relational bullying essay

154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples

Looking for an exciting research topic about bullying? This problem is very controversial, sensitive, and definitely worth studying

🏆 Top 10 Bullying Topics for Research Papers

📃 bullying essay: writing tips, 🏆 best bullying topics to write about, ⚡ most shocking bullying topics to write about, ✅ simple & easy shocking bullying essay titles, ✍️ bullying essay topics for college, ❓ research questions about bullying.

Examples of bullying can be found everywhere: in schools, workplaces, and even on the Internet (in the form of cyberbullying).

In this article, we’ve collected top bullying research paper topics and questions, as well as bullying essay samples and writing tips. Get inspired with us!

• Direct and indirect bullying: compare & contrast
• The causes of bullying
• Classroom bullying and its effects
• Social isolation as a form of bullying
• Bullying and academic performance
• Passive and active victims of bullying: compare and contrast
• The role of social agencies in bullying prevention
• Public policy for bullying and aggression
• Bullying behavior and psychological health
• Aggressive children and their family background

A bullying essay is a popular assignment in various subjects, including psychology, sociology, and education. Writing an excellent paper on the matter requires more than just in-depth research and planning. Don’t worry; there are some tips that will make writing an essay on bullying much easier:

• Choose a topic that allows analyzing and interpreting the problem. Instead of merely describing what bullying is, try to dig deeper into its causes, consequences, and solutions. If your professor didn’t suggest any topics, you may research bullying essay topics online and select one that would be exciting for you to explore.
• Read sample articles and papers online to see how other students approached the subject. Notice the bits that work and don’t work, and write them out to make the process of creating your essay easier. If you’re struggling with finding enough examples online, you may want to expand your search to discrimination essay topics and materials.
• Research what scholars say about bullying. Articles in scholarly journals are an excellent source of information because they are usually trustworthy. If you’re still in school, your ability to navigate the library or online databases will also impress your tutor. As you start researching, you will find that there is a great variety of studies, and it’s challenging to find the relevant ones. Narrowing down your search would help you to do that. For instance, if you are writing a cyber bullying essay, try searching for social media bullying or online anti-bullying services.
• Include real-life experiences where relevant. Unfortunately, bullying is a common problem in many institutions, and if you haven’t experienced it, your friends or family members probably have. If your tutor allows personal input, explore real-life experiences with bullying. Note the effects, preventive measures that worked or didn’t work, and what a person used to cope with bullying. If personal input is not allowed, you could ask your friends or relatives for ideas and then find high-quality sources that discuss similar problems.
• If you can, be creative about it! A powerful bullying essay example draws from a variety of sources to present material in a creative way and engage readers. Hence, this might be an excellent opportunity for you to include images or graphs in your paper. For example, anti-bullying posters could complement the sections of your work that talks about solutions to the problem. Quotes about bullying coming from famous persons would also be influential, especially if you include them at the beginning of your piece. If you like drawing or painting, you could try to put some of your ideas in graphic form – this will definitely earn you some extra marks! Just make sure to check with your tutor to see whether or not creative input is allowed.
• Structure your paper well to avoid gaps or inconsistencies. It would be beneficial to create a detailed bullying essay outline before you start working. A typical essay should include an introduction, two to three main paragraphs, and a conclusion. The first paragraph of your work should consist of some background information, whereas the last one should restate the points and close up the paper. A good bullying essay introduction should also feature a thesis statement that shows what the piece is about.

These tips will help you to write top-notch essays on bullying, as well as on related subjects. Don’t forget to browse our blog some more to find other helpful materials, including essay titles!

