Childhood bullying tied to psychiatric problems

Girls who are frequently victimised by bullies are at greater risk of developing psychiatric problems later in life irrespective of their psychiatric problems at the time of the bullying, a population study suggests. The Finnish birth cohort study of over 5,000 eight year olds found that boys and girls who were frequently bullied were at greater risk than their peers of needing psychiatric treatment in their teens or early 20s. While bullying was more frequent among boys, victimised girls were the only group that had a statistical association with psychiatric illness later in life, even if they showed no signs of psychopathology at 8 years old. However, boys who played the role of both bully and victim were more likely to have psychiatric symptoms at 8-years-old and far more likely to require psychiatric treatment when they grew older. The study authors said this particular finding added to previous studies indicating that the male bully-victim group was at the highest risk overall. "Bullying behaviour should be considered a marker of the risk of a later psychiatric disorder, which if not treated promptly, might develop into a serious problem for those involved and for society as a whole," the study authors wrote in the Archives of General Psychiatry. “Developing prevention systems requires a knowledge of the biological, psychological and social mechanisms involved. As later psychological disorders have been found to be associated with individuals displaying childhood bullying behaviors, there is a need for the integration of mental health services into the school context," the authors concluded. "It is important to inform policymakers, school professionals and the public about the potential short-term and long-term consequences of bullying and victimisation," they said. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66(9):1005-1012.  ...