A new study has revealed that the negative impact of bullying on a child's health remains even after a long period of time.
According to the study by Boston Children's Hospital, the longer the period of time a child is bullied the more severe and lasting the impact on a child's health.
The researchers found that bullying at any age was associated with worse mental and physical health, increased depressive symptoms and lower self-worth.
Laura Bogart from Boston Children's Division of General Pediatrics said that their research shows long-term bullying has a severe impact on a child's overall health, and that its negative effects can accumulate and get worse with time.
Bogart and her team, who collected data by following a group of 4,297 children and adolescents from fifth to tenth grade, found that children who claimed being victims of chronic bullying also reported increased difficulties in physical activities like walking, running or participating in sports.
The research showed that children who experienced bullying in the past and were also experiencing bullying in the present showed the lowest health scores.
The study is published in the journal Pediatrics.
