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Middle School Bullying Effects

Being bullied in school has both long-term and immediate effects. Bullying can begin during preschool and gets worse during transitional stages such as going into middle school. According to the Bullying Statistics website, 44 percent of middle schools in the United States have bullying problems. Victims of bullying have problems standing up for themselves and are often physically weaker than the perpetrator. Bullying affects their self-esteem and can even lead to suicide.

  1. Poor Academic Achievement

    • Being bullied in middle school can make a child not want to go to school. He dreads and fears facing his bully to the point where it affects his performance in school. At home, he cannot concentrate on his homework, because the horrific thought of going back to school and having to deal with his bully, is constantly on his mind. Bullied kids will often be absent from school and will even make up excuses, such as illness, not to have to go to school. Some kids may be pushed to the point where they drop out of school completely.

    Depression

    • Being bullied can bring on low self-esteem and low self-worth in middle-school students. Anxiety and fear of what will happen during school isolates the child from others. He becomes withdrawn and insecure. Bullied kids are often loners who have few or no friends. Victims of bullying can become depressed because they don't like themselves and the life they are leading. They lose interest in all that they once held dear. Depression is also a long-term effect of bullying and can effect the bullied child as an adult.

    Violent Behavior and Suicide

    • Middle-school students that are bullied can display violent behavior. They can feel compelled to start carrying weapons to protect themselves. Out of desperation, a bullied child may resort to violence. According to the Bullying Statistics website, middle-school children are more likely to experience violent crimes as a result of bullying than older teens. When bullying pushes a child to the edge, he may resort to suicide. He feels trapped and powerless.

    Effects on the Bully

    • The bully may still experience the effects of this during adulthood. He is more likely to drop out of school. He may experience difficulty forming relationships and may be abusive toward his spouse. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, bullies are more likely to vandalize property, get into fights, and get involved in criminal activities. They are also more likely to use tobacco and drink alcohol.

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