The Weekly Mind Reader: Bullying At-Risk Children Double Those Without MEDB Conditions

by Staff Writer
July 7, 2023 at 9:05 AM UTC

minor ear anomalies are more common in people with depressive order.

A new The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders brief report should concern anyone who cares about the safety and psychological well-being of vulnerable children. 

Children at Risk

The brief sums up a retrospective analysis of National Survey of Children’s Health data putting the prevalence of bullying among children with mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral (MEDB) problems 50 percent higher than those without such issues. 

The study involved 50,212 children with mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems and it included 44,292 children with no evident mental health diagnosis. Specifically, 22.9 percent of children with identified MEDB issues reported being bullied in the past year, compared to 15.3 percent of other children.

Children with certain mental health difficulties were most likely to be pushed around by their peers. For example, 38 percent of kids diagnosed with depression reported being the object of bullying within the past year. Likewise for 32 percent of kids with anxiety, and 29 percent of those with ADHD. More than a quarter of children with autism spectrum disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, developmental delays, or learning disabilities also said they were harassed in some way within the 12 months of the study.

“The results of our study highlight the need for specialized interventions to reduce bullying victimization among the vulnerable pediatric populations with MEDB problems” the researchers wrote. “Bullying victimization among these vulnerable children might increase school abstinence, worsen mental health outcomes, and have an additive effect on poor educational outcomes.”

The researchers acknowledged that the relationship between mental health and bullying is complex. Social differences, communication difficulties, emotional vulnerability, and discrimination probably contribute to stigma, they said. Kids with emotional and psychological problems also tend to struggle with forming friendships. They actively encourage additional research to identify risk factors linked to bullying.  Implementing targeted interventions aimed at reducing victimization would also help.

IN OTHER PSYCHIATRY AND NEUROLOGY NEWS THIS WEEK

  • A letter to the editor concluded that there is not enough data to show the insomnia drug daridorexant may potentiality increase risk of suicide or depression.  
  • An up-to-date estimate of the prevalence and sociodemographic, military, and health correlates of functional disability in US veterans.
  • A new report reminded clinicians to be aware of the potential impact of antidepressants on glucose regulation.
  • A clinical decision support tool produced a significant relative reduction in total modifiable cardiovascular risk for patients with serious mental illness like depression and schizophrenia.
  • Need a refresher on important research terms? Bookmark this handy visual guide. 
  • Our Tweet of the Week this week is not a tweet at all. It’s a thread! To learn more about treating CKD with combination therapy take the world’s first “threadtorial” to earn .25 CME. Follow us on the new Meta Threads app for up-to-date psychiatry and neurology news. 

The world's first threadtorial features CME for managing CKD with combo therapy

NEW AT CME INSTITUTE

Click to earn free accredited CME credit.

Cognitive Impairment in Huntington Disease

Comparing LAI and Oral Antipsychotic Options: Expert Discussions with Schizophrenia Case Reports

Original Research

Efficacy and Safety of Ketamine/Esketamine in Bipolar Depression in a Clinical Setting

In a small sample of patients with bipolar depression treated with ketamine/esketamine, no evidence of mania or hypomania was seen during acute treatment.

Mia C. Santucci and others

Brief Report

Trend in Emergency Department Visits Among Children and Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2016–2021

Approximately 38.7% of children and youth presented to the emergency department with a concurrent psychiatric diagnosis, highlighting the importance of a holistic psychiatric care approach, irrespective of the primary reason for their visit

Abid Rizvi and others