Background
The mental, physical, social and academic consequences
of bullying have an enormous impact on human and social
capital.
Objective
This article describes the effects and prevalence of bullying
on young people and presents strategies for its detection.
Strategies for the facilitation of a multidisciplinary
approach to bullying in adolescents are also presented.
Discussion
Given the existing high rate of bullying, assessment should
be incorporated into a standard psychosocial screening
routine in the general practitioner’s clinic. Effective
management is a multidisciplinary effort, involving parents,
teachers and school officials, the GP, and mental health
professionals. Given the variable effectiveness of schools in
tackling bullying, GPs play an important role in identifying
at risk patients, screening for psychiatric comorbidities,
counselling families about the problem, and advocating for
bullying prevention in their communities.
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