A study shows that kids who experienced bullying, suffer academically at school. The kids were affected in their school career, more than just physically and emotionally.
A quarter of the children who participated the study seem to show declining test scores, a growing dislike towards school and poor confidence in their abilities, say the researchers of the study, published on Monday in the Journal of Educational Psychology. The study is part of a larger investigation of children's social, psychological and academic adjustment funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Researchers tracked several hundred children in the U.S. from kindergarten through the 12th grade, and discovered that nearly a quarter experienced chronic bullying through their school years. The findings of the study indicate that 24% of the kids suffered chronic levels of bullying while 18% of them experienced moderate bullying during their school years. Both groups reflected a history of decline in academic achievement, a greater dislike of going to school and having less confidence in their academic abilities.
Gary Ladd, professor of psychology at Arizona State University, who led the study, said that the children who were frequently bullied did not only dislike school and not wanting to be there, but were also finding it difficult to participate in the classroom. He added that there are other relative factors that probably discouraged their engagement.
The research study included annual surveys whereby the children described their experiences of being victims of bullying, which includes been hit, picked on, or verbally abused by other kids. The children who participated the study came from all income levels, and of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
However, the good news is that it goes down. "The longer kids stay in school, the less likely it is that they will be victimized," said Ladd.
Ladd also highlighted that majority of research done on the victims of bullying addresses children's psychological and health adjustment. The findings don't give much explanation on the link of bullying with their school achievements, leading him and his colleagues to investigate.
