Rates of bullying in some Virginia middle schools located in districts that voted for President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE rose following the 2016 election, according to a study released Wednesday.

In the study from researchers at the universities of Virginia and Missouri, data revealed that bullying rates rose by double digits in some middle schools located in areas that supported the president, while rates of bullying along racial or ethnic lines increased by a smaller amount.

The rate of middle schoolers being bullied primarily increased in Republican districts, the study noted.

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Rates of bullying rose by 18 percent in districts that supported Trump, according to the study, where previously there had been no difference between rates of bullying between Democratic and Republican districts.

"It is obviously difficult to demonstrate a causal link between statements by a public figure and schoolyard bullying. Nevertheless, there are incidents in which youth made threats and jeering statements that closely matched language used by President Trump," the study concludes.

"Such incidents are suggestive of the social learning model of aggression and classic studies showing how easily children model the aggressive behavior of adults," it continues.

The survey processed data from 155,000 seventh- and eighth-grade students to determine rates of bullying in the state, according to the researchers, and "provide[s] modest support for educator concerns about increased teasing and bullying since the 2016 presidential election," the study's authors wrote.

Dewey Cornell, a co-author of the study, told The Viriginian-Pilot this week that the study's results show that parents need to do more to recognize the effects their political rhetoric has on children.

"Parents should be mindful of how their reactions to the presidential election, or the reactions of others, could influence their children. And politicians should be mindful of the potential impact of their campaign rhetoric and behavior on their supporters and indirectly on youth," he said.