Victims of bullying in childhood, criminal outcomes in adulthood

Abstract

Objective. Being bullied in childhood is empirically associated with a number of negative psychosocial outcomes, including delinquency. However, no study to date has examined in a clinical population relationships between being bullied in childhood and accruing charges for criminal behavior in adulthood – the focus of the present study. Method. In this cross-sectional study of 377 consecutive outpatients from an internal medicine clinic, we examined relationships between three self- reported bullying variables and self-reported charges for any of 27 criminal behaviors as schematized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Results. In this sample, approximately 45% of participants self-reported being victims of bullying in childhood. Men, but not women, evidenced relationships between being a victim of bullying in childhood and the number of different illegal charges reported in adulthood. Conclusions. Although the methodology of this study does not allow for the determination of a causal relationship, findings suggest that being a victim of bullying in childhood may be associated with criminal behavior in adulthood, particularly among males.