How the Internet Has Changed Bullying This summer, American Psychologist, the official journal of the American Psychological Association, released a special issue on the topic of bullying and victimization. Bullying is, presumably, as old as humanity, but research into it is relatively young: in 1997, when Susan Swearer, one of the issue’s two editors, first started studying the problem, she was one of the first researchers in the United States to do so. Back then, only four states had official statutes against bullying behavior, and the only existing longitudinal work had come out of Scandinavia, in the seventies. In some ways, bullying research has affirmed what we already know. To date, no one has systematically studied how different bullying settings affect bullying behavior—whether bullying in the Northeast differs from bullying the Midwest, or whether bullying in certain cultures, neighborhoods, or professions comes with its own characteristics.
Dealing With Bullying Listen What If You're the Bully? All of us have to deal with a lot of difficult situations and emotions. When some people feel stressed, angry, or frustrated, picking on someone else can be a quick escape — it takes the attention away from them and their problems. If you find it hard to resist the temptation to bully, you might want to talk with someone you look up to. Bullying behavior backfires and makes everyone feel miserable — even the bullies. Do you really want people to think of you as unkind, abusive, and mean? Steps to Stop Bullying in Schools If the environment at your school supports bullying, working to change it can help. You can try to talk to the bully. Most people hesitate to speak out because it can be hard. When a group of people keeps quiet like this, the bully's reach is extending beyond just one person. Another way to combat bullying is to join your school's anti-violence program or, if your school doesn't have one, to start one of your own.
A Guide to Bullying and Cyberbullying Whether it’s overtly aggressive or not, bullying is detrimental to students of all ages. The various forms that bullying can take — verbal, social, physical, and cyber — present different challenges, but all are ultimately harmful. Harassment occurs in-person and on the internet, affecting youths and teens in a variety of situations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 28% of students aged 12-18 have been bullied, and 9% experienced cyberbullying. The following guide was created to bring awareness to issues surrounding bullying and cyberbullying, and to help students, parents, and teachers prevent instances of bullying in the future. The Prevalence of Bullying and Cyberbullying Bullying takes different forms at different ages, growing in complexity and subtlety as students develop. Common Forms of Bullying Source: What Parents Should Know About Bullying Why and Where Do Kids Bully? Bullies have various motivations. The Rise of Cyberbullying The Victims of Bullying
Inclusive Anti-bullying Policies and Reduced Risk of Suicide Attempts in Lesbian and Gay Youth - Journal of Adolescent Health Purpose To evaluate whether anti-bullying policies that are inclusive of sexual orientation are associated with a reduced prevalence of suicide attempts among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths. Methods A total of 31,852 11th-grade public school students (1,413 lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals; 4.4%) in Oregon completed the Oregon Healthy Teens survey in 2006–2008. Results Lesbian and gay youths living in counties with fewer school districts with inclusive anti-bullying policies were 2.25 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13–4.49) more likely to have attempted suicide in the past year compared with those living in counties where more districts had these policies. Conclusions Inclusive anti-bullying policies may exert protective effects for the mental health of lesbian and gay youths, including reducing their risk for suicide attempts.
The Psychological Effects of Bullying on Kids & Teens We've all been there. The playground, where one girl grabs another's hair and yanks her backwards off the swing. The lunchroom, where “the mean kid” smacks down a smaller boy's tray, spilling his food. The classroom, where a group of kids repeatedly taunt the youngest child in the class for being stupid. From the vantage point of adulthood, bullying is mean-spirited and pointless, but it is unfortunately a regular part of childhood. As with any public discourse, this inevitably means confusion, misunderstanding and misconception on the part of listeners. We will start with a definition of bullying and a look at where it occurs and who is usually victimized. What Is Bullying? Although at first it may seem simple to define what constitutes bullying behavior, it does not always fit the classic stereotype of the older boy beating up his smaller classmate. According to this definition, bullying involves several factors: But this may not comprise a complete definition of bullying. The Victim
Teen Corner – Cyberbullying | SARC What is it?Cyberbullying is any cyber-communication or publication posted or sent by a minor online, by instant messenger, e-mail, website, diary site, online profile, interactive game, handheld device, cell phone or other interactive device that is intended to frighten, embarrass, harass or otherwise target another minor.If there aren’t minors on both sides of the communication, it is considered cyber harassment, not cyberbullying.Most kids don’t consider a one-time rude or insulting communication to be cyberbullying. They think it needs to be repeated, or a threat of bodily harm or a public posting designed to hurt, embarrass or otherwise target a child.What ages does it usually affect?Cyberbullying typically starts at about 9 years of age and usually ends around 14.After 14 it usually becomes sexual harassment.How prevalent is it?
Wisconsin Bullying Law: Parents To Be Fined If Their Kids Are Bullies Bullying has become an American epidemic, and now one Wisconsin city has passed a law that holds parents financially liable if their kids are bullies in an effort to curb the problem. Parents in Shawano, Wisconsin, will now be subject to fines if their child (under the age of 18) bullies another child or children. As WQAD 8 reports, under the Wisconsin city’s new bullying law, parents will get a warning from police if it is determined that their child has been bullying another child. From that point, parents will have 90 days to address and curb their child’s bullying behavior. If, after 90 days, parents in the Wisconsin city can’t get their bullying child or children under control, under the new law they will face a $366 fine. The new anti-bullying law in Wisconsin is pretty broad, too. Chief Mark Kohl of the Shawano, Wisconsin, Police Department clarified the new law and its intentions in a statement to local media. As Newsy reports, the new Wisconsin bullying law has some precedent.
Cyberbullying - National Bullying Prevention Center Just as the use of technology itself has evolved, so has the ability to bully. Bullying, once restricted to the school or neighborhood, has now moved into the online world. Bullying through electronic means is referred to as “cyberbullying.” As adults, thinking back, it was just a generation ago that kids and teens were asking their parents for a phone in their room — maybe even one with a separate line or three-way calling — so they could easily and somewhat privately connect with more friends. Today, a kid or teen’s desire to connect with friends has not changed, but the options for doing so have grown tremendously. Just as young people used to spend unmonitored time playing with friends in the neighborhood, outside the periphery of adults, they are now engaging with each other in the cyberworld, “talking” with each other, “talking” to each other, and “talking” about each other, often without adult or parental monitoring. Definition Other helpful definitions include: Rates of Incidence
Student bullying on increase, federal statistics reveal | News Reporting and the Internet By SARAH HARTNIG School of Communication University of Miami According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the percentage of students aged 12-18 who reported being bullied at school has increased by 24.5 percent since 2003, with the latest data samples released in 2007. The studies, conducted in 2003, 2005 and 2007, examine the relationship between students who reported being bullied and their respective characteristics, including data concerning the students’ grades, year, income, sex and race. According to the studies, in 2003 only 7.1 percent of students reported being bullied. Kathi Eastham teaches English at Coral Gables Senior High School, where she has worked since 1983. “I think more is being reported,” Eastham said. Eleanor W. “It is now permissible for those who are bullied to tell someone,” Lee said. Luana Nan has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and completed her master’s thesis with bullying as her focus. “Its completely anonymous,” Cauce said.