The long shadow of bullying: Career consequences for an American cohort

Abstract

This study documents the long-run labor market consequences of youth bullying victimization using NLSY97 data for the United States. Outcomes are examined at ages 19-40 to account for life-cycle bias. Victims exhibit lower earnings, lower job satisfaction, and less job complexity. Fewer hours and shorter tenure contribute to widening cumulative experience gaps. Female and adolescent victims are affected the most. Decomposition exercises show that concurrent health and education penalties explain half of these career penalties. Earnings penalties are robust to sibling fixed effects models and rich early-life covariates that predict victimization. The results suggest a role for programs and policies that reduce health and human capital disparities affecting those bullied during youth. These are some of the first life-cycle career impacts of youth bullying victimization documented among US workers.