Adolescent Patients’experiences of Mental Disorders Related to School Bullying [Letter]

Dear editor

We have read the paper written by Zi-Jing Chu et al on the Experience of Adolescent Patients with Mental Disorders Related to Bullying in Schools.¹ We congratulate all authors who have provided valuable information related to the importance of understanding and restoring adolescent mental health which is a serious problem and can affect the development of their social behavior.² Bullying is an aggressive and deliberate act or behavior carried out by a group or individual repeatedly and over time against victims who cannot easily defend themselves and can occur in schools, schoolyards and on school buses.³ This can cause significant harm to victims and perpetrators such as anxiety, hopelessness, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation which are traumatic impacts of bullying.⁴

The study conducted by Zi-Jing Chu et al used the maximum difference sampling method where adolescent patients were interviewed by psychologists and nurses then the interview results were analyzed with topic induction.¹ The method used is in accordance with the objectives to be achieved, but we would like to provide additional information related to the types of bullying victims that often occur in schools which are divided into six categories: (a) physical (they are pushed, elbowed, tripped, or spat on); (b) social (they are made fun of, gossiped about, or ostracized); (c) threatened with harm; (d) forced; (e) property is damaged; or (f) being cursed with hateful words.⁵

In this study, Zi-Jing Chu et al found that most respondents felt helpless, had serious negative emotions, and felt anxious about their personal growth.¹ These findings are reinforced by the research report of Xiaofang Xu et al who found that victims of bullying would predict cyber aggression from the perpetrators which could cause shame and trauma as well as a chain effect of self-compassion.² The long-term negative impact felt by victims of adolescent bullying will greatly affect their mental health and well-being as they grow up. This will cause social anxiety when interacting, life satisfaction, and self-esteem.³

In conclusion, we agree that the internal experiences of adolescent patients with mental disorders caused by bullying at school can cause helplessness, serious negative emotions, and anxiety.¹ Therefore, there needs to be an anti-bullying intervention carried out by various parties, namely health workers, teachers, parents, and adolescents to build a system that supports reducing the impact of trauma on adolescent victims of bullying. This intervention is expected to reduce the impact of trauma on adolescent victims of bullying. In its implementation, this anti-bullying intervention will pay attention to various aspects of adolescents holistically such as physical, psychological, social, and cultural. Adolescent victims of bullying will be given psychoeducation, counseling, and skill improvement in reducing the symptoms of trauma experienced due to bullying.⁴