Bullying can be done by anyone, even by siblings. Worse, this can have a long-term negative mental and emotional impact on the victims. This is the message of the newest study conducted by a research team of various UK universities.
A research team from various universities in the United Kingdom including the University College London conducted a survey, the results of which were later published in Pediatrics.
The study began in 2003-2004 when they sent out questionnaires to more than 6,000 children at 12 years old. Six years after, they sent a follow-up questionnaire that try to measure their present mental state.
More than 3,000 of the children responded they had experienced bullying. Among them, close to 800 reported to being bullied by their siblings more than once a week. Based on statistics, more than 6% of those bullied but not by their siblings suffered from depression by the time they reached 18. Almost 8% shared they wanted to inflict self-harm.
However, the digits doubled for victims of sibling bullying. Over 15% developed anxiety and 12% can already be diagnosed with clinical depression. Many of them had also experienced sibling bullying as early as 8 years old.
Although the research does not immediately conclude that sibling bullying can lead to depression and anxiety, it does have a long-term mental and emotional effect on children. Sibling bullying goes beyond the normal teasing that happens within the family, especially among siblings.
Based on the study, sibling bullying is described as being ignored or rejected by their siblings, or suffering from physical, emotional, or verbal abuse.
The team wants to encourage parents to pay closer attention to the brewing bullying in the family. They should avoid ignoring common bullying signs, passing them off as simply sibling rivalry. Once they suspect or confirm bullying, parents should then immediately address the main reasons for such actions to minimize significantly the long-lasting impact of bullying on the victims.