Effects of Verbal and Mental Bullying on the Emotional, Social and Psychological Well-being of Adolescents (Essay Sample)

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Effects of Verbal and Mental Bullying on the Emotional, Social and Psychological Well-being of Adolescents
Introduction
Bullying involves aggressive behaviors, imbalance of power, and deliberate intentions of harm-doing on others. In recent years, the prevalence of mental and verbal victimization among adolescents has raised significant concern among educators, policy-makers, law-enforcement agencies, health practitioners, parents, and researchers. The phenomenon assumes different forms such as rumors, stalking, threats, taunting, mockery, manipulation, and name-calling. Large cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in the United States and European countries estimate about 20% to 30% prevalence of harassment among school-aged children (Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Rosario, and Claire 4). Mental and verbal bullying have adverse effects on the psychological, social, and emotional well-being of an adolescent.
Bullying causes psychological problems such as depression, hyperactivity, anxiety, at-risk behaviors, and suicide ideation on victims and perpetrators. Williford et al. (530) observe that repeated attacks of children through middle adolescence correlates with increased psychological distress, low self-confidence, and poor academic outcomes. Also, bullied teenagers experience hyperactivity and may adopt protective measures such as bringing weapons to schools. Further, in severe circumstances, mental victimization and verbal utterances trigger suicidal thoughts among adolescents. According to, Rodríguez-Hidalgo et al. (5), bullying of children in early adolescence increases the risk of committing suicide in later stages. Likewise, the bullies exhibit psychosomatic symptoms such as anxiety, self-harm, and high rates of suicidal ideation. Overall, mental and verbal attacks increase the risk of developing depression, hyperactivity, and suicidal deaths among adolescents.