Bullying Fact Sheet

Bullying:FactsforSchoolsandParents
ByAndreaCohn&AndreaCanter,Ph.D.,NCSP
NationalAssociationofSchoolPsychologists
Bullyingisawidespreadprobleminourschoolsandcommunities.Thebehaviorencompassesphysicalaggression,threats,teasing,
andharassment.Althoughitcanleadtoviolence,bullyingtypicallyisnotcategorizedwithmoreseriousformsofschoolviolence
involvingweapons,vandalism,orphysicalharm.Itis,however,anunacceptableantisocialbehaviorthatislearnedthrough
influencesintheenvironment,e.g.,home,school,peergroups,eventhemedia.Assuch,italsocanbeunlearnedor,betteryet,
prevented.
Abullyissomeonewhodirectsphysical,verbal,orpsychologicalaggressionorharassmenttowardothers,withthegoalofgaining
poweroverordominatinganotherindividual.Researchindicatesthatbullyingismoreprevalentinboysthangirls,thoughthis
differencedecreaseswhenconsideringindirectaggression(suchasverbalthreats).
Avictimissomeonewhorepeatedlyisexposedtoaggressionfrompeersintheformofphysicalattacks,verbalassaults,or
psychologicalabuse.Victimsaremorelikelytobeboysandtobephysicallyweakerthanpeers.Theygenerallydonothavemany,if
any,goodfriendsandmaydisplaypoorsocialskillsandacademicdifficultiesinschool.

FactsAboutBullying

Bullyingisthemostcommonformofviolenceinoursociety;between15%and30%ofstudentsarebulliesorvictims.
ArecentreportfromtheAmericanMedicalAssociationonastudyofover15,0006th10thgradersestimatesthat
approximately3.7millionyouthsengagein,andmorethan3.2millionarevictimsof,moderateorseriousbullyingeachyear.
Between1994and1999,therewere253violentdeathsinschool,51casualtiesweretheresultofmultipledeathevents.
Bullyingisoftenafactorinschoolrelateddeaths.
Membershipineitherbullyorvictimgroupsisassociatedwithschooldropout,poorpsychosocialadjustment,criminal
activityandothernegativelongtermconsequences.
Direct,physicalbullyingincreasesinelementaryschool,peaksinmiddleschoolanddeclinesinhighschool.Verbalabuse,
ontheotherhand,remainsconstant.TheU.S.DepartmentofJusticereportsthatyoungerstudentsaremorelikelytobe
bulliedthanolderstudents.
Overtwothirdsofstudentsbelievethatschoolsrespondpoorlytobullying,withahighpercentageofstudentsbelievingthat
adulthelpisinfrequentandineffective.
25%ofteachersseenothingwrongwithbullyingorputdownsandconsequentlyinterveneinonly4%ofbullyingincidents.

WhyDoSomeChildrenandAdolescentsBecomeBullies?
Mostbullyingbehaviordevelopsinresponsetomultiplefactorsintheenvironmentathome,schoolandwithinthepeergroup.
Thereisnoonecauseofbullying.Commoncontributingfactorsinclude:

Familyfactors:Thefrequencyandseverityofbullyingisrelatedtotheamountofadultsupervisionthatchildrenreceive
bullyingbehaviorisreinforcedwhenithasnoorinconsistentconsequences.Additionally,childrenwhoobserveparentsand
siblingsexhibitingbullyingbehavior,orwhoarethemselvesvictims,arelikelytodevelopbullyingbehaviors.Whenchildren
receivenegativemessagesorphysicalpunishmentathome,theytendtodevelopnegativeselfconceptsandexpectations,and
maythereforeattackbeforetheyareattackedbullyingothersgivesthemasenseofpowerandimportance.
Schoolfactors:Becauseschoolpersonneloftenignorebullying,childrencanbereinforcedforintimidatingothers.Bullying
alsothrivesinanenvironmentwherestudentsaremorelikelytoreceivenegativefeedbackandnegativeattentionthanina
positiveschoolclimatethatfostersrespectandsetshighstandardsforinterpersonalbehavior.
Peergroupfactors:Childrenmayinteractinaschoolorneighborhoodpeergroupthatadvocates,supports,orpromotes
bullyingbehavior.Somechildrenmaybullypeersinanefforttofitin,eventhoughtheymaybeuncomfortablewiththe
behavior.

