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The adult consequences of being bullied in childhood

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  • Blanchflower, David G.
  • Bryson, Alex

Abstract

Most studies examining the impact of bullying on wellbeing in adulthood rely on retrospective measures of bullying and concentrate primarily on psychological outcomes. Instead, we examine the effects of bullying at ages 7 and 11, collected prospectively by the child's mother, on subjective wellbeing, labour market prospects, and physical wellbeing over the life-course. We exploit 12 sweeps of interview data through to age 62 for a cohort born in a single week in Britain in 1958. Bullying negatively impacts subjective well-being between ages 16 and 62 and raises the probability of mortality before age 55. It also lowers the probability of having a job in adulthood. These effects are independent of other adverse childhood experiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Blanchflower, David G. & Bryson, Alex, 2024. "The adult consequences of being bullied in childhood," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 345(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:345:y:2024:i:c:s0277953624001345
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116690
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    Cited by:

    1. Fraser Summerfield, 2026. "The long shadow of bullying: career consequences for an American cohort," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 39(2), pages 1-33, June.
    2. Ren, Yangling & Yang, Peirong & Liu, Yixiao & Chen, Gang, 2025. "Parental absence, child victimization and health-related outcomes in rural China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

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    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure

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