CYC-Net

CYC-Net on Facebook CYC-Net on Twitter Search CYC-Net

Join Our Mailing List

Quote

Just a short piece ...

21 November

NO 1246

Bullying

An overview of research specific to bullying and to related areas indicates those factors which contribute to some children being at risk of becoming involved in a bullying situation in school. A mesh of familial, temperamental, environmental and sociological factors appears to predispose some children to become aggressors and others to be at risk of attack. (Besag, 1989). Any child could be caught up in a bullying attack by being in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong company, but those involved in prolonged or repeated bullying, aggressors or victims, would seem to possess identifiable characteristics which predispose them to being at risk. Some degree of long term socialization difficulties may have been noted by parents or teachers previous to the bullying incidents. Simply to halt the bullying, therefore, would be to leave the situation unresolved. Punishment meted out to the bullies may stop the bullying but would not tap the underlying problem of maladaptive social interactions.

Profiles drawn from the work of Olweus, 1978, would indicate bullies to be energetic, strong, well co-ordinated and confident. They are able to communicate effectively and are most often of average academic ability. Victims of bullying are less energetic, weaker, poorly co-ordinated and lacking in confidence. They communicate less effectively, often being withdrawn or isolated, and are able to offer only futile attempts to defend themselves verbally or physically.

The work initiated in school therefore needs to be addressed towards the code of conduct accepted as valid by the bullies, to their stage of moral development and to the sanctions and level of supervision which it may be necessary to impose on them for the protection of others. Work with the victims needs to be based on possible communication or coordination difficulties, the enhancement of friendship skills and the development of confidence and self esteem, in addition to specific advice on how to avoid or fend off confrontation and attack. Confidence would appear to be the one factor which most clearly differentiates bullies from their victims. The bullies, however, may not be confident within their own peer group, there they may be victims themselves, yet they may bully younger pupils or siblings.

Bullying, whether viewed from the position of aggressor or victim, is a multifactorial problem demanding a multidimensional response from the school. This response is perhaps most effective if considered in the areas of: prevention, investigation, protection, resolution and reparation.

VALERIE BESAG

REFERENCES

Besag, V.E. (1989). Bullies and Victims. Open University Press.

Olweus, D. (1978). Aggression in Schools: Bullies and Whipping Boys. Wiley and Sons.

Erling R. and Munthe, E. (Eds), (1989). Bullying: An International Perspective. London. David Fulton Publishers.

The International Child and Youth Care Network
THE INTERNATIONAL CHILD AND YOUTH CARE NETWORK (CYC-Net)

Registered Public Benefit Organisation in the Republic of South Africa (PBO 930015296)
Incorporated as a Not-for-Profit in Canada: Corporation Number 1284643-8

P.O. Box 23199, Claremont 7735, Cape Town, South Africa | P.O. Box 21464, MacDonald Drive, St. John's, NL A1A 5G6, Canada

Board of Governors | Constitution | Funding | Site Content and Usage | Advertising | Privacy Policy | Contact us

iOS App Android App