WhyDoSomeChildrenandAdolescentsBecomeVictims?
Victimssignaltoothersthattheyareinsecure,primarilypassiveandwillnotretaliateiftheyareattacked.Consequently,bullies
oftentargetchildrenwhocomplain,appearphysicallyoremotionallyweakandseekattentionfrompeers.
Studiesshowthatvictimshaveahigherprevalenceofoverprotectiveparentsorschoolpersonnel;asaresult,theyoftenfailto
developtheirowncopingskills.
Manyvictimslongforapproval;evenafterbeingrejected,somecontinuetomakeineffectiveattemptstointeractwiththe
victimizer.

HowCanBullyingLeadtoViolence?
Bullieshavealackofrespectforothersbasichumanrights;theyaremorelikelytoresorttoviolencetosolveproblemswithout
worryofthepotentialimplications.
Bothbulliesandvictimsshowhigherratesoffightingthantheirpeers.
Recentschoolshootingsshowhowvictimsfrustrationwithbullyingcanturnintovengefulviolence.

WhatCanSchoolsDo?
Today,schoolstypicallyrespondtobullying,orotherschoolviolence,withreactivemeasures.However,installingmetaldetectorsor
surveillancecamerasorhiringpolicetopatrolthehallshavenotangiblepositiveresults.PoliciesofZeroTolerance(severe
consequenceforanybehaviordefinedasdangeroussuchasbullyingorcarryingaweapon)relyonexclusionarymeasures
(suspension,expulsion)thathavelongtermnegativeeffects.
Instead,researchersadvocateschoolwidepreventionprogramsthatpromoteapositiveschoolandcommunityclimate.Existing
programscaneffectivelyreducetheoccurrenceofbullying;infact,oneprogramdecreasedpeervictimizationby50%.Such
programsrequiretheparticipationandcommitmentofstudents,parents,educatorsandmembersofthecommunity.Effectiveschool
programsinclude:

Earlyintervention.Researchersadvocateinterveninginelementaryormiddleschool,orasearlyaspreschool.Groupand
buildingwidesocialskillstrainingishighlyrecommended,aswellascounselingandsystematicaggressioninterventionsfor
studentsexhibitingbullyingandvictimbehaviors.Schoolpsychologistsandothermentalhealthpersonnelareparticularly
welltrainedtoprovidesuchtrainingaswellasassistanceinselectingandevaluatingpreventionprograms.
Parenttraining.Parentsmustlearntoreinforcetheirchildrenspositivebehaviorpatternsandmodelappropriate
interpersonalinteractions.Schoolpsychologists,socialworkersandcounselorscanhelpparentssupportchildrenwhotendto
becomevictimsaswellasrecognizebullyingbehaviorsthatrequireintervention.
Teachertraining.Trainingcanhelpteachersidentifyandrespondtopotentiallydamagingvictimizationaswellasto
implementpositivefeedbackandmodelingtoaddressappropriatesocialinteractions.Supportservicespersonnelworking
withadministratorscanhelpdesigneffectiveteachertrainingmodules.
Attitudechange.Researchersmaintainthatsocietymustceasedefendingbullyingbehavioraspartofgrowinguporwiththe
attitudeofkidswillbekids.Bullyingcanbestopped!Schoolpersonnelshouldneverignorebullyingbehaviors.
Positiveschoolenvironment.Schoolswitheasilyunderstoodrulesofconduct,smallerclasssizesandfairdiscipline
practicesreportlessviolence.Apositiveschoolclimatewillreducebullyingandvictimization.

WhatCanParentsDo?

Contacttheschoolspsychologist,counselororsocialworkerandaskforhelparoundbullyingorvictimizationconcerns.
Becomeinvolvedinschoolprogramstocounteractbullying.
Providepositivefeedbacktochildrenforappropriatesocialbehaviorsandmodelinteractionsthatdonotincludebullyingor
aggression.
Usealternativestophysicalpunishment,suchastheremovalofprivileges,asaconsequenceforbullyingbehavior.
Stopbullyingbehaviorasitishappeningandbeginworkingonappropriatesocialskillsearly.

References

Anderson,M.,Kaufman,J.,Simon,T.R.,Barrios,L.,Paulozzi,L.,Ryan,G.,Hammond,R.,Modzeleski,W.,Feucht,T.,Potter,L.,&
theSchoolAssociatedViolentDeathsStudyGroup.(2001).SchoolassociatedviolentdeathsintheUnitedStates,19941999.
JournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation,286,26952702.