Fact Sheet 2016
IN CASE YOU DIDN ' T KNOW
National Bullying Awareness Month — Bullying Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet 2016
Bullying is a form of youth violence . CDC defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior ( s ) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated . Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical , psychological , social , or educational harm . 1
Bullying can include aggression that is physical ( hitting , tripping ), verbal ( name calling , teasing ), or relational / social ( spreading rumors , leaving out of group ). A young person can be a perpetrator , a victim , or both ( also known as “ bully / victim ”).
Bullying can also occur through technology and is called electronic aggression or cyber-bullying . Electronic aggression is bullying that occurs through e-mail , a chat room , instant messaging , a website , text messaging , or videos or pictures posted on websites or sent through cell phones . 2
Why is bullying a public health problem ?
Bullying is widespread in the United States .
• In a 2015 nationwide survey , 20 % of high school students reported being bullied on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey . 3
• An estimated 16 % of high school students reported in 2015 that they were bullied electronically in the 12 months before the survey . 3
How does bullying affect health ?
Bullying can result in physical injury , social and emotional distress , and even death . Victimized youth are at increased risk for depression , anxiety , sleep difficulties , and poor school adjustment . Youth who bully others are at increased risk for substance use , academic problems , and violence later in adolescence and adulthood . 4 Compared to youth who only bully , or who are only victims , bully-victims suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems . 5
Who is at risk for bullying ?
Different factors can increase a youth ’ s risk of engaging in or experiencing bullying . 6 However , the presence of these factors does not always mean that a young person will bully others or be bullied .
Some of the factors associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in bullying behavior include :
• Externalizing problems , such as defiant and disruptive behavior
• Harsh parenting by caregivers
• Attitudes accepting of violence
Some of the factors associated with a higher likelihood of victimization include :
• Poor peer relationships
• Low self-esteem
• Perceived by peers as different or quiet
18 HimPower October 2017 Source : https :// www . cdc . gov / violenceprevention / pdf / bullying _ factsheet . pdf