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Bullies, victims at risk

Children who bully other children may be at risk for engaging in more serious violent behaviors, such as frequent fighting and carrying a weapon. That’s the gist of a national survey of bullying in US public schools, published recently in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The study, its authors believe, is the first to examine how bullying relates to other forms of violence.

“It appears that bullying is not an isolated behavior, but a sign that children may be involved in more violent behaviors,” Duane Alexander, MD, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Development, said. “The implication is that children who bully other children may benefit from programs seeking to prevent not just bullying, but other violent behaviors as well.”