A recent study published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics looked at the relationship between physical features and bullying in a sample of schoolchildren. A sample of 920 sixth-grade students (11-12 years of age) were asked to complete questionnaires about their experience with bullying, being bullied, and characteristics that led to the bullying incidents.
They found that bullying was reported by 47% of the students. More boys reported being bullied than girls. A greater proportion of victims reported staying home from school and strongly disliking school than those who were not bullied. Interestingly, TEETH were the number ONE feature targeted for bullying, followed by strength and weight. The 3 most commonly reported dental features targeted by bullies were: spacing between the teeth or missing teeth, shape or color of the teeth, and prominent front teeth.
Each day more than 160,000 U.S. children stay home from school because they fear being bullied. We want to take a strong stance in the anti-bullying movement. No child deserves to be bullied EVER. If any of this information strikes a chord with you or your child, please allow us to help by scheduling a consultation today.
Concerned parents and children can learn more about bullying prevention by visiting the websites below. We encourage everyone to “Be More Than a Bystander to Bullying.”
http://www.pacer.org/Bullying/
http://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/
Resource: Zaid B, et al, “Bullying among Jordanian schoolchildren, its effects on school performance, and the contribution of general physical and dentofacial features.”
AJODO, Vol 144, Issue 6, Pgs 872-878.
