Effects of bullying worse for teens

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There are also sex differences between those bullied for the first time during puberty, with females more likely to react aggressively when provoked and males are much more likely to turn to alcohol to escape bad situations.

The best solution in all cases was strong social support, whether from friends, family or school. Those with no one to share their problems with suffered the most.

So perhaps it is best not to shelter children completely from bullying early on, suggests Newman. “They may get stressed, but unhealthy coping really jumps out when they are bullied for the first time later on.”

The effects are likely to be related to the developing stress hormone system, which matures during puberty, he concludes. Studies show abnormal stress responses in adult animals that experience social stress or aggression from other animals during puberty.

The work was presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in San Diego, US.

Helen Phillips, San Diego