Bullying remains a worrying problem for schools – a clinical psychologist in Hong Kong has noticed a disturbing trend where children as young as seven are seeking treatment.
Quratulain Zaidi works in the city’s Central district and treats bullied children. Bullying is a major concern as there have been studies showing its lasting effects on mental health.
Hong Kong government schools usually have a social worker who deals with mental health issues.
There is limited information available on the exact number of bullying cases in schools. Most information about bullying in Hong Kong comes from media reports.
The latest figures were found in 2010, where the department of social work at the Chinese University of Hong Kong asked 1,800 teenage students from eight secondary schools about their experiences with school violence.
Just over 70% reported being victims of violent bullying behaviour. The figure is marginally higher than reported cases in the US and UK.
On its link with mental health effects, Zaidi cited a 2009 study in Finland, which found that children who were frequently bullied were more likely than their peers to require psychiatric treatment in their teens or early 20s.
However, the study only looked at physical bullying and does not consider cyberbullying – a growing phenomenon in today’s world.
“Mean messages can be distributed anonymously and quickly, leading to 24/7 cyberbullying,” Zaidi told South China Morning Post.
Zaidi suggested that close communication with children is key to curbing cyberbullying.
“If the cyberbullying escalates to include threats and sexually explicit messages, also contact agencies that help,” she said.
If a case of cyberbullying involves things which are against the law, such as criminal intimidation, it should be reported to the police.Related stories:
Government announces abuse training for principals
School counsellors can prevent student tragedies