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Bullying Eases Among School-Aged Children

Pediatrics; ePub 2017 Jun 1; Waasdorp, et al

Despite media reports that may suggest bullying is a growing problem among American youth, a 10-year analysis suggests otherwise. Self-reports from over 246,000 children in 4th to 12th grade in 109 Maryland schools collected over 10 years found the following:

  • There was a significant improvement in bullying and related problems.
  • 10 out of 13 indicators had improved over time, including less physical, verbal, and relational bullying, as well as less cyberbullying.
  • The data also suggested that more adults believe they are doing enough to stop bullying.

Citation:

Waasdorp TE, Pas ET, Zablotsky B, Bradshaw CP. Ten-year trends in bullying and related attitudes among 4th- to 12th-graders. [Published online ahead of print June 1, 2017]. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2016-2615.