A recent British study has shown that children who are bullied by their siblings are more likely to suffer from mental health issues later in life. Researchers at the University of York analyzed data from around 17,000 children in the UK, aged 11 to 17, to determine whether they had experienced bullying from their siblings at home. Bullying was defined as intentionally harming a brother or sister emotionally or physically, such as through fighting or name-calling.
The study found that children who were bullied between the ages of 11 and 14 were more likely to experience psychological problems by the time they turned 17. The data indicated that they were twice as likely to become withdrawn compared to children with good relationships with their siblings.
Additionally, the study revealed that children who bullied their siblings were likely to endure difficulties similar to their victims, which scientists noted is particularly significant. Previous academic papers have found that sibling bullying can lead to immediate mental health issues in schools.
One in five children in both the UK and the US experiences bullying each year, either from siblings or other children in school, summer camps, or other places.
The study, published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, involved 17,157 children with at least one sibling, with an equal number of boys and girls from families receiving child benefits. Parents and children were asked if bullying was occurring at home when the children were 11 and 14 years old. At age 17, children were asked about their mental health, as were their parents.
Researchers found that parental and child responses tended to match when the children were aged 11 to 14, but there were greater discrepancies by age 17. Overall, half of the children in the study reported being bullied by their siblings at age 11, which decreased to one-third by age 14.
The findings showed that children who were bullied by their siblings were more likely to suffer from internalizing problems, with a greater tendency towards depression and self-harm. The study did not account for other variables such as wealth and geography.
Children who bully their siblings were found to be at risk for mental health issues similar to those of the victims, reinforcing the established view that the behavior of bullies reflects their own problems projected onto others, according to the Daily Mail.
