How can bullying affect child development?

Bullying has been linked to an enormous amount of developmental issues in children, both in those bullied and those who have bullied others. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, bullying has a lifelong impact on children's social and emotional development that puts them at risk for everything from severe mental health issues to stunted professional growth later in life. Children who are involved in bullying experiences (on either side of the situation) are at an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, decreased motivation and ambition, trouble focusing, lower grades, behavioral problems, social and relationship issues, substance abuse later in life, and self-harming behaviors.

Bullying can also affect other children who witness the acts – even if they aren’t directly involved – by leaving them feeling insecure in their environments and fearing they could be next. The long-term effects of bullying go well beyond the initial instances and the people at the center of it and can often stay with a person for the remainder of their life. Since bullying can essentially destroy a child’s self-esteem, it can manifest itself in ways that will jeopardize future opportunities for years to come.

Bully can oftentimes become traumatic for those who witness the acts or endure the bullying acts.  We know trauma can affect the brain and child development. For those children who experience trauma, their brains and bodies grow differently due to living in situations perceived to be unsafe. This is one of the differences that led researchers to distinguish PTSD from Developmental Trauma Disorder.

When traumatic exposure occurs during critical periods of a child’s development, the very core of the person’s being is altered. Their entire sense of the world and themselves is turned upside down by this disorienting and terrifying experience. Children survive the trauma by “accommodating” the trauma in a way that changes them developmentally.

Not only do children involved in bullying suffer from mental and behavioral issues throughout childhood, but the research shows it deeply affects their cognitive, emotional, and biological brain development in ways that long outlast the actual incident.