School Violence - Research Paper Example

? What Effect does Bullies have on Teenage Boys in School? Introduction It hasbeen suggested that bullying is one of the most prevalent and potentially serious forms of school violence. In fact, it has been revealed that schools were more likely to have a serious problem with student bullying than any other discipline problem. Furthermore, it has been reported that bullying and delinquency were more common among boys than girls (Coloroso 23-25). In order to create safe and caring learning environment, it is important to understand the effect of bullying of teenage boys in schools. Characteristics of Boy Bullies Bullying research has traditionally focused on boys. This is not surprising given the type of bullying that has primarily been studied (e.g. direct or physical). Olweus (7-10) found that physical bullying behaviors decrease with age or grade level. Whitney and Smith (24) reached the same conclusion. And in gender comparisons of this type of behavior (direct or physical attacks), the majority of researchers found that boys participated in bullying behavior by a much higher percentage than girls (Nansel et al., 2094). Olweus identified three basic boy bully types: passive bullies, followers, and henchmen. Additionally, he found that typical bullies have two or three supportive friends, and they appear average in terms of popularity, intellect, and appearance. He also states that psychologically, bullies have a need for dominance, have some hostility, and are often rewarded for their aversive behavior (Olweus 35-37). Olweus also studied the home environments of bullies, primarily boys. He found four factors of critical importance: the caretaker's (usually the mother) attitude toward the boy, the caretaker's "level of permissiveness," the child­rearing methods of punishment, and the child's temperament. He concludes by stating that “too little love and care and too much freedom in childhood are conditions that strongly contribute to the development of an aggressive reaction pattern" (pp. 39-40). However, he is quick to note that these are general trends, and individual cases may vary. Olweus also studied the influence of socio­economic levels on boy bullying behavior, and concluded that these factors do not relate. One limitation of his studies, however, is that they are based in Scandinavian countries where income is largely the same. Rigby, in his model to explain bullying behavior, included three major sources of influence for the child: genetics, family, and environment (Rigby in Juvonen & Graham 310). These influences correspond with the aforementioned factors by Olweus. The first influence refers to physical and psychological strength. The second influence, family, can produce a child who is dominating in personality and uncaring in attitude (Olweus 40-45). The importance of family on behavior is consistent in the research (Rigby in Juvonen & Graham 314). Indeed, the family can greatly influence the child's peer relationships at school. And Rigby maintains that a child of either gender from a dysfunctional family is more likely to engage in bullying behavior. Finally, the child's environment, unlike the other two influences, is something Rigby believes society can change. Olweus also examined group dynamics as related to bullying behavior. He uses the term "social contagion" to describe how some children act aggressively after witnessing another student bully. If the bully is both respected by the student and is rewarded for the behavior, this can increase the likelihood that the observing student will bully. Rigby (1996) supports Olweus' finding by stating that"… the bully remains a conflicted person, enmeshed in, and constrained by, a group" (p. 210). Effects of Victimization Olweus defines victimization as bullying behavior that occurs over a period of time. This period of time can vary, from a few days to several years. However, the psychological effects on the victim can last a lifetime (Olweus 55-60). For example, Rigby published letters in his book from adult victims who still struggle with self-esteem, trust, anger, powerlessness, anxiety, and depression. Study by Wiseman (1) also concludes that victims, unlike bullies, remember the teasing, bullying, rejection, and isolation for years after the incidents. Research based on longitudinal studies has found that victims typically suffered from low self-esteem and depression (e.g. Sharp and Smith). This conclusion was also supported by the work of Sharp and Smith (30-41). They found victims suffered from depression, stress, anxiety, poor concentration, and poor self-esteem. The research is consistent in describing common effects on the victim that include anxiety, sleep disorders, depression, health problems, low self-esteem, loneliness, and hopelessness (Nansel, et al., 2094-2100). Another negative consequence of bullying, as stated earlier, is when victims turn to bullying behavior. These types of victims are called "provocative" (Olweus 29). They respond to bullying in both anxious and aggressive ways, and they often intentionally antagonize other students (Coloroso 24-36). A 1993-1994 Irish study of 8,249 children ages 8 to 18 found that boys involved in bullying behavior (as a bully, victim or both) had significantly lower self-esteem than boys who had not been a bully or a victim. Of the subgroups, bully victims or provocative victims reported the lowest self-­esteem (O'Moore & Kirkham, 282-283). Psychosocial Correlates Unfortunately, bullying may be dismissed as a common aspect of childhood and adolescence, however, research exploring the associated effects of bullying behavior suggests that perpetuating this misconception grossly underestimates its perniciousness. Not limited to the