A new study finds that the mental health effects of sibling bullying are as bad as or worse than bullying by another peer.

Current focus on the effects of bullying in schools by peers often overlooks bullying in other settings.  The journal Pediatrics published a new study on aggression by siblings and the effects on the mental health of children and teens.  The study utilized national data of 3,599 youths aged 17 and under.  This included telephone interviews with individuals aged 10 to 17 and the adult caregivers for those that were nine years old and younger.  The data collected focused on victimization in the past year.  In those that suffered from sibling aggression, the researchers found a higher level of mental distress compared to peer aggression for nine-and-below age group and a statistically similar level of mental distress for those between 10 and 17 years of age.

The Journal of Interpersonal Violence also considered sibling bullying recently, profiling sibling pairs.  Twenty-seven sets of siblings participated in the research.  Of the pairs of siblings interviewed, 78 percent reported being bullied by a sibling and 86 percent reported that they bullied a sibling.  Sibling bullying is often overlooked because bullying by sibling is considered a normal part of having a sibling.  As expected, of those involved, the victim viewed the bullying most negatively, while the perpetrator was less likely to think that he or she did something wrong.

Bullying is generally defined as intentional, repetitive aggression by someone with more power against someone with less power.  Bullying, no matter the source, can create ongoing negative impacts.  There are immediate physical and emotional impacts, but also the potential for lasting effects.  Commentary in Pediatrics highlights health issues that arise as a result of bullying.  The authors also recommend that pediatricians and providers play an active role in recognizing bullying or risk for children.  Specifically, they identify that certain types of characteristics put children at a higher risk for bullying.  Parents can recognize the risk and pediatricians can help mitigate it.  The most common example is weight, which parents can take an active role in helping their child become healthier, with the assistance of a pediatrician.

The issue of bullying has even garnered the attention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who have identified bullying as a public health issue.  National attention on bullying underscores the importance of this new research, which will help expand the scope of existing tools to identify and address bullying, mitigating its impacts.