A cognitive and brain scientific study of long-term influences of bullying on mental health

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K04393
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Clinical psychology
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Matsumoto Kei 金沢工業大学, 基礎教育部, 准教授 (40367446)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: いじめ / 精神健康 / 心的外傷後成長 / 脳機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to clarify the long-term influences of bullying victim experience and to experimentally examine the influences of bullying on cognitive and brain functions related to the communication. As a result of this study, the following points had become clear. 1) The bullying victim experience up to university entrance could have long-term adverse effects on both positive and negative mental health. 2) Through the investigation and interview for the victims, the intensity of the trauma of bulling and the post-traumatic growth showed a positive correlation, and the bullying experience could cause human growth as well as distress. 3) During the vocabulary fluency task, the blood flow of the prefrontal brain areas differed depending on the degree of social anxiety associated with the bullying victim experience.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果は、いじめ被害経験の長期的影響を科学的に明らかにするとともに、いじめがもたらしうる脳・認知機能への長期的な影響を示唆するものでもあった。被害当時に深刻な影響が見られなかったとしても、早期の支援が必要であることを示すデータも得られた。今後はこれらの結果を考慮したいじめ被害のアセスメント方法や支援方法の開発が望まれる。