The Causes and Effects of Bullying in American High Schools - Research Paper Example

22 August Summary This paper examines the causes and effects of bullying in American high schools. It uses primary and secondary research to understand what causes bullying and what it results to. The three subgroups that are affected by bullying are bullies, victims, and bystanders. Findings show that the causes of bullying combine individual and social factors. On the one hand, some bullies may have tendencies for violence and are easily affected by perceptions of bullying in the media and society as something that is socially rewarding. On the other hand, social factors should also not be overlooked. Family problems, such as lack of communication and family violence, can produce depressed and violent adolescents that are prone to being bullies. The absence of school and teacher involvement, as well as media factors, can also result to wider bullying practices. Bullying, furthermore, impacts bullies, victims, and bystanders. Bullies and victims can both suffer from depression, suicidal intentions, and school problems. Victims also have higher truancy and delinquency problems than non-victims. Bystanders also experience anxiety and helplessness. These effects can be extended along the adult lives of these subgroups and impact their health and happiness in the long-run. It is important for schools, teachers, and other stakeholders to collaborate in resolving bullying behavior. They should understand its causes and find immediate and long-term solutions, so as to adequately deal with and preventing bullying incidence. Causes and Effects of Bullying in American High Schools: The Bully, The Victim, and The Witnesses Bullying in American high schools has taken a larger proportion of the media and researcher attention, especially for the last thirty years and after the Columbine tragedy. Despite this growing interest in studying and stopping bullying, it sadly continues to be a mainstay for American schools, including its high schools. Gastic mentions studies from DeVoe and Kaffenberger and Dinkes et al. that stated that from 2003 to 2004, more than one fourth of American public schools reported that bullying happened every week, where 21 percent of high school students experienced and witnessed bullying (391). Bullying is an alarming phenomenon, because it underlies social and individual issues and further contribute to diverse social and psychological problems for bullies, victims, and bystanders alike. This paper explores the causes and effects of bullying in American high schools. It argues that bullying is a product of individual and social factors and that if schools and concerned stakeholders will not do anything about it, this will contribute to consequences of violence, suicide, and other health and well-being problems. For the purpose of defining bullying in this paper, bullying or harassment takes place, when one or more students are “unfriendly or unpleasant towards a student who cannot defend him/herself very easily” (Roland 57). This can include a wide range of bullying behaviors, such as kicking, hitting, or pushing another student, or teasing and ostracizing victims, either at school or online (Roland 57). Cyberbullying is a recent phenomenon that includes teasing people online or spreading rumors about them in various social networks. Bullying can also be categorized as indirect, such as being ostracized or bullied online, or direct, such as being hit or kicked. Bullies are seen as impulsive and physically aggressive individuals, who find it rewarding to intimidate others, who cannot defend themselves (Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer 10). Why are there bullies? Some of the causes of bullying can be rooted to the individual characteristics of the bullies. In 2011, Roland and Idsoe provided empirical evidence that bullies scored high in “proactive aggressiveness,” which pertains to the tendency to conduct negative behaviors, in order to achieve social rewards, such as witnessing fear and submission from victims (qtd. in Roland 56). Some people theorize that children who are violent and aggressive tend to be bullies, thereby highlighting the natural causes of bullying (Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer 10). These bullies often pick on their victims, because they are “different” and easily display signs of anxiousness, fear, and submission to authorities (Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer 10). Bullies also find violence as an effective way of resolving conflict, and they perceive that bullies are more popular in school (Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer 11). Gender and school levels are also correlated with bullying. Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer cited studies from Nansel et al. in 2001 and 2003, where middle school students reported higher bullying instances than high school students, and males also reported more instances of being bullies than females. The same studies observed that direct bullying is more prevalent in middle than high school and more common for boys than girls. Gender and school level interplay, nevertheless, with a mixture of individual and social factors that promote or reinforce bullying behavior. Studies showed that bullies often have family problems. Roland observed that bullies rate higher in the incidence of family problems than victims and neutral students. These problems include or result to communication problems that inhibit bullies from having normal social relationships with others. These problems can also include violence at home, where bullies experience being victims of violence inside their own homes. Roland asserted that a poor home environment can co-exist with depressive symptoms, which contribute to depression and aggression among bullies. His study shows a link between social factors and individual attitudes and behaviors, where depressed bullies find sanctuary in displaying aggressive behaviors in school. The environment can also perpetuate school bullying, by not actively ending it as it appears and by not even trying to prevent it. Dawson reported the case of five girls, who filed a joint lawsuit against their previous high school's administration. They alleged that Casey County High School officers and teachers repeatedly “ignored their reports of constant bullying” (Dawson 1). When they complained of bullying behaviors to the school principal, for instance, he told the students and their parents that he could not do anything about it and that the complainants should just “ride it out” (Dawson 1). Dubreuil and McNiff reported in 2011 that a seventeen-year-old high school student with Asperger's Syndrome, Tyler Long, committed suicide by hanging himself with a belt. His bullies even managed to continue bullying him after death, by putting nooses around their necks (Dubreuil and McNiff 2). These bullies “got away with” this act, as well as many other bullying events, because the school authorities are not doing anything about it (Dubreuil and McNiff 2). The study by Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer highlighted that students perceived that their schools are not conducting adequate measures to prevent or respond to bullying. These reports and studies underscore that when the school lacks the initiative, policies, and actions that will address bullying, it is more likely that bullying will be promoted. When teachers are not trained and do not have the tools to handle bullying, this can also promote bullying behavior. These teachers would be satisfied in saying that bullying is part of “normal” high school life, instead of dealing with it as adults and helping their students deal with these behaviors, as well. Dubreuil and McNiff note that when teachers are ill-equipped to handle bullying behavior, the more that bullying escalates. They interviewed Tina Owen, the Alliance School's founder and primary teacher, who stressed that teachers must be trained to use the right tools to stop bullying at its tracks, before it gets worse (Dubreuil and McNiff 2). This article highlighted the importance of collaboration among stakeholders in designing the right systems, measures, and policies that will prevent and resolve bullying behaviors at school. Some people also blame the media for heightened bullying behavior among adolescents. Reader comments on the news of bullying in Dubreuil and McNiff account the media as one of the causes of bullying. They argue that bullying is glorified by the media through having movies and TV shows that demonstrate bullies as powerful and attractive individuals. The media is telling children that it is better to be bullies than be victims; bullies get what they want, while victims are “losers.” These readers also complain of influential bully personalities, who are not good role models to students, such as some bully politicians and media personalities (i.e. journalists and reporters). For them, these bullies in the media also condition the youth to see bullying as something rewarding in life. This paper will now discuss the effects of bullying on victims. Bullying is a “threatening and humiliating” experience (Roland 56) that can result to depression, suicidal intentions, suicide, truancy and delinquency problems for its victims. Roland's 2002 study of bullying in high schools showed that depression is a common result of bullying among victims, and when they are depressed, the more they entertain suicide thoughts. Some bully victims eventually end up committing suicide, because they feel that they lack real options of escaping bullying in real life, such as what happened to Tyler Long and many other students, all of whom are long-time victims of bullies (Dubreuil and McNiff 2). Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer also mention studies that note that victims are more anxious and unhappy with their lives than non-victims. News of bully victims from Dawson and Dubreuil and McNiff demonstrate that bully victims either drop school or remain fearful in going to school, which results to poor academic performance. Furthermore, the study by Gastic shows the link between being bullied, truancy, and delinquency problems. His sampling came from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), which the US Department of Education conducted on 750 schools and included more than 15,000 students. Findings showed that after controlling gender and race or ethnicity, bully victims have higher rates of “getting into trouble excessively, getting an in-school or out-of school suspension and being transferred to another school for disciplinary reasons” (398). Victims were involved in more school problems compared to 15% of non-victims and they are also absent more than non-victims (Gastic 398). Experiencing bullying is also positively correlated with higher likelihood of “more serious forms of disciplinary problems at school” (Gastic 398). More victims had received “in-school (16 vs. 11%) or out-of-school suspensions (13 vs. 9%) than non-victims” (Gastic 398). This