LGBTQ+ teenagers in the US face the highest levels of victimisation, with 47.1% indicating they had been bullied over the past year, according to a new report. This stark figure underscores the intensified vulnerability of sexual or gender minority teens to bullying.

The United States continues to grapple with significant bullying issues among its teenage population in general. According to a national survey, more than a third of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 have reported experiencing bullying within the past year. This data forms part of a comprehensive report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), focused on the prevalence and impact of bullying among young Americans.

The findings were based on a federal youth health survey conducted over two years, from mid-2021 to the end of 2023. The survey defines bullying as the repeated exposure to aggressive behaviour by one or more individuals, where the victim finds themselves unable to defend against such actions.

The study highlights that girls, as well as younger teens, are disproportionately affected. Girls reported higher rates of bullying at 38.3%, compared to 29.9% of boys. Furthermore, the incidence of bullying was found to decline with age. Among youth aged 12 to 14, 38.4% reported being bullied, whereas this figure dropped to 29.7% in the 15 to 17 age group.

The psychological impact of bullying is profound, as noted by the research team led by Amanda Ng from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The report correlates bullying with adverse long-term mental health outcomes. Teenagers who reported being bullied also reported higher rates of anxiety and depression. Specifically, 29.8% of bullied teens experienced anxiety, compared to 14.5% of non-bullied peers. Similarly, depression rates stood at 28.5% for bullied teens, versus 12.1% for others.

Ng and her colleagues emphasise the dire repercussions of childhood and adolescent bullying, categorising it as a pressing public health issue with enduring effects. The report suggests that these experiences during such formative years can lead to long-lasting psychological trauma, stressing the need for national concern and attention.

Source: Noah Wire Services