Key Points
-
Bullying is endemic in schoolchildren.
-
The effects of bullying in schoolchildren can result in both psychological and physical symptoms.
-
Children with an untreated malocclusion appear to be at greater risk of bullying.
-
Management of bullying due to the presence of a malocclusion should involve school anti-bullying policies and referral to medical and dental specialties.
Abstract
Bullying in school-aged children is a global phenomenon. The effects of bullying can be both short- and long-term, resulting in both physiological and psychological symptoms. It is likely that dental care professionals will encounter children who are subjected to bullying. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss the incidence of bullying, the types of bullying, the effects of bullying and the interventions aimed at combating bullying in schoolchildren. The role of dentofacial aesthetics and the relationship of bullying and the presence of a malocclusion are also discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
DiBiase A T, Sandler P J . Malocclusion, orthodontics and bullying. Dent Update 2001; 28: 464–466.
ChildLine. ChildLine annual review 1997/8. London: ChildLine, 1998.
Olweus D. Bullying at school: basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1994; 35: 1171–1190.
van der Wal M F, de Wit C A, Hirasing R A . Psychosocial health among young victims and offenders of direct and indirect bullying. Pediatrics 2003; 111: 1312–1317.
Smith P K, Cowie H, Olafsson R F et al. Definitions of bullying: a comparison of terms used, and age and gender differences, in a fourteen-country international comparison. Child Dev 2002; 73: 1119–1133.
Boulton M J. Teachers' views on bullying: definitions, attitudes and ability to cope. Br J Educ Psychol 1997; 67: 223–233.
Naylor P, Cowie H, Cossin F, de Bettencourt R, Lemme F . Teachers' and pupils' definitions of bullying. Br J Educ Psychol 2006; 76: 553–576.
Pearce J. What can be done about bullying? In Elliot M (ed) Bullying: a practical guide to coping for schools. 3rd ed. pp 74–75. London: Pearson Education, 2002.
Solberg M, Olweus D . Prevalence estimation of school bullying with the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Aggressive Behavior 2003; 29: 239–268.
Boulton M J, Underwood K . Bully/victim problems among middle school children. Br J Educ Psychol 1992; 62: 73–87.
Whitney I, Smith P K . A survey of the nature and extent of bullying in junior/middle and secondary schools. Educ Res 1993; 35: 325.
Salmon G, James A, Smith D M . Bullying in schools: self reported anxiety, depression, and self esteem in secondary school children. BMJ 1998; 317: 924–925.
Forero R, McLellan L, Rissel C, Bauman A . Bullying behaviour and psychosocial health among school students in New South Wales, Australia: cross sectional survey. BMJ 1999; 319: 344–348.
Fekkes M, Pijpers F I, Verloove-Vanhorick S P. Bullying behavior and associations with psychosomatic complaints and depression in victims. J Pediatr 2004; 144: 17–22.
Baldry A C, Farrington D P . Brief report: types of bullying among Italian school children. J Adolesc 1999; 22: 423–426.
Glew G M, Fan M Y, Katon W, Rivara F P, Kernic M A . Bullying, psychosocial adjustment, and academic performance in elementary school. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005; 159: 1026–1031.
Kshirsagar V Y, Agarwal R, Bavdekar S B . Bullying in schools: prevalence and short-term impact. Indian Pediatr 2007; 44: 25–28.
Alikasifoglu M, Erginoz E, Ercan O, Uysal O, Albayrak-Kaymak D. Bullying behaviours and psychosocial health: results from a cross-sectional survey among high school students in Istanbul, Turkey. Eur J Pediatr 2007; 166: 1253–1260.
Nansel T R, Overpeck M, Pilla R S, Ruan W J, Simons-Morton B, Scheidt P . Bullying behaviors among US youth: prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment. JAMA 2001; 285: 2094–2100.
Kim Y S, Koh Y J, Leventhal B L . Prevalence of school bullying in Korean middle school students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004; 158: 737–741.
Perry D G, Kusel S J, Perry L C . Victims of peer aggression. Dev Psychol 1998; 24: 807–814.
Fekkes M, Pijpers F I, Verloove-Vanhorick S P. Bullying: who does what, when and where? Involvement of children, teachers and parents in bullying behavior. Health Educ Res 2005 Feb; 20: 81–91.
Smith P K, Mahdavi J, Carvalho M, Fisher S, Russell S, Tippett N . Cyberbullying: its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2008; 49: 376–385.
Lyznicki J M, McCaffree M A, Robinowitz C B . Childhood bullying: implications for physicians. Am Fam Physician 2004; 70: 1723–1728.
Schwartz D, Dodge K A, Coie J D . The emergence of chronic peer victimization in boys' play groups. Child Dev 1993; 64: 1755–1772.
Berstein J Y, Watson M W . Children who are targets of bullying: a victim pattern. J Interpers Violence 1997; 12: 483–498.
Kumpulainen K, Räsänen E, Henttonen I . Children involved in bullying: psychological disturbance and the persistence of the involvement. Child Abuse Negl 1999; 23: 1253–1262.
Due P, Holstein B E, Lynch J et al. Bullying and symptoms among school-aged children: international comparative cross sectional study in 28 countries. Eur J Public Health 2005; 15: 128–132.
Kim Y S, Koh Y J, Leventhal B . School bullying and suicidal risk in Korean middle school students. Pediatrics 2005; 115: 357–363.
