Bullying remains a serious concern in the U.S. among school-aged youth (Gage et al., 2021; Thomsen et al., 2024). According to national data, approximately 19.2% of youth aged 12 – 18, enrolled in grades 6 – 12, experience bullying at school, representing more than 4.8 million students (Thomsen et al., 2024). In a legislative attempt to reduce the prevalence of bullying within U.S. schools, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted state laws to address, reduce, and prevent bullying among school aged youth (stopbullying.gov, 2023). Although legislative efforts are a necessary step to address school-based bullying, implementers, including teachers and mental health professionals, report the need for additional training and support in recognizing and intervening in bullying (Bradshaw et al., 2013; Waasdorp et al., 2021). This practice brief will outline the defining characteristics of bullying, outcomes, warning signs and risk factors, intervention strategies, implications, and related resources.

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