Students who are the target of bullying episodes commonly suffer serious, long-term academic, physical, and emotional consequences. Unfortunately, school personnel often minimize, underestimate, tolerate, or ignore the extent of bullying and the harm it can cause. This digest examines the problem of bullying and some of its effects, and discusses preventive steps schools and states are taking. Bullying occurs when a person willfully and repeatedly exercises power over another with hostile or malicious intent. It can be physical or psychological in form. In a survey of more than 15,000 sixth through tenth graders, 30 percent reported bullying others, being targets, or both. Everyday approximately 160,000 students stay home from school out of fear of being bullied. Victims often have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork, show low performance, and have relatively high rates of absenteeism. Psychological symptoms of victims include anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. To counteract bullying, schools can distribute a written anti-bullying policy to everyone in the school community and apply the policy consistently and fairly. Positive socialization and anger-management skills can be taught. An anti-bullying culture can be developed among peers. Some states are beginning to require schools to adopt anti-bullying policies. (Contains 17 references.) (RT)