A new study published in The Lancet Psychiatry claims that a teenager's mental health is more adversely affected by being bullied in childhood rather than being maltreated. The study by Professor Dieter Wolke, University of Warwick, UK, compares the effects of maltreatment and peer bullying in childhood on mental health outcomes in young adulthood.

The mental health outcomes examined by the Lancet study include anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicidal tendencies.

Professor Wolke affirmed, "Our results showed those who were bullied were more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were maltreated. Being both bullied and maltreated also increased the risk of overall mental health problems, anxiety and depression in both groups".

The conclusions are based on data collected from two studies. First, the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) tested 4,026 children for maltreatment in the age group of 8 weeks and 8.6 years and bullying at the age of 8, 10 and 13 and then calculated mental health outcomes at age 18.

Second, the Great Smoky Mountain Studies (GSMS) examined 1,420 children for maltreatment and bullying between the age of 9 and 16, and mental health outcomes were worked out for 19 to 25 years old.

The findings state that individuals who are bullied in childhood are around five times more likely to experience anxiety and are twice as likely to report more depression and self-harm at age 18 than children who are maltreated.

This research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in San Diego. The study is surely an eye-opener since until now the governments had focused their efforts and resources on family maltreatment rather than bullying. The long-term serious consequences of childhood bullying necessitates schools, health services and other agencies to work together to reduce its occurrence.