A new study proves that the “bullying” can lead to children suffering from depression and anxiety. Dr Louise Arsenault of King’s College, London, and colleagues examined the identical twins.
They found that if one identical twin suffered from “bullying” when she was between seven and nine years, it is significantly more likely chance that the child has any symptoms of internalization at the age of 10 years.
Internalizing problem is a psychological problem that is negativity directed at ourselves, including depression. This research “really supports the assumption or belief that intimidated bring bad effects of bad for children’s health,” Arsenault told Reuters.
The fact is the children who have these symptoms, such as frequent crying, fear of being alone, and abdominal pain, is likely to need help, he said.
Children who are intimidated known to have a greater likelihood of experiencing anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide, in addition to experiencing social isolation, Arsenault and her team note in their report.
The researchers suggested, it is possible that the “bullying” and mental problems, originating from the same risk factors such as living in poor neighborhoods or neglected by parents. Children who have mental problems are also more likely to attract the attention of the perpetrators of “bullying”.
Arsenault and her team investigate the 1116 pairs of twins who were born in England and Wales between 1994 and 1995. Of 114 pairs of twins, where one becomes the victim of “bullying” while others do not, children who suffered “bullying” showed significantly more symptoms of internalizing problems, such as feeling anxious, alienated, and feeling overly guilty.
People who suffer from it at a young age have a greater risk of experiencing depression and anxiety in later times, Arsenault and her team.
These findings indicate that efforts designed to combat the “bullying” should not be directed only against the perpetrators, but also against the victims. ”They need support. They are experiencing symptoms should be treated seriously.”