Association between weight-related bullying and the academic, professional, and romantic pathways in emerging adulthood

Abstract

Bullying is associated with psychological, physical, academic, and interpersonal problems that can persist into emerging adulthood, a developmental phase marked by changes and exploration in academic, professional, and romantic domains. While weight is known to be a leading cause of bullying, no study has explored how weight-related bullying during adolescence and emerging adulthood might influence the life trajectories of emerging adults. This study examines the academic, professional, and romantic pathways of emerging adults based on the chronicity of the weight-related bullying they experienced. Using a longitudinal design, data was collected from 104 emerging adults aged 24 to 29. Four groups were compared: those who had never been bullied, those who had experienced weight-related bullying during one, two, or three periods (adolescence, early and/or late emerging adulthood). ANCOVA analyses and chi-squared tests were conducted to examine the differences between the four groups. Results show that despite objective pathways that are broadly comparable to those of their peers, chronic victims report lower academic, professional, and romantic satisfaction. This study highlights the importance of considering the chronicity of weight-related bullying when designing interventions to identify individuals in particular need of support and promote the positive development of emerging adults.