Statistics

20.2%

20.2% of students report being bullied.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

41%

41% of students who reported being bullied at school indicated that they think the bullying would happen again.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

13%, 13%, 5%, and 5%

Out of those students who reported being bullied:

13% were made fun of, called names, or insulted.

13% were the subject of rumors.

5% were pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on.

5% were excluded from activities on purpose.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

43%, 42%, 27%, 22%, 15%, 12%, and 8%

Bullied students reported that bulling occurred in the following places:

43% in the hallway or stairwell.

42% inside the classroom.

27% in the cafeteria.

22% outside on school grounds.

15% online or by text.

12% in the bathroom or locker room.

8% on the school bus.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

46%

46% of bullied students report notifying an adult at school about the incident.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

25%

School-based bullying prevention programs decrease bullying by up to 25%.

McCallion & Feder, 2013

20.9%

20.9% of youth (9-12 years old) have been cyberbullied, cyberbullied others, or seen cyberbullying.

Patchin & Hinduja, 2020

49.8% and 14.5%

49.8% of youth (9-12 years old) said they experienced bullying at school.

14.5% of youth shared that they experienced bullying online.

Patchin & Hinduja, 2020

27%, 19%, 19%, and 14%

Bullied students indicated that bullying had a negative effect on:

27% how they feel about themsevles.

19% their relationships with friends and family.

19% their school work.

14% their physical health.

National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019

Effects of Bullying

Students who experience bullying are at an increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school.

Centers for Disease Control, 2019

Students who experience bullying are twice as likely as non-bullied peers to experience negative health effects such as headaches and stomachaches.

Gini & Pozzoli, 2013

Youth who self-blame and conclude they deserved to be bullied are more likely to face negative outcomes, such as depression, prolonged victimization, and maladjustment.

Perren, Ettakal, & Ladd, 2013

Students need not be the targets of bullying to experience negative outcomes. Observing bullying is associated with adverse mental health outcomes.

Rivers, Poteat, Noret, & Ashurst, 2009

Bullying and Suicide

There is a strong association between bullying and suicide-related behaviors, but this relationship is often mediated by other factors, including depression, violent behavior, and substance abuse.

Reed, Nugent, & Cooper, 2015

Students who report frequently bullying others and students who report being frequently bullied are at increased risk for suicide-related behavior.

Centers for Disease Control, 2014

A meta-analysis found that students facing peer victimization are 2.2 times more likely to have suicide ideation and 2.6 times more likely to attempt suicide than students not facing victimization.

Gini & Espelage, 2014

Interventions

Bullied youth were more likely to report that actions that accessed support from others made a positive difference.

Davis & Nixon, 2010

Actions aimed at changing the behavior of the bullying youth (fighting, getting back at them, telling them to stop, etc.) were rated as more likely to make things worse.

Davis & Nixon, 2010

Students reported that the most helpful things teachers can do are:
- Listen to the student
- Check in with them afterwards to see if the bullying stopped
- and give the student advice

Davis & Nixon, 2010

Students reported that the most harmful things teachers can do are:
- Tell the student to solve the problem themselves
- Tell the student that the bullying wouldn't happen if they acted differently
- Ignored what was going on
- or tell the student to stop tattling

Davis & Nixon, 2010