Understanding the relationship between bullying and mental health: A review of the literature

What is it about?

Cognitive appraisals have been identified as factors that play an important role in our reactions to stressful situation. Cognitive appraisals refer to our thoughts and evaluations of a stressful situation. Appraisals can include feeling in control, threatened, or at risk of harm, in response to stress. They can also reflect what resources we have available to manage the situation, for example our perceptions of available social support, or our confidence in our own ability to manage the situation (coping self-efficacy). In our publication we reviewed 23 studies that had examined the role of cognitive appraisals in the relationship between bullying (peer-victimisation) and mental health. Previous research has highlighted how bullying can predict poorer mental health in both the short-and long-term. In our review we outline how previous research has shown that the relationship between bullying and mental health is stronger when victims feel threatened by their experiences, and when they feel out of control. We also highlight that having the confidence to manage the situation (coping self-efficacy) can reduce the impact of bullying. Our review of research found that perceived social support played a role in the relationship between bullying and mental health. Some sources of social support (general support, support from parents/ guardians and teachers) were found to be protective, reducing the impact of bullying on mental health. Perceived support from friends was not always found to be protective, with some studies reporting that the relationship between bullying and mental health was stronger in those who reported having support from friends. The findings of the review suggest that appraisals play an important role in the relationship between bullying and mental health.

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Why is it important?

A wealth of past research has supported the relationship between bullying and mental health. But comparatively little is known about why bullying has such an impact. The findings of our review suggest that cognitive appraisals play an important role in the relationship. From an intervention perspective, identifying factors which explain why bullying relates to mental health can aid the development of more appropriate intervention strategies to buffer the impact of bullying on mental health.

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