Up to 77 percent of kids have been the victim of bullying at their school. Of these children, around 14 percent have been shown to experience significant negative consequences to bullying. Negative consequences include anxiety, depression, poor relationships with peers, and lower grades in school. Therefore, it is important for children to receive proper support when faced with bullying in order to prevent negative outcomes. Research suggests that therapy can help kids to decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression caused by bullying. There are four important parts of therapy for bullying-related anxiety and depression, which include providing children with education about bullying, helping kids to build their social network, teaching kids to stand up for themselves through assertiveness training, and lastly learning who they can come to for support in different situations. Children that have taken part in this type of therapy for bullying were highly satisfied with their treatment. They also reported lower levels of symptoms related to anxiety and depression following therapy. Because so many kids are victims of bullying at school, it is important for children to have access to resources that work to lessen the harmful effects of bullying. Therapy in particular is likely to serve as a useful tool in helping kids to cope with potential negative outcomes related to bullying.
If you or someone you know is in need of mental health support, there are many options available, including professional counseling. Please call us at (215) 487-1330 or email us at Greenridge@intercommunityaction.org for more information about our counseling services.
Author: Paige Martin, M.A.
Reference
Chu, B. C., Hoffman, L., Johns, A., Reyes-Portillo, J., & Hansford, A. (2015). Transdiagnostic behavior therapy for bullying-related anxiety and depression: Initial development and pilot study. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 22(4), 415-429.
