A recent study in Sweden sheds some light on the impact bullying may have on the emotional health of teens. Almost 5,400 teens answered questions about verbal and emotional bullying they had been subject to over several months. In addition, the teens completed a questionnaire used to diagnose depression.

According to the results of the study, teens from either high-income families or low-income families were more at risk of developing symptoms of depression as a result of bullying than teens from middle-income families. As a matter of fact, teens from these two groups were five to seven times more likely to have symptoms of depression because of bullying. In previous studies, higher income levels were shown to have a lower risk for developing health problems, however, this study shows the opposite when teens are bullied.

Lead researcher, Cecilia Aslund, as reported by Reuters Health, indicates that high-income teens may be pushed more to succeed and the resulting stress may make it more difficult to deal with the emotional impact of bullying. On the other side, teens from low-income families may also feel stress from their family life, making them more venerable to emotional problems caused by bullying.

Teens from middle-income families that experienced bullying were not as apt to develop symptoms of depression. Cecilia Aslund believes that may be because they feel more like everyone else.

The results of this study could potentially help schools develop specific programs to prevent bullying and to deal with the effects of bullying on teens.

Source:

"Some Teens More Prone to Depression from Bullying", 2009, Jan 15, Amy Norton, Reuters Health