potential for bullying behavior to foment more serious acts of violence, research has shown that victimization in childhood has been linked to negative socio-psychological consequences for those involved. Furthermore, bullying behavior is damaging to the overall school climate as it creates an environment in which fear and anxiety are experienced not only by those who are the direct victims but also by those who bear witness to these acts (Carney & Merrell, 362-365). As such, the presence of bullying impedes students' ability to perform within the school setting. In a collaborative effort initiated by the United States Secret Service and the United States Department of Education investigating school shootings and attacks over a 26 year period, it was discovered that 71 % of the perpetrators reported that they had been bullied prior to the attack (Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, & Modzeliski, 92). An investigation of school-associated violent deaths found over 400 such deaths spanning a thirteen-year period, and though only 12 of these were classified as "bullying related," another 16 were labeled "hate crimes" (inclusive of this group were killings in which the perpetrators were posthumously identified as. socially excluded, e.g., the shootings at Columbine High School), with an additional 107 deaths attributed to "interpersonal disputes" and 130 committed for "unknown" reasons (NSSC 2-5). Though not all bullying culminates in such tragic events, the attention these events command draws our focus to a more careful consideration of the detriment caused by peer aggression, Victims of bullying may develop negative self-perceptions and feelings of inadequacy, worthlessness, and hopelessness (Nansel et al. 2097). Those children who are bullied exhibit poorer social and emotional adjustment, including difficulty establishing friendships, weaker or more conflictual relationships with peers, and greater loneliness (Nansel et al. 2097). Additionally, chronic victims of bullying are more likely than their non-victimized peers to avoid school or regard it as unsafe, report physical and mental health problems, experience anxiety, develop depression or low self-esteem, and bring weapons to school and (Berthold & Hoover 65-78 Carney & Merrell, 365). In some individual cases of suicide and homicide, a direct causal relationship linking these acts to previous prolonged victimization has been established (Carney 213-223). With prolonged victimization, Craig suggests that a "negative cyclic relationship between anxiety and victimization" is established whereby victims may come to believe that they are deserving of such treatment (p. 129). Thus, there are long­ term sequelae associated with childhood and adolescent victimization. The effects of these early experiences may pervade the lives of victims, with negative interpersonal exchanges serving to construct a negative prototype for future interpersonal relationships (Crick & Nelson, 599-607). In a follow-up study of individuals involved in bullying as schoolchildren, Olweus (120-125) found that by age 23, former victims were more likely to be depressed and had poorer self-esteem than their non-bullied peers. The future for bullies is also bleak. Like victims, bullies may also contend with depression (Swearer, Song, Cary, Eagle, & Mickelson 95-121). Also similar to victims, Nansel and colleagues (2099) discovered that bullies exhibited poorer social-emotional adjustment than peers who were not involved in bullying. In comparison to uninvolved peers, students who bully were also found to engage in more high-risk behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking or chewing tobacco, cheating on tests, and bringing weapons to school (Nansel et al., 2094-2100). Bullying in childhood is also associated with a higher likelihood of academic underachievement, greater probability of professional and personal difficulties including becoming an abusive spouse and/or parent, and an increased possibility of acquiring a criminal record before the age of 25 (Nansel et al., 2099). Suicide Regardless of the type, target, or number of students involved, bullying can no longer be perceived as an adolescent rite of passage. It is a pervasive problem with serious consequences. Suicide, for example, is not uncommon (Rigby and Slee 121). After examining case studies, they argue that suicide and bully victimization are linked. This connection has also been observed in other countries, including the Norway, and Great Britain. Midelton-Moz and Zawadski (5) also support the link between suicide and bullying. They describe one bully victim who implored his mother in a suicide note to go to schools and talk with the students about the consequences of bullying. In another example, the researchers write about a boy who suffered years of torment at the hands of bullies. He said, "I just can't take it anymore," prior to shooting himself in front of his peers (p. 4). Rigby & Slee (121), however, offers an important caveat about establishing a cause and effect. He states that there are too many interrelated variables to make this claim. However, a correlation has definitely been established in the literature. Effects on Education Academic achievement may suffer when students feel threatened, intimidated, rejected, and ostracized (Vail, 14-18). Research has shown that boy bullies suffer academically (Nansel et al., 2099). However, schools that decrease bullying behavior may experience an improvement in academic achievement (Goldstein and Conoley 238) Without a doubt, feeling safe at school is an inherent educational right. And according to Goldstein and Conoley, it is "… a need related to educational outcomes" (p. 240). Furthermore, a child's developmental growth is