Children who suffer physical bullying at home—especially from parents or adults—are more likely to fall behind in school, according to a recent study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (188ΜεΣύ).
Drawing from a seven-year nationwide study that tracked 5,000 Filipino students, the research highlights how physical abuse in the home significantly disrupts education.
Researchers examined three crucial education markers—whether students stayed in age-appropriate grades, their attendance records, and their academic performance—against five different bullying experiences. It delved into a broader context, exploring the role of bullying by peers, adults, and even parents.
Physical abuse by adults
Dr. Alejandro Herrin, Policy Adviser at the University of San Carlos’ Office of Population Studies Foundation, presented the research in the 188ΜεΣύ webinar held on April 10, 2025. He stressed the severe impact of adult-inflicted harm.
“It appears that physical bullying, especially from adults and parents, has expected negative effects on schooling outcomes," Herrin stated.
Students experiencing physical harm were more likely to miss school and fall behind. According to Herrin, by the time the students turned 16, their data showed that 20% were no longer at the grade level expected for their age.
Boys appeared more vulnerable than girls in certain aspects. They were more likely to fall behind academically than girls in similar situations.
Emotional bullying by peers
Interestingly, the study found that not all forms of bullying had equally negative effects. Emotional teasing from peers, which students reported as hurtful, was associated with better schooling outcomes in some cases.
“What we find is that the emotional hurt by friends and classmates seems to have a positive effect on track schooling," said Herrin.
Girls, in particular, appeared to maintain better academic performance even when reporting emotional bullying—possibly indicating the development of resilience.
However, researchers cautioned that more study is needed to determine whether this is a real effect or a statistical artifact.
“These are unexpected [results] and deserve additional investigation, whether these are real thing[s] that we can work on or is this merely a statistical artifact in the way that we had analyzed the data," Herrin emphasized.
It could even be suggested that what students call “emotional bullying” might be normal peer friction that accidentally motivates them.
Dr. Allan Benedict Bernardo, Distinguished University Professor of Psychology at De La Salle University, also expressed concern about how students perceive bullying.
“The bigger problem may be that our students are looking at bullying as a normal part of their social experiences in our schools,” he said.
He warned that dismissing bullying as trivial—like ‘away bata’—risks perpetuating environments where harm is ignored, even as it erodes mental health and academic performance.
Defining and addressing bullying in schools
USC Psychology Professor Dr. Delia Belleza, who analyzed the findings of the 188ΜεΣύ study, explained why definitions matter.
“By definition, if we search the literature, there are three core elements that make bullying a bullying act," Belleza explained.
“First, it must be repeated. Second, intentional. There is really the intention to hurt to embarrass. And third, it involves a power imbalance.”
This precise definition helps separate true bullying from normal growing pains.
“Studies have shown that there are variations in the rates of prevalence of bullying,” Belleza added, highlighting the importance of standardized definitions in research.
The rise of cyberbullying
The digital era introduces new challenges to combat bullying.
“We have less control [over] what they click, and they have been involved in a lot of social interactions which [we do not see],” Belleza warned, noting how cyberbullying evades traditional monitoring.
Approaches to combat bullying
As schools in the Philippines implement anti-bullying policies, Herrin identified the core challenge. “What is needed is implementation, the challenge being [is] how to implement [the policies],” he said.
Their study recommends tailored approaches addressing different types of bullying while leveraging new mental health laws.
Beyond school policies, family and community interventions are crucial. Parents, in particular, play a pivotal role in shaping children’s emotional and academic well-being.
“We need also to look at the association between bullying and mental health since they are closely related,” Herrin suggested.
Meanwhile, Belleza highlighted the importance of empowering all students, not just those bullied, to foster a more positive school environment.
“Bullying involves a power relation, where someone is dominant and picks on others because of their appearance or other characteristics,” she explained.
She recommended focusing on self-enhancement and resilience-building for all children to build a positive sense of self for all students to manage interactions and prevent bullying.
Watch the forum playback at or read the full study at . — MJCG
