Bullying Scars

An explosion of research on bullying has raised our collective awareness of the serious impacts it can have on children. No longer do we accept it as an innocuous rite of passage, just a part of growing up that we grin and bear and grow out of later. But do we grow out of it, or are there lingering effects that last well beyond the school playgrounds and lunchrooms? Is bullying traumatic and, if so, does it last into adult life? Are there life-long consequences or are the effects pretty much shed as people grow? Are some of us more resilient than others? Are there any positive or unexpected outcomes as a result of being bullied (or having been a bully) as a child? In an effort to answer these questions, Bullying Scars describes childhood bullying from the vantage point of those victims, bullies, and bystanders who are now adults; the book discusses how lives have been changed, and explores the range of reactions adults exhibit.The research gathered for this book, through interviews with over 800 people, points out that even adult decision-making is often altered by the victimization they experience as children at the hands of peers, siblings, parents, or educators.

Written in an engaging and accessible style that draws heavily from the rich interview data that deLara has collected, this book will be of interest to anyone struggling with the lingering effects of being bullied. Additionally, it is highly relevant to mental health professionals -- counselors, therapists, social workers, clinical psychologists -- working with clients who are dealing with these issues.


Bullying Scars by deLara is an integration of much of the current literature about bullying,
providing readers with the opportunity to expand their perceptions of bullying and to be able
to distinguish it from among other similar concepts. The book not only addresses bullying
from singular occurrences but also addresses prevention program development and
evaluation.
--PsycCRITIQUES

Bulying Scars: The Impact on Adult Life and Relationships extends the relevant literature on the effects of bullying in childhood and adolescence to consider the long lasting outcomes across the life span. The vivid narratives of participants in this book echo the experiences of thousands of adults across the globe who live with the scars of similar experiences.
-Professor Akis Giovazolias, University of Crete, Greece