Who Are the Students Who Bully Others? (continued)

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Although children who are adept at bullying understand others' emotions, they don't seem able to share them. In other words, they have little empathy and don't worry about the pain or discomfort they cause (Olweus, 1993). On the contrary, they may even enjoy it (Rigby, 2001b).

But this description doesn't fit all students who victimize others (Craig and Pepler, 2003; Sutton et al., 1999). Some may lack social skills and impulse control and have more anxiety and insecurity, particularly "bully-victims" and the followers who assist the leader of the bullying (Olweus, 1993).

As they grow older, children who bully are at risk for a whole host of problems (Olweus, 1991; Pepler and Craig, 2000):

• Aggressive behavior
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Delinquency, gang involvement, and vandalism
• Sexual harassment and dating aggression
• Academic problems and school dropout
• Peer rejection

Students who bully might also suffer from mental health problems such as conduct disorder, depression, and anxiety (Olweus, 1991; Pepler and Craig, 2000). Olweus (1993) found that by the age of 24 about 60 percent of the boys who had bullied others in grades 6 to 9 had been convicted of a criminal offense, and 35 to 40 percent had three or more convictions. Students who use relational bullying also face risks: They struggle with behavior problems and self-esteem and are likely to be lonely, depressed, and rejected (Crick, Casas, and Mosher, 1997; Wolke, Woods, Bloomfield, and Karstadt, 2000).