Bullying linked to self-harm in kids

A study published in BMJ (British Medical Journal) states that kids who are the victims of bullying during their young years have a 3 times more likelihood of hurting themselves. The study, conducted by researchers at King's College in London, involved over 1000 sets of twins, ages 5, 7, 10 and 12 who were born in Wales and England between 1994 and 1995. The data showing the results of the self harm tests collected on 2141 kids, 6 months before their 12th birthday, showed that 237 of them had been bullied, and 18 (8%) hurt themselves. Amongst the 1904 children who were not bullied, 44 (2%) inflicted self-harm. Background information in the article reveals that in the UK, one quarter of all children in school are bullied, and although victimization has previously been linked to problems with behavior in children, this is the first study of its kind to associate self-harm with bullying. The authors also state that there was a 1.6% higher chance of girls inflicting harm on themselves than boys, but this issue is prevalent in both girls and boys. The following factors increase the risk of children hurting themselves if they are being bullied: Difficulty behaving during childhood A history in the family of people hurting themselves Emotional distress Bullying occurs when: A child says something demeaning, hurtful, or rude to another child A child physically hurts another child i.e, hitting, kicking, pushing ect. A child deliberately talks about the other child in a negative way or spreads rumors about another child A child does not include another child in the things they are doing, ignores them, or makes them feel left out frequently Self-harm amongst children can be characterized by any of the following: Biting and cutting their own arms Pulling out their own hair Hitting their heads against the wall Strangling themselves The researchers conclude that although "more effective programs to prevent bullying are required", an increase in programs designed to help children who have been the victims of bullying is essential, and those programs should be tested for effectiveness.