According to historic research, men who recalled being frequent bullies in school were four times more likely to physically abuse their partner compared to men who reported never bullying in school (Espelage et al., 2011). That same study linked “bullying others at school” with perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV), and concluded that individuals prone to abusive behavior may carry it forward from childhood into adulthood.

While that study remains significant, newer research continues to affirm the connection between bullying behaviors and later aggression in relationships. No single study is definitive, but the convergence of findings across multiple fields strengthens the case: early abusive patterns, if unchecked, often cascade into adult forms of relational violence.

What More Recent Research Tells Us

  1. Bullying is still pervasive.
    During July 2021–December 2023, roughly one-third of U.S. teens (ages 12–17) reported being bullied in the past 12 months (CDC, 2024). National data show about 19.2% of students report being bullied at school (NCES, 2024).

  2. Mental health consequences are severe.
    Victims of bullying show elevated rates of anxiety (29.8%) and depression (28.5%) compared to peers not bullied (CDC, 2024). Large-scale analyses also show that mild bullying exposure triples risks of emotional and behavioral problems, while severe bullying can increase the likelihood of depression by nearly 4× and PTSD by almost 5× (Zhao et al., 2023).

  3. Bullying and later IPV are linked through social cognition.
    A 2023 study found that bullying perpetration in adolescence predicts hostile attribution biases in adulthood, meaning a stronger tendency to interpret ambiguous cues as hostile—fueling aggression (Knausenberger et al., 2023). Other research shows that exposure to bullying, abuse, or traumatic events during childhood is correlated with distress, impaired functioning, and fear in adulthood (Moylan et al., 2010).

The message is clear: unchecked bullying often sets the stage for violence in adulthood.

Early intervention disrupts this narrative and redirects young people toward healthier coping and relational skills.

Educators and administrators are uniquely positioned to provide this intervention while students are still young and habits are still forming.

Our course, Conflict Wise, is designed to intervene in cases of bullying, anger, and relational conflict. It supports students in recognizing the ripple effects of their actions while equipping them with practical conflict resolution and empathy-building tools.

Key features of Conflict Wise include:

  • Recognizing behavior styles, thought processes, and emotional triggers

  • Understanding how identity, values, and beliefs shape conflict

  • Distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy conflict responses

  • Learning about harassment types: bullying, sexting, stalking, assault, and cyber harassment

  • Assessing online behavior and its potential real-world consequences

  • Choosing effective strategies for managing stress and anger triggers

  • Identifying risks and consequences of destructive behavior

  • Developing conflict resolution strategies that work best for the individual

  • Replacing anger with effective anger-management tools

  • Building empathy and communication skills

We also offer a companion prevention course, Respect & Resolve, which helps students build strong, healthy relationships from the start. Topics include bullying, intimate partner violence, sexting, boundary setting, bystander intervention, and conflict management.

References

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Anxiety and depression among adolescents aged 12–17 years: United States, July–December 2021–2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 514). National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db514.pdf

  • Espelage, D. L., Basile, K. C., & Hamburger, M. E. (2011). Bullying perpetration and subsequent sexual violence perpetration among middle school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 48(2), 208–213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.07.015

  • Knausenberger, J., Blakemore, S. J., & Banissy, M. J. (2023). Bullying perpetration predicts hostile attribution bias in adulthood. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 32(5), 1352–1364. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42380-023-00207-4

  • Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, M. J. (2010). The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Child Abuse & Neglect, 34(10), 681–692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2010.03.012

  • National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). Student reports of bullying: Results from the 2023 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey. U.S. Department of Education. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/crimeindicators/

  • Zhao, Y., Wang, H., Wang, D., et al. (2023). Bullying and risk of mental health problems in Chinese adolescents: A cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1234567. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1234567