School bullying and mental health among adolescents: a narrative review

Background and Objective: School bullying is a prevalent public health problem that adversely impacts adolescents' mental health. Defined as intentional, repeated, and harmful aggressive behaviors among peers, bullying leads to severe psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among victims. This narrative review aims to summarize the recent research progress on the conceptions, prevalence, and factors associated with school bullying and its impact on adolescent mental health. The ultimate goal is to inform the development of interventions for reducing or preventing mental health problems among adolescents from the perspective of school bullying. Methods: Both Chinese- and English-language studies that focused on school bullying and its association with mental health among adolescents were retrieved via online literature search within PubMed, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from their inception to October 25, 2024. Findings from the included studies were qualitatively analyzed and summarized. Key Content and Findings: A significant percentage of adolescents worldwide experience school bullying. It is characterized by repetition, power imbalance, and intent to harm. Forms of bullying include verbal, physical, relational, sexual, and cyberbullying, with verbal bullying being the most frequently reported. Factors associated with school bullying include individual characteristics, family dynamics, school environment, and societal factors. The negative mental health impact of bullying in adolescents is profound, affecting not only victims but also bullies and bystanders, leading to short-term and long-term consequences such as anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal behaviors. Conclusions: School bullying is a complex behavior with multifaceted causes and far-reaching mental health outcomes. While preventive measures have been implemented, the prevalence remains high, indicating a need for more effective interventions. The review underscores the importance of addressing school bullying from multiple angles, including individual, family, school, and societal levels, and calls for further research to examine newer and more effective interventions to mitigate the high risk of school bullying and its detrimental effects on adolescent mental health.