Shine OnBullying has long-term health consequences, study finds
Being bullied as a child can cause lasting mental and physical health problems that extend into teen years, suggests new research.
Researchers from Boston Children's Hospital discovered that kids who were bullied as both a child and as a teen experienced the most severe health problems.
"Our research shows that long-term bullying has a severe impact on a child's overall health, and that its negative effects can accumulate and get worse with time," says study author Laura Bogart.
Also see: Bully apologizes to victim after seeing his marriage proposal video
Bogart and her team analyzed data from 4,297 students (Grade 5 to Grade 10) who came from low-income families in Los Angeles, Houston and Birmingham, Ala.
The researchers conducted questionnaires to assess which students had been bullied and when it occurred. They also examined the participants' level of physical health, depression, self-esteem, anxiety, anger and fear.
The results showed that 30 per cent of Grade 10 students who were subject to present and past bullying had low physical health scores -- including difficultly with everyday tasks like walking, running or playing sports, reports CBS.
Twenty-four per cent of those grade 10 students who were currently being bullied had low physical health scores, 15 per cent for those bullied in the past, and only 6 per cent for those who had never been bullied.
Also see: Signs your kid is being bullied
A similar statistical pattern was found for the mental health factors, such as depression, self-esteem, anxiety, anger and fear.
Bogart suggests that her research provides a compelling case for parents to open communication lines with their children, such as asking how their school day went, with the hopes of preventing bullying before it starts.
"What these results show are a strong argument for an immediate intervention, early intervention, before the effects of bullying can get too serious for mental and physical health," she tells CNN.
