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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- As many as one in 10 children become subjects of verbal or physical attacks and social aggression by school peers; but why do some children become targets of harassment while others escape it? One study takes a closer look at the question.
Victims of bullying can suffer detrimental consequences, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and loneliness. Even after reaching adulthood, their scars may linger. Researchers at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, examined 1,970 children at various age intervals in their life, between 4.5 months and 7.2 years. Most of the children were found to be on a low/increasing path of victimization by peers; however one quarter of the group were on a moderate/increasing path and 4 percent were on a high/chronic trajectory.
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Children who were aggressive at 17 months of age were more likely to be bullied in preschool than those who were not aggressive. Children who came from families with harsh parenting styles and a low income bracket were also more likely to be chronic victims. The researchers note that sadness, fear, anxiety and hyperactivity were not linked to becoming a victim.
These results suggest that early preventive interventions should target both child- and parent-level risks and focus on alternatives to harsh and aggressive interactions, study authors wrote.
SOURCE: Archives of General Psychiatry, 2008;65:1185-1192
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