Bond L, Carlin J B, Thomas L, Rubin K, Patton G . Does bullying cause emotional problems? A prospective study of young teenagers. BMJ 2001; 323: 480–484.
Rigby K. Peer victimisation at school and the health of secondary school students. Br J Educ Psychol 1999; 69: 95–104.
Stevens V, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Van Oost P . Anti-bullying interventions at school: aspects of programme adaptation and critical issues for further programme development. Health Promot Int 2001; 16: 155–167.
Department for Education and Skills. Evaluation of the DFES anti-bullying pack. London: Department for Education and Skills, 2003.
Department for Education and Skills. Bullying: don't suffer in silence. An anti-bullying pack for schools. London: Department for Education and Skills, 2000.
Smith P K, Sharp S (eds). School bullying: insights and perspectives. London: Routledge, 1994.
Fekkes M, Pijpers F I, Verloove-Vanhorick S P. Effects of antibullying school program on bullying and health complaints. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006; 160: 638–644.
Fonagy P, Twemlow S W, Vernberg E, Sacco F C, Little T D . Creating a peaceful school learning environment: the impact of an antibullying program on educational attainment in elementary schools. Med Sci Monit 2005; 11: CR317–CR325.
Naylor P, Cowie H . The effectiveness of peer support systems in challenging school bullying: the perspectives and experiences of teachers and pupils. J Adolesc 1999; 22: 467–479.
Stevens V, Van Oost P, De Bourdeaudhuij I . The effects of an anti-bullying intervention programme on peers' attitudes and behaviour. J Adolesc 2000; 23: 21–34.
Dawkins J. Bullying in schools: doctors' responsibilities. BMJ 1995; 310: 274–275.
Department for Education. Bullying webpage. http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/pupilsupport/behaviour/bullying (accessed 4 May 2011).
Cunningham S J. The psychology of facial appearance. Dent Update 1999; 26: 438–443.
Shaw W C, Addy M, Ray C . Dental and social effects of malocclusion and effectiveness of orthodontic treatment: a review. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1980; 8: 36–45.
Macgregor F C. Social and psychological implications of dentofacial disfigurement. Angle Orthod 1970; 40: 231–233.
Shaw W C. The influence of children's dentofacial appearance on their social attractiveness as judged by peers and lay adults. Am J Orthod 1981; 79: 399–415.
Shaw W C, Meek S C, Jones D S . Nicknames, teasing, harassment and the salience of dental features among school children. Br J Orthod 1980; 7: 75–80.
Secord P F, Backman C W . Malocculusion and psychological factors. J Am Dent Assoc 1959; 59: 931–938.
O'Brien K, Macfarlane T, Wright J et al. Early treatment for Class II malocclusion and perceived improvements in facial profile. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2009; 135: 580–585.
Kerosuo H, Hausen H, Laine T, Shaw W C . The influence of incisal malocclusion on the social attractiveness of young adults in Finland. Eur J Orthod 1995; 17: 505–512.
Linn E L. Social meanings of dental appearance. J Health Hum Behav 1966; 7: 289–295.
Helm S, Kreiborg S, Solow B . Psychosocial implications of malocclusion: a 15-year follow-up study in 30-year-old Danes. Am J Orthod 1985; 87: 110–118.
Gosney M B. An investigation into some of the factors influencing the desire for orthodontic treatment. Br J Orthod 1986; 13: 87–94.
Polat Z S, Tacir IH . Restoring of traumatized anterior teeth: a case report. Dent Traumatol 2008; 24: e390–e394.
Gill D S, Jones S, Hobkirk J, Bassi S, Hemmings K, Goodman J . Counselling patients with hypodontia. Dent Update 2008; 35: 344–346, 348–350, 352.
Hunt O, Burden D, Hepper P, Stevenson M, Johnston C . Self-reports of psychosocial functioning among children and young adults with cleft lip and palate. Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2006; 43: 598–605.
Seehra J, Newton T, Dibiase A T . Bullying in orthodontic patients and its relationship to malocclusion, self-esteem and oral health related quality of life. London: King's College London, 2009. MSc Thesis.
Prove S A, Freer T J, Taverne A A . Perceptions of orthodontic appliances among grade seven students and their parents. Aust Orthod J 1997; 15: 30–37.
Phillips C, Beal K N . Self-concept and the perception of facial appearance in children and adolescents seeking orthodontic treatment. Angle Orthod 2009; 79: 12–16.
Kenealy P, Frude N, Shaw W . An evaluation of the psychological and social effects of malocclusion: some implications for dental policy making. Soc Sci Med 1989; 28: 583–591.
O'Brien C, Benson P E, Marshman Z . Evaluation of a quality of life measure for children with malocclusion. J Orthod 2007; 34: 185–193.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Refereed paper
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Seehra, J., Newton, J. & DiBiase, A. Bullying in schoolchildren – its relationship to dental appearance and psychosocial implications: an update for GDPs. Br Dent J 210, 411–415 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.339
Accepted:
Published:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2011.339
This article is cited by
-
Pathways between verbal bullying and oral conditions among school children
European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry (2023)
-
Prevalence of bullying in orthodontic patients and its impact on the desire for orthodontic therapy, treatment motivation, and expectations of treatment
Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics / Fortschritte der Kieferorthopädie (2023)
-
Is there a relationship between malocclusion and bullying? A systematic review
Progress in Orthodontics (2020)
-
School bullying and traumatic dental injuries in East London adolescents
British Dental Journal (2014)
