Effect of Aggression and Bullying on Children and Adolescents: Implications for Prevention and Intervention
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CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DISORDERS (TD BENTON, SECTION EDITOR)
Effect of Aggression and Bullying on Children and Adolescents: Implications for Prevention and Intervention Stephen S. Leff & Tracy Evian Waasdorp
Published online: 7 February 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
Abstract Peer aggression and bullying is of considerable importance given the large number of youth involved with or witnesses to this behavior and the association with maladjustment and other negative outcomes. This article reviews current literature on aggression and bullying among school-age youth, including subtypes and differentiating between aggression and bullying. We then highlight important considerations for intervening and preventing these behaviors. Finally, implications for psychiatrists, other mental health professionals, and providers are discussed in an effort to provide specific strategies to help youth, families, and schools more successfully navigate the challenges that aggression and bullying often cause. Keywords Peer aggression and bullying . Subtypes of aggression . Relational aggression . School-based prevention and intervention . Child and adolescent disorders . Psychiatry
This article is part of the Topical Collection on Child and Adolescent Disorders S. S. Leff (*) : T. E. Waasdorp Department of Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA e-mail: [email protected] T. E. Waasdorp e-mail: [email protected] S. S. Leff University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA S. S. Leff The Philadelphia Collaborative Violence Prevention Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Introduction Although peer aggression and bullying is not a new phenomenon, it is one of considerable importance and relevance to youth, parents, and psychiatric providers [1, 2]. Many studies attest to the fact that ongoing physical aggression (hitting, pushing, shoving) occurs frequently within elementary and middle schools. Although prevalence rates of aggression and bullying vary depending upon the study, age of participants, and definitions used, it is clear that many youth are affected regularly within the school setting [3–5]. Research also has demonstrated that physical aggression is associated with a number of serious comorbidities, including peer relationship difficulties, problem-solving and emotionalarousal deficits, and academic problems [6–9], and that for a small minority of aggressors that they continue on a trajectory leading to more serious violence and delinquency during adolescence and early adulthood [10].
Differentiating Aggression from Bullying Although the terms aggression and bullying are often used interchangeably, a number of researchers have delineated clearly how they differ from one another. Peer aggression is defined typically as intentional negative or aggressive behavior directed at another peer. This behavior may be physical, relational (social), or verbal in nature (see next section for a description of these subtypes of aggressive
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