“I’m no good.”
“I don’t belong in my school.”
These disturbing emotions were more likely expressed by students involved in bullying behavior than bystanders according to new research published in Jan. 2008 on bullying and school safety.
Investigators studied 5391 students in grades 7, 9 and 11 in an urban public school district, 26 percent of whom were involved in bullying as victim, bully or both (bully- victim). Their findings are sobering, and reinforce the link between academic achievement, school environment and mental health.
Findings include:
- Students involved in bullying were more likely than bystanders to feel unsafe at school and sad most days.
- Victims and bully-victims were more likely to say they are “no good.”
- Victims were more likely to feel that they “do not belong” in their school. Bully-victims were more likely to say it is “not wrong” to take a gun to school.
READ THE RESEARCH! Bullying and School Safety. Glew GM, et al., University of Washington, Seattle. Journal of Pediatrics. 2008 Jan;152(1):123-8, 128.e1.