ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION To understand why people use bullying as a means of obtaining positive reinforcement it is first necessary to understand that most of them have discovered in childhood that bullying has positive pay-offs and that they continue this behaviour, albeit perhaps in a more refined way, in adulthood. The longitudinal studies of Olweus (1980) have already been mentioned in connection with this but more recendy Eron et al. (1987) followed up 518 children in up-state New York from the age of 8 years. All these children are now in their forties. The frightening finding from this longitudinal research is that the children who were designated most aggressive at age 8 have now committed more crimes, and more serious crimes, as adults. They also show more driving offences, more court convictions and a greater tendency to alcoholism and antisocial personality disorder. They also make more use of various mental health services. It is noteworthy that when they were initially assessed the children found to be most aggressive had the same average IQ, as those who were not labelled in that way. By the age of 19, however, their aggressive behaviour had begun to get in the way of their developing intellectual skills, and their attainments were slipping well behind those of the non-aggressive children at the same age. Of greater relevance to the subject of bullying is a review of their progress at the age of 30 when they and their spouses and partners were interviewed. Eron and colleagues discovered that there was significantly more abusive behaviour within relationships and poorly learned prosocial behaviour such that their conduct interfered with routine everyday activities. Not only were they more likely to be abusive to their partners but their aggressive behaviour also ruined their chances at work because they were regarded as disruptive and aggressive. This is clear evidence that aggressive children grow up to be aggressive adults with poorly inhibited behaviour and an increased likelihood of negative outcomes in virtually every sphere of human activity including relationship-building and employment.