study underscores that bully victims suffer from poor school performance too, like some bullies who are typically shown to have truancy and academic achievement problems. Amazingly, some bully victims also turn into bullies themselves, as a psychological reaction to bullying experiences. Roland's study hypothesizes that some victims bully others too, because they are depressed (63). Bully-victims are considered as the subgroup that are “at the greatest risk for mental health problems,” according to several studies from Kaltiala-Heino, Rimpela, Rantanen, and Rimpela (qtd. in Bradshaw, O'Brennan, and Sawyer 11). They face the guilt of being bullies and depression from being victims. Bullying also adversely impacts bullies. Bullying can serve some of the psychological needs of bullies, which reinforces their psychological problems. Bullies are believed to feel “rewarded,” when they see that their victims feel fear and submit to their power (Roland 56). The existence of bystanders are noted to also increase bullying behavior (Cranham and Carroll 113). The passivity of neutral students allow bullying to happen, which can also be rewarding to bullies. It seems as if their “power” is also extended to these passive witnesses of their bullying actions. Bullies can also be truants, and some suffer from poor academic achievement (Roland 56). This can come from being depressed and experiencing psychological problems also, which disable them from concentrating on school. Bullying can also produce negative impacts on bystanders. The study by Roland in 2002 examined the depressive symptoms and suicidal ideas of bullies, the bullied, and neutral students or bystanders. His sampling included 2,088 pupils from forty-four high schools. He noted that neutral students also feel depressed, when they witness bullying. Their depression incidence is not as high as bullies and victims, however. In addition, Hazler et al. (1997) assert that watching bullying behavior can also have negative impacts on bystanders (qtd. in Cranham and Carroll 113). These witnesses may feel distressed, because they cannot stop bullies from their actions, resulting to “learned helplessness” (Cranham and Carroll 113). At the same time, some passive bystanders may also enjoy witnessing bullying incidents (Hazler et al. qtd. in Cranham and Carroll 113). This means that bullying can intensify aggressive tendencies among neutral bystanders too. Another study provides insight on what happens to high school bullies, victims, and bystanders as adults. The 2006 study by Chapell et al. showed that these subgroups continue to be bullies, victims, and bystanders even in college. The main implication of this study is that bullying violence and experiencing or witnessing it in high school will not necessarily end in high school and can extend to adult life. This means that bullies are more likely to remain aggressive adults and hurt more people in the long run. At the same time, victims and bystanders will continue feeling helpless and anxious, thereby suffering from psychiatric and health problems as adults. To conclude this paper, the main causes of bullying are individual attitudes toward violence and experience of social problems at home, including experiencing family violence. At the same time, the media, poor preparation of teachers, and lack of anti-bullying initiative of schools are also blamed for promoting bullying behaviors. The effects of bullying are often similar for bullies and victims, as well as bully-victims. They often experience depression, suicidal intentions, or conduct suicides. Bystanders can also suffer from anxiety and feelings of helplessness. Altogether, these effects result to health problems that threaten the well-being and happiness of these subgroups, which can further negatively impact them as adults. Hence, it should be the prerogative of schools, parents, and other stakeholders to work together to design school systems, policies, and practices that will address bullying behavior. Without these systems, laws, and tools, bullying will breed violence in American schools and even in society in general. Bullying is not something that students should “ride out.” It is an experience that should be effectively stamped out for good in American society, because there is no true freedom, if students feel fear and experience violence. Works Cited Bradshaw, Catherine P., O'Brennan, Lindsey M., and Anne L. Sawyer. “Examining Variation in Attitudes Toward Aggressive Retaliation and Perceptions of Safety Among Bullies, Victims, and Bully/Victims.” Professional School Counseling 12.1 (2008): 10-21. Print. Chapell, Mark S., Hasselman, Stefanie L., Kitchin, Theresa, Lomon, Safiya N., MacIver, Kenneth W., and Patrick L.Sarullo. “Bullying in Elementary School, High School, and College.” Adolescence 41.164 (2006): 633-648. Print. Cranham, Joy and Annemaree Carroll. “Dynamics within the Bully/Victim Paradigm: A Qualitative Analysis.” Educational Psychology in Practice 19.2 (2003): 113-132. Print. Dawson, Durrell. “Girls Take School to Court, Saying It Ignored Bullying.” ABC News 31 July 2006. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. Dubreuil, Jim and Eamon McNiff. “Bullied to Death in America's Schools.” ABC News 15 Oct. 2010. Web. 22 Aug. 2011. Gastic, Billie. “School Truancy and the Disciplinary Problems of Bullying Victims.” Educational Review 60.4 (2008): 391-404. Print. Roland, Erling. “Bullying, Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts.” Educational Research 44.1 (2002): 55-67. Print. Read More