Is Bullying a Relationship Problem?

Classroom bullies tend to have troubled relationships with their parents and friends and may continue being disruptive throughout their teens if their problems aren’t resolved early, say researchers at Canada’s York University and Queen’s University.

“Focusing on the child alone is not enough. Bullying is a relationship problem,” says the study’s lead author, Debra Pepler, a professor of psychology at York. “Children who bully are using power and aggression to control others.”

Although many children occasionally bully their peers, a small amount—about 10 percent—bully persistently, says Pepler. “If we can identify the children who are at high risk of bullying and give them intensive support when they are in elementary school, we may be able to interrupt a 'career path’ of bullying that can lead to many relationship problems in their teens and even as adults.”