intricately tied to his or her educational growth. A survey by the Johnson Institute (1) of 65,000 students confirms this belief. The researchers found that of those surveyed, 63% said they would learn more in school if they felt safe there. Clearly, the principal must take the lead in establishing and promoting safe and bully-free schools. As one of the six national education goals, schools in America must be "free of violence," and they must offer "a disciplined environment conducive to learning" (Goldstein & Conoley 326). Unfortunately, this is not happening enough. When 10 to 15% of our youth are bullied on a regular basis, academics and attendance suffer (Nansel et al., 2098-2099). In fact, absenteeism is a common practice of bully victims. For example, at least 7% of eighth grade bully victims stay home from school at least once per month (Middleton -Moz and Zawadski 97). And, as many as 160,000 children miss school daily because of their fear of bullies (Johnson Institute, 1). As a result of high absenteeism based on the fear of being bullied, schools in the United Kingdom legally required anti-bullying policies in 1999. As educators know all too well, it is impossible to teach an absent child. Conclusion Bullying among adolescents boys in schools has a disturbing influence on their development. Research reviewed in this paper has enough evidence to substantiate the negative health consequences of being bullied. This information emphasizes the fact that aggressive acts i.e. bullying may result in a multitude of damaging consequences for victims. It seems especially important that consideration be given to the finding that these acts not only negatively impact children at the time of occurrence, but may have serious implications for their future. Thus, efforts to eradicate bullying from school environment must be given special consideration. Work Cited Berthold, K. A., & Hoover, J. H.. “Correlates of bullying and victimization among intermediate students in the Midwestern USA.” School Psychology International, 21 (1), (2000): 65-78. Carney, J., “Bullied to death: Perceptions of peer abuse and suicidal behavior during adolescence.” School Psychology International, 21 (2), (2000): 213-223. Carney, A. G. & Merrell, K. W. (2001). “Bullying in schools: Perspectives on understanding and preventing an international problem.” School Psychology International, 22 (3), 364-382. Coloroso, B. The bully, the bullied, and the bystander. New York: Harper Resource, 2003. Craig, W. M. “The relationship among bullying, victimization, depression, anxiety, and aggression in elementary school children.” Personality and Individual Differences, 24 (1), (1998): 123-130. Crick, N. R. & Nelson, D.A. “Relational and physical victimization within friendships: Nobody told me there'd be friends like these.” Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30 (6), (2002): 599-607. Goldstein, A P. , & Conoley, J. C. School violence intervention: A practical handbook. New York: The Guilford Press, 1997. Middleton-Moz.T. & Zawadski, M. L. From the playground to the boardroom- bullies: Strategies for survival. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc, 2002. Nansel, T. R., Overpeck, M., Pilla, R. S., Ruan, W. J., Simons-Morton, 8., & Scheidt, P. “Bullying behaviors among U.S. youth: Prevalence and association with psychosocial adjustment,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 285 (16), (2001): 2094-2100. National School Safety Center. National School Safety Center's Report on School Associated Violent Deaths. Westlake Village, CA: Author, 2005. Olweus, D. Bullying at school. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 1993. O'Moore, M., & Kirkham, C. “Self-esteem and its relationship to bullying behaviour.” Aggressive Behavior, 27, (4), (2001): 269-283. Rigby, K. Bullying in schools: And what to do about it. Bristol, PA: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1996. Rigby, K. Health consequences of bullying and its prevention in schools. In J. Juvonen & S. Graham (Eds.), Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized (pp. 310-331). New York: The Guildford Press, 2001. Rigby, K., & Slee, P. “Suicidal ideation among adolescent school children, involvement in bully-victim problems, and perceived social support.” American Association of Suicidology, 29, (1999): 119-130. Sharp, S., Arora, T., Smith, P. K., & Whitney, I. “How to measure bullying in your school” [Chapter 2]. In S. Sharp and P.K. Smith (Eds.), Tackling bullying in your school: A practical handbookfor teachers. London and New York: Routledge, 1994. Swearer, S. M., Song, S. Y., Cary, P. T., Eagle, J. W., & Mickelson, W. T. “Psychosocial correlates in bullying and victimization: The relationship between depression, anxiety, and bully/ victim status.” In R. A. Geffner, M. Loring, & C. Young (Eds.), Bullying behavior: Current issues, research, and interventions (pp. 95-121). Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press, 2001. The Johnson Institute. No-bullying program: Preventing bully/victim violence at school. Program director's manual. Minneapolis, MN: The Johnson Institute, 1996. Vail, K. “How girls hurt.” American School Board Journal, pp. 14-18, 2002. Vossekuil, B., Fein, R. A., Reddy, M., Borum, R., & Modezeleski, W. The Final Report and Findings of the Safe School Initiative: Implications for the Prevention of School Attacks in the United States. U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education. Washington, D.C., 2002. Whitney, J., & Smith, P. K. (1993). “A survey of the nature and extent of bullying in junior/ middle and secondary schools.” Educational Research, 35 (1). 3-25. Wiseman, R. Queen Bees & Wannabes. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002. Read More