Bullies, seven percent of the students, are psychologically
strong. "Bullies are popular and respected: they are considered
the 'cool' kids," said Jaana Juvonen, UCLA professor of
psychology, and lead author of "Bullying Among Young
Adolescents: The Strong, the Weak and the Troubled," published
in the December issue of the journal Pediatrics. "They don't
show signs of depression or social anxiety and they don't feel
lonely. "We hope that these findings help us dispel the myth
that bullies suffer from low self?esteem," Juvonen said. "Our
data indicate that bullies do not need ego boosters.
Unfortunately, this myth is still guiding many programs
conducted in schools. Instead, we should be concerned about the
popularity of bullies and how to change the peer culture that
encourages bullying." Depression, social anxiety and loneliness
are common among victims of bullies, who are nine percent of the
students in the UCLA study. "Young teens who are victims of
bullying are often emotionally distressed and socially ma