Researchers at the University of Alabama also found that children frompoorer families and those exposed to harsh parenting styles had a higherrisk of being targeted.
The study, published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry,followed almost 2,000 children born between 1997 and 1998 in Quebec,Canada, and assessed them at five months of age, and then every yearuntil they reached seven-and-a-half. At each assessment point, mothersprovided information on factors such as family adversity, parentingstyles, physical aggression and hyperactivity. At age seven, teachersand children reported on any bullying by classmates.
Researchers found that children who were aggressive infants or who camefrom families with harsh parenting styles and insufficient income weremore likely to face constant victimisation.
The report said, 'Studies show that peer victimisation becomesincreasingly stable over time, with the same children enduring suchnegative experiences throughout childhood and adolescence.'
Children who were hyperactive, or who tended to internalise theirproblems and showed symptoms such as sadness or anxiety, did not sufferthe same abuse from their peers.
