School bullying does not directly cause more students to skip school, but challenges to the underlying social and emotional complexities exist, new research shows, the Huffington Post reports. According to a report released Friday by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention [1], victims of bullying are often, as a result of social and emotional hurdles, distanced from learning, disadvantaged academically and more likely to fall behind in school attendance. Although the researchers did not find a strong direct correlation between victimization and truancy, the study is limited in its quantitative analysis of just 6th graders within a single suburban Denver school district.
“Parents and schools across the country worry about the devastating harm bullying can cause, and we share this concern for our nation’s children,” OJJDP Acting Administrator Jeff Slowikowski said in a statement Friday. “This new study highlights the impact of bullying and recommends effective anti-bullying strategies that schools can implement to keep students safe.”