School-age is a time during which a child
undergoes many physical and psychological developments. However, if during this
time the child’s development is disturbed by a physical or mental form of
violence, it can lead to long-lasting effects on a child’s personality.
Bullying is one of the forms of violence that has negative impacts on the
academic performance as well as the psychological wellbeing of a child. It can
be defined as a form of physical or mental violence performed by an individual
on another person who is not capable to defend him/herself. It is an
ever-growing problem at schools all over the world.
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Bullying induces prodigious impacts on a
child’s personality including physical, academic, mental, and psychosocial
effects. The victim suffers from headaches, panic attacks, sweating and
stammering, and frequent illness. Likewise, the academic effects include poor
performance, inability to concentrate, and feeling reluctant to attend school.
Bullying victims also face difficulty in building new relationships and they
like to remain alone most of the time. They also have an inferiority complex
and consider themselves as failures. They are likely to experience, rage, low self-esteem,
and suicidal ideations in extreme cases.
Bullying also deploys a child from its right to
freedom, privacy, dignity, and security. It gives rise to irreversible damage
to victim’s self-concept and they never consider themselves as efficient and
capable individuals. Apart from the health problems and poor social and
emotional adjustment, bullying can cause long-lasting distress in the later
life of the victims as well. They may encounter trouble in making new
relationships and may also indulge themselves in criminal acts. If the child
has been bullied, he/she is likely of being diagnosed with psychiatric
disorders later in life.
Although it may sound strange bullying does not
affect the victims only; it has some devastating effects on bullies as well.
Bullies have a higher rate of depression and are likely to have social problems
like aggression, externalizing behaviors, and anxiety disorders. They can also
have problems with being employed and having long-term marital relationships
later in life. Childhood bullies also have higher chances of engaging in
criminal behavior by adulthood.
Since bullying behavior is becoming a common
problem in our schools; the schools should identify bullies and take strict
action against them. The school management should counsel the child (both bully
and victim) and involve his/her family as well. There is also a need for
crucial steps for anti-bullying prevention as the physical and psychological
impacts of bullying on children’s lives cannot be ignored.
This article is written by Sana Rehman, one of the Contributors at the School of Literature.
