Prevention and Intervention of Bullying

Prevention and Intervention of Bullying

Jeanne Buschine, Coordinator of Counseling Services for Joint School District No. 2 (Meridian)

A School’s Responsibility

Definition of Bullying

A Bully: Targets an individual

repeatedly over time. Uses physical or

psychological aggression to dominate the victim.

Creates and enforces an imbalance of power between bully and victim.

Hoover & Oliver, 1996

Peer Conflict---Bullying---HarassmentHow do we distinguish between the three?Peer ConflictOne time or isolated eventBalance of power between studentsNot a group picking on one studentStudent are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone…

Peer Conflict---Bullying---Harassment

How do we distinguish between the three?

Peer ConflictOne time or isolated eventBalance of power between studentsNot a group picking on one studentStudent are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone…

BullyingCarried out REPEATEDLY OVER TIMEIMBALANCE OF POWERINTENTIONAL, PLANNED HARM DOINGOften unprovoked

Peer Conflict---Bullying---HarassmentHow do we distinguish between the three?Peer ConflictOne time or isolated eventBalance of power between studentsNot a group picking on one studentStudent are willing to work out conflict with assistance OR leave each other alone…

BullyingCarried out REPEATEDLY OVER TIMEIMBALANCE OF POWERINTENTIONAL, PLANNED HARM DOINGOften unprovoked

HarassmentAggressive behavior focused on a student’s race, national origin, religion, color, disability or sex.Behavior is severe, persistent or pervasive enough to interfere with a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from school.

3 forms

Direct(hitting, pinching, kicking,

punching,etc)

Verbal(Verbal abuse, slander, threats,

etc.)

Indirect(gossip, rumors, leaving out,

ignoring, etc.)

Myths About Bullying Behavior

It is a normal part of childhood. Children who bully suffer from low

self-esteem. Victims bring on the bullying. Victims ought to figure out how to

stand up for themselves.

Statistics

Bullying is not a new phenomenon. 160,000 students miss school every day

due to fear of attack or intimidation. (Fried & Fried, 1996)

14 percent of 8th-12th graders and 22 % of 4-8 graders reported that “bullying diminished their ability to learn in school”

10 % of students who drop out of school do so because of repeated bullying. (Weinhold, 1998)

Statistics Bullies identified by age eight are

6 times more likely to be convicted of a crime by age 24.

Roughly two-thirds of school shooters had “felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked, or injured by others…a number of the teenagers had suffered sustained, severe bullying and harassment”. (Bowman, 2001)

Bullying and school violence: the tip of the iceberg Barry K. Weinhold

“By definition, bullying is behavior that is designed to gain power over or to dominate another person. It happens on a regular basis through power plays, intimidation and threats. Bullying is actually the most common form of violence in our society.”

30% of American children are regularly involved in bullying, either as bullies, victims, or both Approximately 15 percent of students are “severely traumatized or distressed”8 percent reported being victimized at school at least once a week

--2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

Statistics

Consequences of Bullying…

Lower achievement Lower attendance Increased incidence of violence and

juvenile crime Bullies may become violent adults Victims may suffer from anxiety, low

self-esteem and depression Witnesses of bullying at school may

suffer from a less secure learning environment and the fear that they may be the target of the bully

2001-NorthwestRegional Educational Laboratory

Gender Differences

Both boys and girls bully, their tactics are usually different.

Girls use social alienation or humiliation to bully. This type of bullying is often more subtle and harder to detect than bullying by boys. Girls are more likely to bully other girls and bully in a group.

Boys tend to use physical aggression to bully. Boys bully both boys and girls.

Remember:

Conflict between two students having somewhat equal physical and psychological powers or friendly, playful teasing is not bullying or peer harassment.

Profile of a Bully Not an outcast Often an attention seeker Usually more popular than victim Less likely to empathize with the victim or

understand someone else’s point of view Brags about their actual or imagined superiority Chooses others who are smaller or weaker

Often comes from family with harsh discipline May have parents who verbally abuse each other Sadistic—enjoys seeing others suffer “Induces” some of the followers to do the “dirty

work” Frequently fights to assert dominance

Profile of a Victim Difficulty defending

him/herself Somewhat helpless Loner, desperate to

fit in Stands out—physical

characteristics Traditionally passive

and emotionally vulnerable

Can be “provocative”--poor social skills that agitate/aggravate others

Makes excuses to stay near adults during breaks or recesses

Often self blaming Unappealing thus

doesn’t have support from teachers or classmates

Makes excuses to stay home or go to nurses office

Experiences personnel belonging being stolen or damaged

Bystander Responsibilities Stand Up/Get

Help Report the

Incident Show Empathy Be Assertive Be a Part of the

Solution NOT a Part of the Problem

Bystander Power

We must teach students compassion, empathy, respect and responsibility. By standing up to the bully, peers can then become a powerful force in school and shift the imbalance of power to the silent majority.

A Simple Solution…Develop Friendships & Peer Connections

Victims need friends or individuals willing to be “friendly”

Victims need a peer support group

Students who have friends/peer group are less likely to be bullied.

Solutions and advice for parents and educators Initiate conversations with students

about bullying. --1996 Fried

Be prepared to intervene. –1998 USDOE

Don’t expect students to solve things themselves. –1998 USDOE

Encourage students to report incidents of bullying. –1996 Fried & Fried

Express strong disapproval of bullying when it occurs or comes up in conversation.

–1996 Kreidler

Solutions… Work with students on developing

assertiveness and conflict resolution skills. –1998 USDOE

Focus on developing empathy and respect for others. –1996 Kreidler

Avoid physical forms of discipline, such as spanking. --1996 Fried & Fried

Keep a log of bullying incidents. –1996 Kreidler

Deal with bullying incidents consistently, in a manner appropriate to the situation. –1996 Kreidler

REMEMBER…

The single most effective deterrent to bullying is adult authority. Children cannot handle true bullying situations, they do need help! Adults in charge of a school need to learn to recognize bullying behavior and stop it.

Potential Pitfalls

Schools that have struggled to implement anti-bullying programs frequently cite time, lack of support, and inadequate training as the main obstacles to building an effective program.

To Increase Chances of Success… Avoid creating a great deal of extra

paperwork for school staff. Secure administrative support at both

the school and district levels. Be careful that the bullying program

does not result in students being stigmatized.

The most effective anti-bullying programs are ongoing and integrated with

– Curriculum– Discipline Policies– Violence Prevention Efforts

Don’t expect change overnight.

Remember…

Effectively addressing bullying behavior takes time, and will require a sustained and conscious effort to change the overall culture of the school.

Conclusion

There is nothing “normal” about ongoing incidents of harassment, violence, and intimidation. Bullying not only leads to depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem in students who are targeted, but also causes other students to feel unsafe at school and significantly interferes with learning.

Take the First Step…

Taking bullying behavior seriously is an important step in working towards safe and effective schools. Through training, collaboration, and carefully designed programs, educators, policymakers, parents, and students can work together to ensure that schools are a place where students feel welcome, included, and ready to learn.