Office of SAFE Schools

Resources for dealing with bullying

Helpful Information for Parents about Bullying

What is bullying?

“A person is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly, and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons.” — Dan Olweus

Bullying involves:

• A pattern of repeated behavior, rather than a single act
• Intentional actions
• An imbalance of power

Power can come from many sources: physical ability, intelligence, economics, social skills, information, ethnic affiliation, weapons, etc.

Bullying behaviors can range from hurtful teasing, namecalling, and exclusion to threatening, hitting, and kicking. There are generally three categories of bullying behaviors:

• Physical bullying- Harm to another's body or property
• Emotional bullying - Harm to another's self-esteem
• Social bullying - Harm to another's group acceptance

(Please refer to the Bullying Behaviors Chart for more specific descriptions of these categories and different levels of severity.)

Other information about bullying:

• Both boys and girls bully. Boys are more likely to engage in physical bullying, while girls most often use social bullying.
• Children who bully may be former or current victims of bullying themselves.
• Bullying commonly increases between the third and seventh grades. Adults should not ignore this behavior. Help your children interact positively with peers, particularly when they are in these grades.

What does the research say about bullying?

Much of the original research on bullying came from Dr. Dan Olweus, author of Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Current research continues to build on Dr. Olweus's work.

Research shows that the negative effects of bullying at school can stay with those involved — students who bully, those who are targets, and even the bystanders — throughout their lifetimes. A large percentage of students who bully are incarcerated by their midtwenties and many have multiple convictions. Adults who were bullied during childhood often display depressive tendencies and low self-worth.

Students who bully and those whom they target make up anywhere from 15-20% of any school population, although these numbers appear to be shifting as our understanding about bullying includes a wider scope of behaviors. This doesn't mean, however, that bullying has no impact on the rest of the students. The effects of bullying, if left unchecked, can contribute to a school climate where children are fearful or feel unsafe.

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Last update: 2/20/2004 3:29:24 PM     Printer friendly view