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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this article by Batsche and Knoff was to explore the problem of bullying in schools by identifying the characteristics of bullies and victims, describing the consequences of bullying for victims, and discussing strategies for dealing with the problem.
METHODOLOGY:
The authors employed a non-experimental research design, relying on data collected in previous studies conducted by researchers in Scandinavia, England, Japan and the United States. The authors defined bullying as repeated physical, psychological and/or sexual harassment by one student against another over a period of time.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
The authors found that bullying is not usually included in descriptions of school violence because it is hard to observe, measure and report. As a result, they argued that estimates of school violence are too low. It was found that between 15 and 20% of students reported being bullied at some point during their school years, making bullying the most prevalent form of violence on school campuses. It was found that students bully other students as well as their teachers.
Several characteristics of bullies were identified. For example, it was found that bullies come from authoritarian homes where physical means of discipline are used, often have hostile or rejecting parents who are inconsistent in their parenting, have parents with poor problem-solving skills, and have been taught to hit with little provocation. Bullies were not found to be anxious, insecure, or to lack self-esteem. Generally, bullies were found to demonstrate aggressive behaviors and possess physical strength. Most bullies liked being a bully and felt good about bullying other children.
The authors also identified several characteristics of victims. Victims were defined as being either passive or provocative. Passive victims were anxious and insecure children who did nothing to defend themselves while provocative victims were those children who attempted to retaliate when attacked. The authors noted the importance of distinguishing the two types of victims when attempting to help them; passive victims may need assertiveness training while provocative victims may require aggression reduction training. While victimization was not found to be related to physical characteristics (e.g., being fat or wearing glasses) it was found that boys were more likely to be both bullies and victims than girls. Boys were found to use direct bullying in the form of physical assaults while girls were found to use indirect bullying such as social isolation or exclusion.
It was found that school size, class size and ethnic mix of students were not related to levels of bullying. The socioeconomic level of students' families was found to be inversely related to bullying, such that schools with wealthier students had fewer incidences of bullying. Bullying decreased with age and grade; 11.6% of elementary school students reported being bullied compared to 5.4% in junior high. The younger students at any level were most likely to be victims.
The authors identified several effects of bullying on victims. For example, victims were found to exhibit avoidance and withdrawal symptoms, and were found to view school as an unpleasant and unsafe setting. Some victims become more aggressive themselves while others responded by running away or trying to escape the bully. The authors concluded that academic performance will suffer when children are afraid to come to school. They also suggested that students will skip school more, avoid certain areas of school, or engage in illegal activities (such as bringing a weapon to school) if they are afraid of being bullied.
It was found that school personnel respond only minimally to bullying activities. Many teachers (25%) reported ignoring the problem because they thought it would go away without intervention; others viewed the assaults as less damaging than physical assaults and therefore not worthy of intervention. It was also found that teachers pay more attention to the child who bullies than the victim, leaving victims unsure of where to turn for help. The authors posited that victims of bullies are victimized twice: once by the bully and once by the system which pays more attention to the bully and denies the victim adequate support and a safe haven.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
Several strategies for dealing with bullies were presented by the authors. Above all, it was recommended that schools promote the facts of bullying activities, rather than denying that the problem exists. The authors also suggested that schools work to dispel the notion that aggressive behavior is a normal part of growing up. Another recommendation given by the authors was that schools should conduct an assessment of the bullying on their respective campuses to determine how severe the problem is for their students and staff. It was recommended that this assessment include suggestions from students as to how bullying ought to be dealt with. The authors suggested that schools develop a code of conduct for students to follow which explicitly states the types of behavior considered inappropriate in school. It was also recommended that schools provide counseling services for both bullies and their victims and that the parents of victims and bullies be involved in the intervention process, rather than waiting to call upon their help once the discipline has been decided upon. The authors recommended that schools work to prevent the problems of bullying by encouraging school staff to identify potentially aggressive children for special behavior-management training. Finally, the authors recommended that students and teachers be made aware of the outcome of these programs and procedures so that they may play a part in evaluating whether or not the school is successfully dealing with the problems associated with bullying.
The authors concluded that the problem of bullying in schools is prevalent and can lead to a decline in academic performance for children who are victims of bullies. It was argued that bullying will cease to be a problem only when schools adopt comprehensive plans for teaching prosocial behavior to children.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
Child Bully
Child Violence
Child Victim
Child Offender
School Violence
Bullying Causes
Bully Offender
Bully Victim
School Response
Late Childhood
Elementary School Student
Junior High School Student
Early Adolescence
Juvenile Bully
Juvenile Offender
Juvenile Victim
Juvenile Violence
Victim Characteristics
Offender Characteristics
School Factors
School Influence
Family Factors
Family Influence
Bullying Intervention
School Response
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