#Bullying

A new study reported in Neuropharmacology suggests that cannabidiol, the non-intoxicating compound found in cannabis, may buffer against some lasting psychological and brain changes produced by social stress in adolescence. In a pair of carefully designed experiments, researchers found that giving CBD to male mice before repeated social defeats reduced social avoidance and the heightened readiness to seek drugs like cocaine that often follows stress exposure. The work also showed CBD reversed several stress-induced shifts in brain gene expression tied to the serotonin system, the endocannabinoid system, and the body’s main stress axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Importantly, the effects depended on the dose, and the study used animal models, so translating these findings to humans will require cautious, rigorous clinical testing.

A playful letter to an advice columnist highlights a common parenting dilemma: an 11-year-old girl wants a radical side-shave, and parents disagree on how to respond. The mother fears bullying, while the father believes in letting children learn from their choices. The standoff mirrors many Thai households grappling with self-expression, peer pressure, and social consequences.

Thai families understand the tension between supporting autonomy and guarding against harm. School environments in Thailand often blend peer dynamics with cultural expectations about appearance and conformity. National surveys indicate that bullying remains a concern for many students, with appearance-based teasing among the more visible forms of peer harassment.

A popular parenting column described an 11-year-old girl who wants a side-shave haircut. (Slate reported the column and the family conflict.) (Slate column)

The column asked whether parents should let the child decide. (The advice columnist urged support with safeguards.) (Slate column)

The case matters for parents in Thailand. (Thai families also face school teasing and social pressure.) (UNESCO data shows peer violence in many countries.) (UNESCO report)

The central dilemma is simple to name. (Parents weigh a child’s autonomy against the risk of bullying.) (Experts call this a common parenting conflict.)

The modern parenting dilemma crystallized in vivid detail when an advice columnist received a letter about an 11-year-old girl demanding a radical side-shave haircut. The mother worried about potential bullying while the father insisted their daughter should learn from her own choices, creating a family standoff that mirrors countless Thai households grappling with similar questions about children’s self-expression and social consequences.

The Universal Struggle Thai Families Know Well

For Thai parents, this scenario resonates deeply across cultural lines. School environments throughout Thailand present unique challenges where peer pressure intersects with traditional expectations about appearance and conformity. Recent national surveys reveal that nearly half of Thai students experience some form of bullying, with appearance-based teasing representing a significant portion of these incidents.

A growing number of people today are wondering, “Why is everyone so mean to me?” This modern lament resonates across social media, classrooms, workplaces and even family settings. Recent research by psychologists and mental health experts suggests there are complex reasons why individuals may perceive—they or truly experience—rudeness, hostility and exclusion from others. Understanding the psychology behind perceived meanness reveals both the hidden causes and promising strategies for coping, with direct significance for Thai readers navigating rapidly changing social and cultural landscapes.

A viral discussion about whether children should defend themselves when provoked has sparked a broader look at parenting, classroom discipline, and safe conflict resolution in Thai schools. A mother’s post arguing that her kids should not “snitch” but may need to defend themselves if attacked has stirred strong responses from parents, educators, and child-development experts. The conversation reveals how ideas about self-defense, dignity, and safety travel across cultures and influence behavior in Thai classrooms and playgrounds.

A recent wave of parental advice circulating online has reignited a heated debate over whether children should hit back when provoked, challenging decades-old practices in child-rearing and school etiquette. The conversation has gained traction after a mother shared her controversial stance through a viral TikTok video, insisting that while her children should never hit first, they are encouraged to defend themselves physically if struck by another child. The issue has drawn fierce reactions—dividing parents, teachers, and child development experts—while raising important questions about conflict resolution and child safety in Thailand’s classrooms and playgrounds.

New research highlights the lasting impact of childhood social rejection on mental wellbeing and personality development. Findings show that early exclusion increases loneliness and is associated with higher levels of the Dark Triad—narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. The study’s implications are relevant to educators, parents, and policymakers in Thailand, where social harmony and community integration are highly valued.

In Thai communities, where group belonging and collective well-being shape childhood experiences, social exclusion can carry heavy consequences. International research indicates that marginalized children—whether due to academics, disabilities, or family background—face greater risks of chronic loneliness. The study also suggests that early exclusion can contribute to traits marked by manipulation, grandiosity, and a lack of empathy. Researchers noted that individuals who faced rejection in childhood reported higher loneliness and more pronounced Dark Triad characteristics as adults.

Early experiences of social exclusion may have far-reaching consequences on individuals’ psychological wellbeing and future personality development, according to new research reported by PsyPost. The study, which investigates the knock-on effects of childhood social rejection, reveals that not only does exclusion increase loneliness, but it is also linked to a rise in characteristics known collectively as the “Dark Triad”: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. These findings could have significant implications for educators, parents, and policymakers in Thailand, where social harmony and group integration are held in high cultural regard.

The harsh truth in parenting is rarely about the child who is bullied; it can be the child who bullies. A recent Times feature, The last parenting taboo: admitting your child is the bully, uses personal stories, research, and insights from anti-bullying specialists to urge families and schools to confront this uncomfortable reality with honesty and practical steps.

In Thailand, the challenge carries a distinct cultural weight. Thai families often value harmony and protecting family dignity, which can make acknowledging harmful behavior feel like a personal failure. Yet open, constructive conversations about bullying remain essential for safeguarding children and communities.

The uncomfortable reality that sometimes a parent must face is not that their child is being bullied, but that their child is the bully. A recent article in The Times, “The last parenting taboo: admitting your child is the bully,” illuminates this often unspoken aspect of parenting, drawing on personal accounts, research studies, and insights from leading anti-bullying experts to challenge families and educators to confront the issue with honesty and practical strategies (The Times).

A growing body of research suggests that children who bully others share more similarities with their victims than commonly thought, with both groups facing heightened risks of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even future difficulties in adulthood. This pattern also holds true in Thailand, where bullying—whether in the classroom, online gaming communities, or even at home—remains a persistent challenge, deeply intertwined with the nation’s education and mental health systems.

The latest findings highlighted by a Clemson University psychology professor reveal that traditional bullying (physical or verbal aggression in person) and cyberbullying (harassment via digital platforms) often overlap, amplifying the negative outcomes for all children involved. Both bullies and victims are more likely to suffer poor academic performance, increased absenteeism, and, alarmingly, higher rates of suicidal thoughts. “It’s bidirectional,” reports the Clemson researcher, who explains that a child’s mental health troubles both set the stage for bullying behavior and are worsened by involvement in bullying, no matter the role (Deseret News).

New research shows that children who bully others share striking similarities with their peers who are bullied. Both groups face higher risks of anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and challenges later in life. In Thailand, bullying happens in classrooms, online gaming communities, and even at home, highlighting its deep ties to education and mental health systems.

A Clemson University psychologist notes that traditional bullying and cyberbullying often overlap. The result is worse outcomes for all involved. Both bullies and victims can see lower academic performance, more absences, and increased thoughts of self-harm. The researcher describes this as bidirectional: mental health problems can fuel bullying, and involvement in bullying can worsen those problems, regardless of who initiates it.