This paper examines school bullying as a policy issue requiring formal institutional responses. It begins by establishing a working definition of bullying — one that requires intent to harm, repetition, and a power imbalance — and distinguishes among physical, verbal, and relational forms. The paper then surveys research on the short- and long-term consequences of bullying for both victims and perpetrators, noting effects ranging from depression and absenteeism to antisocial adult behavior. Finally, it outlines the core elements of an effective school anti-bullying program, emphasizing staff consistency, parent and community involvement, audience awareness, and the restoration of respectful peer relationships.
Students have been bullied at school since the beginnings of formal education. Originally, they might have been bullied by the very people who taught them, but that pattern has largely not continued into the present day. However, students bullying other students does continue. Every child needs an advocate at school whose role is to ensure that they are not being bullied. Many times this happens informally when a school lacks a bullying program, but it can also happen through formal structures.
The need for advocacy programs within schools — both primary and secondary — that allow children to feel safe from the time they leave home until they return in the afternoon is fundamental. Because of the serious incidents that have occurred at some schools as a result of bullying, this need is more urgent than ever. Students must have a nonviolent process they can access when they are being bullied. Schools also need programs in place that partner with parents to stop both physical and electronic media bullying. This paper outlines what bullying is, how research has proven that it causes harm to victims, and how it can be mitigated within the school setting.
When a teacher, counselor, or administrator examines an incident and identifies it as bullying, they may bring preconceived notions that are not entirely accurate. Children will sometimes play together in a rough manner, and the behavior can appear to be bullying when it is not. A solid definition of what constitutes bullying is therefore essential before beginning any conversation about launching an anti-bullying campaign.
According to Jacobsen and Bauman (2007), "for a behavior to be considered bullying, it must have three elements: it must be intended to harm, it must be repetitive, and a difference of power — physical, social, or other — must exist between the bully and the victim." The student conducting the bullying must first intend to cause some form of harm, whether through physical force, threats, or more subtle means. The actions must also occur over an extended period of time. Although fighting may be a poor choice, it is not always bullying, because it does not necessarily involve repeated intimidation. The most critical element, however, is the power differential: there must be some disparity in power between the two individuals — of any type — and the bullied child must perceive that gap in order to feel its effect.
There is also the question of types of bullying. Not all bullies use the same techniques, because they may not hold the same kind of power over every student. As Jacobsen and Bauman (2007) explain:
"Bullying is a subset of aggression that is typically categorized as physical, verbal, or relational. Physical bullying tends to receive more attention from school personnel, and includes behaviors such as hitting, kicking, or any form of overt violence toward another student. Verbal bullying refers to name calling, teasing, and verbal threats. Relational bullying is a form of social isolation that includes behaviors such as gossiping, intentionally leaving students out of activities, spreading rumors, and other measures that seek to alter peer groups." Some researchers have described relational bullying as an "attempt to inflict pain in such a manner that he or she makes it seem as though there has been no intention to hurt at all."
An effective school bullying program will address all types of bullying without ranking one as worse than another. Physical bullying may cause the most immediate pain, but it is soon over. Relational bullying can have long-term effects whose full scope is only beginning to be understood.
Bullying has immediate effects on its victims, but research has also determined that the practice can produce very long-term consequences. Moreover, the harm is not limited to victims alone — bullying can have serious negative outcomes for the bully as well. Understanding these effects may help reduce bullying behavior in schools.
According to Aluede, Adeleke, Omoike, and Afen-Akpaida (2008), children who face the possibility of being bullied every day are prone to a range of harmful effects. Research consistently shows that bullying affects victims in the following ways:
For the victim:
Children who are bullied are more likely to experience depression. Victims are more likely to have suicidal ideation — as one middle-school student put it, "It can leave you bruised inside." Bullied children have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork, and their academic performance tends to decline from marginal to poor. Victims typically feel anxious, and this anxiety may produce a variety of physical or emotional ailments. Rates of absenteeism are higher among victimized students than among non-bullied peers, as are dropout rates. Persistent bullying during the school years may have long-term negative effects on victims that extend well beyond graduation. Bullied students also tend to be less popular in school than peers not involved in bullying. In sum, bullying can cause physical, academic, social, and psychological harm. The psychological scars left by bullying often endure for years; feelings of isolation and loss of self-esteem that victims experience appear to persist into adulthood.
For the bully:
Bullies are more likely to carry weapons. Chronic bullies tend to maintain their behaviors into adulthood, affecting their ability to develop and sustain positive relationships. Bullies are rarely able to cultivate genuine friendships; they are often antisocial as adults, and bullying behavior is sometimes the first step toward juvenile delinquency and criminal activity.
None of these outcomes are inevitable, but a child who is frequently absent and tends to be a loner at school should raise alarm bells for teachers. The signs suggested by this list of effects are precisely what educators should be watching for.
"Program design, staff roles, and community involvement"
Buck, L., & Willer, B. (2008). Advocacy for young children. In S. Feeney, A. Galper, & C. Seefeldt (Eds.), Continuing issues in early childhood education (pp. 391–405). Pearson Education Canada.
Hirschstein, M. K., Edstrom, L. V. S., Frey, K. S., Snell, J. L., & Mackenzie, E. P. (2007). Walking the talk in bullying prevention: Teacher implementation variables related to initial impact of the Steps to Respect program. School Psychology Review, 36(1), 3–21.
Jacobsen, K. E., & Bauman, S. (2007). Bullying in schools: School counselors' responses to three types of bullying incidents. Professional School Counseling, 11(1), 1–8.
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