In the teen TV show Gossip Girl , an anonymous blogger spreads rumors about the students of a private high school in the upper east side of New York City. The movie Mean Girls chronicles Lindsay Lohan's high school character's rise to the top by social manipulation (don't believe that "love ya" greeting).

Real-life gossip girls (or boys) who ignore, shun or spread rumors about other teens, however, can cause depression and social anxiety that last into adulthood for the victims, according to a recent University of Florida study.

The study asked 210 undergraduates to recall high school experiences, and it found that even those who had support from friends sometimes took the harmful words or social shunning to heart.

Social bullying, or relational victimization, is common, said Eric Storch, assistant professor of psychiatry in the College of Medicine at Florida and a co-author of the study.

"The kids are doing it all the time -- it's like walking through a minefield," Dr. Storch said.

Sarah Cartrett, 17, a senior at Fox Creek High School, said that saying one thing to your face and saying something else behind your back is prevalent in high school.

"Every girl goes through that," she said.

Verbal attacks have power because a girl's reputation is important, Sarah said.

Dr. Storch said the bullies usually have a poor self-image.

"It's a way of establishing, of elevating yourself in the social hierarchy -- you put someone down to make yourself better," he said.

Another reason might be that teens go into high school with different expectations of what goes on.

"I think it's mainly the media," said Tori Oliver, 18, a senior at Fox Creek.

The Ophelia Project, an Erie, Pa.-based advocacy group, started with a focus on girls' issues, such as body image and the media, but developed into what was important to girls -- relational aggression.

"Girls really wanted to talk about girls being mean," said Christine Linkie, the director of school programs and program developer.

The organization now focuses on combatting relational aggression and creating a safe social climate for boys and girls.

The UF study, and The Ophelia Project, found that both genders are affected by social bullying.

The peak of social bullying is in the middle school years, Ms. Linkie said. The cause, she said, is that the most fundamental social needs of the bully aren't being met: "We all need to belong, we all need to have control over out environment."

There are three parts of the situation, she said: The aggressor, the target and the bystanders. The bystanders are 80 percent of the situation, she said, and often just don't know what to do.

The bystanders often feel like if they step up, they themselves will be targeted, but part of the aggressor's power comes from the bystanders.

Bystanders can be a part of the solution by refusing to spread rumors, forward hurtful text messages or stick around to see someone demeaned.

Dr. Storch and Ms. Linkie urge students to talk to their schools about getting involved to set a no-social bullying policy.

Reach Sarah Day Owen at (706) 823-3223 or sarah.owen@augustachronicle.com.