either as a victim, bully, or both–are more likely than bystanders to report feelings of low self-worth and sadness and to feel unsafe in their school.

These issues are most troubling in children who are both bullies and victims, Dr. Gwen M. Glew and her colleagues reported. The findings suggest, “that we should be particularly concerned about [these children] because they are much more likely to endorse carrying a gun to school,” the investigators wrote (J. Ped. 2008;152:123–8).

Dr. Glew of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her associates surveyed 5,391 children from a single urban public school district in grades 7, 9, and 11. The students rated how often they bullied and were victims of bullying; their feelings of safety at school; their feelings of self-worth and daily sadness; and their judgments on the high-risk behaviors of bringing a gun to school, fighting, cheating, stealing, smoking, and drinking alcohol.

The researchers also obtained grade point averages for all surveyed students.

Overall, 74% of the students reported being neither a bully nor victim–these “bystanders” were used as the control group. Fifteen percent of students reported being bullied, 7% said they bullied others, and 4% were both bullies and victims.

Only 27% of the victims and 30% of the bully-victims said they had reported their victimization to another person.

Victims were twice as likely feel unsafe at school, sad on most days, and “no good at all,” compared with bystanders, and after controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and income status. They also were more likely to say that they didn't feel as if they belonged at their school.

Academic performance was significantly associated with being a victim; for every 1-point rise in grade point average, the odds of being a victim dropped by 10%. But victims were not more likely than bystanders to endorse the high-risk behaviors.

Bullies were almost twice as likely to report feeling unsafe at school and sad on most days, compared with bystanders. They were three times as likely to endorse the idea of beating up someone who starts a fight, and twice as likely to say it's OK to pick a fight or to cheat at school.

In addition, the investigators found that bully-victims were 2.5 times more likely to feel unsafe and to report feeling “no good at all” and twice as likely to report daily sadness, compared with bystanders. They also were three times more likely to say it was all right to bring a gun to school and to cheat. “There are many reasons why adolescents might endorse carrying a gun to school,” Dr. Glew and her associates said, noting a 2000 report that found 66% of school shooters reported feeling “bullied, attacked, threatened, or persecuted prior to the incident.”

The investigators' own findings are “consistent with the literature, which suggests that the bully-victim group is the most troubled.”

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health; none of the investigators reported a conflict of interest.

Adolescents who are involved in bullying–either as a victim, bully, or both–are more likely than bystanders to report feelings of low self-worth and sadness and to feel unsafe in their school.

These issues are most troubling in children who are both bullies and victims, Dr. Gwen M. Glew and her colleagues reported. The findings suggest, “that we should be particularly concerned about [these children] because they are much more likely to endorse carrying a gun to school,” the investigators wrote (J. Ped. 2008;152:123–8).

Dr. Glew of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her associates surveyed 5,391 children from a single urban public school district in grades 7, 9, and 11. The students rated how often they bullied and were victims of bullying; their feelings of safety at school; their feelings of self-worth and daily sadness; and their judgments on the high-risk behaviors of bringing a gun to school, fighting, cheating, stealing, smoking, and drinking alcohol.

The researchers also obtained grade point averages for all surveyed students.

Overall, 74% of the students reported being neither a bully nor victim–these “bystanders” were used as the control group. Fifteen percent of students reported being bullied, 7% said they bullied others, and 4% were both bullies and victims.

Only 27% of the victims and 30% of the bully-victims said they had reported their victimization to another person.

Victims were twice as likely feel unsafe at school, sad on most days, and “no good at all,” compared with bystanders, and after controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and income status. They also were more likely to say that they didn't feel as if they belonged at their school.

Academic performance was significantly associated with being a victim; for every 1-point rise in grade point average, the odds of being a victim dropped by 10%. But victims were not more likely than bystanders to endorse the high-risk behaviors.

Bullies were almost twice as likely to report feeling unsafe at school and sad on most days, compared with bystanders. They were three times as likely to endorse the idea of beating up someone who starts a fight, and twice as likely to say it's OK to pick a fight or to cheat at school.

In addition, the investigators found that bully-victims were 2.5 times more likely to feel unsafe and to report feeling “no good at all” and twice as likely to report daily sadness, compared with bystanders. They also were three times more likely to say it was all right to bring a gun to school and to cheat. “There are many reasons why adolescents might endorse carrying a gun to school,” Dr. Glew and her associates said, noting a 2000 report that found 66% of school shooters reported feeling “bullied, attacked, threatened, or persecuted prior to the incident.”

The investigators' own findings are “consistent with the literature, which suggests that the bully-victim group is the most troubled.”

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health; none of the investigators reported a conflict of interest.

Adolescents who are involved in bullying–either as a victim, bully, or both–are more likely than bystanders to report feelings of low self-worth and sadness and to feel unsafe in their school.

These issues are most troubling in children who are both bullies and victims, Dr. Gwen M. Glew and her colleagues reported. The findings suggest, “that we should be particularly concerned about [these children] because they are much more likely to endorse carrying a gun to school,” the investigators wrote (J. Ped. 2008;152:123–8).

Dr. Glew of the University of Washington, Seattle, and her associates surveyed 5,391 children from a single urban public school district in grades 7, 9, and 11. The students rated how often they bullied and were victims of bullying; their feelings of safety at school; their feelings of self-worth and daily sadness; and their judgments on the high-risk behaviors of bringing a gun to school, fighting, cheating, stealing, smoking, and drinking alcohol.

The researchers also obtained grade point averages for all surveyed students.

Overall, 74% of the students reported being neither a bully nor victim–these “bystanders” were used as the control group. Fifteen percent of students reported being bullied, 7% said they bullied others, and 4% were both bullies and victims.

Only 27% of the victims and 30% of the bully-victims said they had reported their victimization to another person.

Victims were twice as likely feel unsafe at school, sad on most days, and “no good at all,” compared with bystanders, and after controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and income status. They also were more likely to say that they didn't feel as if they belonged at their school.

Academic performance was significantly associated with being a victim; for every 1-point rise in grade point average, the odds of being a victim dropped by 10%. But victims were not more likely than bystanders to endorse the high-risk behaviors.

Bullies were almost twice as likely to report feeling unsafe at school and sad on most days, compared with bystanders. They were three times as likely to endorse the idea of beating up someone who starts a fight, and twice as likely to say it's OK to pick a fight or to cheat at school.

In addition, the investigators found that bully-victims were 2.5 times more likely to feel unsafe and to report feeling “no good at all” and twice as likely to report daily sadness, compared with bystanders. They also were three times more likely to say it was all right to bring a gun to school and to cheat. “There are many reasons why adolescents might endorse carrying a gun to school,” Dr. Glew and her associates said, noting a 2000 report that found 66% of school shooters reported feeling “bullied, attacked, threatened, or persecuted prior to the incident.”

The investigators' own findings are “consistent with the literature, which suggests that the bully-victim group is the most troubled.”

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Mental Health; none of the investigators reported a conflict of interest.