Bullying

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time. Both kids who are bullied and bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

To be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

  • An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.

  • Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.

Nearly 1 in 5 students (20%) report bullying during the school year. It can occur anywhere at home, school, church, the park, malls, playgrounds, work, etc. These areas usually include places where supervision is minimal or hidden areas where the chance of getting caught is slight (i.e., locker rooms or restrooms).

If your child is bullied, download the PDF below for helpful tips.

Types of Bullying

Verbal Bullying: Saying or writing mean things (i.e., Name-calling, teasing/taunting, threatening, insults, inappropriate sexual comments, etc.)

Social Bullying/Relational: Hurting someone’s reputation or relationships (i.e., Spreading rumors, isolation, telling others not to be friends with them, embarrassing someone publicly, exclusion, etc.)

Physical Bullying: Involves hurting a person’s body or possessions (i.e., hitting, slapping, elbowing, shoving, spitting, kicking, breaking, or taking someone’s belongings, etc.

Signs of Bullying

Bullied children and youth are likelier to exhibit several symptoms than their peers.

Physical Symptoms: 

  • Unexplained bruises, scratches, and cuts

  • Trouble sleeping or frequent nightmares

  • Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick, or faking illness

  • Changes in eating habits, like skipping meals or binge eating

  • Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry

  • Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms: 

  • Loss of interest in school and extracurricular activities

  • Feelings of helplessness, anxiety, or decreased self-esteem

  • Seems sad, moody, or depressed

  • Self-destructive behaviors (ex., cutting)

  • Suicidal thoughts or ideas

  • Social Symptoms:

  • Frequent complaints of illness to avoid attending school

  • A sudden decrease in academic performance (declining grades or loss of interest)

  • Fear of going to school, riding the bus, walking to school, or taking part in organized activities with other peers

  • Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of a social situation

Causes of Bullying

Anyone can engage in bullying behaviors for a variety of reasons. Bullying behavior can arise from distrust, fear, and misunderstanding. A person is more likely to engage in such destructive behaviors for any of the following:

  • Dislike for another person

  • Seeking revenge on another person or retaliation

  • Seeking popularity

  • Seeking power and control

  • Prejudice

  • Peer pressure

  • Pleasure or “for fun.”

Effects of Bullying

Bullying, especially among youth, can result in lasting, life-changing effects, often controlling that individual’s daily life. The effects of bullying can include, but are not limited to, the following:

Psychological and Mental Health Effects:

  • A significant drop in self-esteem, often lasting into adulthood

  • Likeliness to struggle with negative emotions every day, affecting their outlook on others and themselves

  • Higher rates of depression and anxiety

  • Increased sadness and loneliness

  • Ongoing stress

Physical Effects:

  • Physical ailments caused by psychological distress, such as chronic headaches or stomach aches

  • Sleep difficulties

Social Effects:

  • Limitations in their ability to form friendships or other relationships

  • Lack of trust and wariness of other people

  • Lower levels of confidence

Academic Effects:

  • Fear or avoidance of school in general

  • Decrease in academic performance

  • Increase in stress which interferes with memory, retaining information, learning ability, or trouble focusing

  • Alteration of a person’s academic views (i.e., no longer desires to pursue higher education or wants to drop out)

Almost all forms of bullying peak in middle school, specifically 6th-grade students reported the highest percentage of bullying (29%)

(NCES, 2019)

Bullying & Cyberbullying Laws

Below you can view a list of the current bullying and cyberbullying legislation. You can also locate your state's bullying and cyberbullying laws at stopbullying.gov

State Anti-Bullying Legislation Overview

An overview of state anti-bullying legislation and other related laws by Sacco, Silbaugh, Casey, and Doherty (2012). Learn More

Mo Education Laws

Missouri Schools General Provisions Section 160.775: Every district shall adopt an anti-bullying policy by September 1, 2007. Learn More

Cyberbullying Laws

Regularly updated Laws, Policies & Regulations webpage by Stopbullying.gov provides a brief overview of each state's cyberbullying laws.  Learn More

Sexting Laws

A regularly updated fact sheet by the Cyberbullying Research Center provides a brief overview of each state's sexting laws. Learn More

Immediate Crisis Hotlines

If you or someone you know is in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8, a free 24-hour hotline. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1 or visit your nearest emergency room. Below is an additional list of crisis resources.