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Addressing the mental health needs of youth impacted by bullying and peer victimization

Thank you to Division 37 president and board member, Paula Fite, PhD and John Cooley, PhD for cultivating these resources.

Key facts

  • The vast majority of youth will experience bullying/peer victimization during their school-age years.
  • These experiences are associated with poor mental health outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidal ideation/behavior, behavioral problems), and many of these effects may last for decades.
  • “Fighting back” against the aggressor can lead to more stable and severe patterns of bullying/peer victimization over time.
  • Support from parents can decrease children’s risk for bullying and peer victimization and their negative effects.
  • Cognitive behavioral interventions are a promising approach to meeting the mental health needs of youth impacted by bullying and peer victimization.

Relevant resources

Cooley, J. L., Fite, P. J., & Hoffman, L. (2022). Interactive effects of coping strategies and emotion dysregulation on childhood peer victimization. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 78, 101356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2021.101356    opens in new window

Cooley, J. L., Fite, P. J. & Pederson, C. A. (2018). Bidirectional associations between peer victimization and functions of aggression in middle childhood: Further evaluation across informants and academic years. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 46(1), 99-111. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-017-0283-8opens in new window

Fite, P. J., Cooley, J. L., Poquiz, J., & Williford, A. (2019). Pilot evaluation of a targeted intervention for peer-victimized youth. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(1), 46-65. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22697opens in new window

Fite, P. J., & Cooley, J. L. (in press). Bullying and peer victimization. In A. M. La Greca, N. L. Reilly, O. Moorehead-Slaughter, & G. P. Koocher (Eds.), Parent’s guide to Psychological First Aid: Helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Fite, P. J., Cooley, J. L., & Williford, A. (2020). Components of evidence-based interventions for bullying and peer victimization. In R. G. Steele & M. C. Roberts (Eds.), Handbook of evidence-based therapies for children and adolescents (2nd ed., pp. 219-234). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44226-2_15opens in new window

Date created: April 2024