• The Problem of Bullying and Possible Solutions In general, bullying is a critical and complex issue prevailing among children; thus, it is essential to adopt different solutions to tackle it.
• Bullying and Its Effects in Society Secondary research is critical in the development of a background to the research, which helps in determining the validity of the problem and suggested research methodologies.
• Cyber Bullying Issue Therefore, the goal of this paper is to analyse who the victims of cyber bullying are and the influence it has on them.
• The Effects of Cyber-Bullying and Cyber-Stalking on the Society In particular, one should focus on such issues as the disrespect for a person’s autonomy, the growing intensity of domestic violence and deteriorating mental health in the country.
• Is Cyber Bullying Against Teenagers More Detrimental Than Face-To-Face Bullying? Social networking has also contributed greatly to the issue of cyber bullying especially in making it more harmful as compared to face-to-face bullying.
• School Bullying and Moral Development The middle childhood is marked by the development of basic literacy skills and understanding of other people’s behavior that would be crucial in creating effective later social cognitions. Therefore, addressing bullying in schools requires strategies […]
• Nature of Bullying In this paper, central focus is going to be on the nature of bullying of children in my hometown, Orlando Florida, how it can be solved, and most importantly; establishing the importance of having knowledge […]
• Verbal Bullying at School: How It Should Be Stopped This paper highlights some of the best practices that can be used by teachers in order to address this problem. So, this information can be of great benefit to them.
• Bullying and Child Development Bullying is one of the common vices in schools that influences a lot of growth and development of children. Bullying also affects the ability of children to concentrate in school because they are always on […]
• The ABC Model of Crisis: Bullying at School The next step is the identification of the nature of the crisis, and thus questions are as follows: Who is bullying you?
• Sexual Bullying in Schools and Its Influence The author states the difference in the mental and physical maturation of girls and boys as one of the core roots of the issue.
• Bullying and Cyberbullying in Modern Society Cyberbullying among adolescents and teenagers is defined as the purposeful and repetitive harm done by one or more peers in cyberspace as a result of using digital devices and social media platforms.
• Bullying Through Social Media: Research Proposal The hypothesis of the study is as follows: the role of adolescents in a cyberbullying situation is interconnected with their psychological characteristics.
• Bullying and Suicide Among Teenagers Specific objectives Analyze the causes of bullying among teenagers in the country Analyze the effects of bullying among victims, perpetrators and by-standers Analyze the relationship between bullying in school and suicide among teenagers in the […]
• Character Traits of Bullying Despite the fact that such characteristics may differ from child to child, it is the common feature of difference that makes the target children get noticed by the bullies.
• Bullying on Social Media Platforms It is consistent and repeating, taking advantage of the Internet’s anonymity with the main goal to anger, scare, or shame a victim.
• Bullying in the Nursing Workplace Bullying in the nursing workplace, in this case, causes the one bullied to have a feeling of defenselessness and takes away the nurses’ right to dignity at his or her workplace.
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on Performance Workplace bullying refers to a deliberate, repeated, and continuous mistreatment of a worker or a group of workers by one or more colleagues in the workplace.
• Social Psychological Concepts of Bullying and Its Types Some of the factors that contribute to bullying include poor parenting, economic challenges, lack of mentorship, and jealousy among others. One of the main concepts used to explain bullying is that of parenting roles and […]
• The Impact of Workplace Bullying The negative impacts of bullying in the workplace develop as a result of ignorance among employees regarding the vice, unreported cases, as well as the negligence of organizational leaders.
• Bullying in the Workplace Organizational leaders have an ethical obligation to ensure that they deal with cases of bullying within the workplace in a professional manner that demonstrates equality, honesty, and high sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Social Influence on Bullying in Schools The theory helps us to understand why the stronger members of the school population are likely to “rule” over the weaker members of the school as described in the social hierarchy concept in the theory.
• Bullying: Violence in Children and Adolescents Bullying is one of the most common manifestations of peer violence in children and adolescents. Prevention of bullying, cyberbullying included, has to occur in accordance with the IBSE Standards of social and emotional learning.
• Bullying, Its Forms, and Counteractions In addition, it is necessary to support those at the center of this bullying, as this can protect them from harmful effects and consequences.
• Incivility, Violence, and Bullying in the Healthcare Workplace The following step is to gather the team and communicate the necessity of change, assigning some individuals for the positions related to the change, in other terms, a support team.
• Effective Ways to Deal With Bullying in US Schools Teachers should ensure the bully is aware of the improper behavior, why it is improper, and the repercussions of the behavior.
• Network Bullying: School Policy Framework The first step is to have a careful conversation with the student and an assessment by the school psychologist to ensure that there is a fright.
• How to Reduce Bullying in Senior Facilities One of the main reasons an individual may commit suicide due to bullying is because it may make an individual develop a negative self-image after the bullying incident. Some of the major bullying incidences that […]
• Active Shooter and Nursing Bullying Nurses should lock all doors and use tables and other objects to reinforce them to prevent any possibility of the active shooter getting to the patients’ room.
• Racist Bullying Among Black Students in US Universities This research focuses on the impact of bullying and racism among African American students in the country. What are the impacts of bullying and racism among Black students in U.S.universities?
• Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior.
• Eliminating the Problem of Online Bullying Eliminating the problem of online bullying is vital for improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults and allowing them to build their lives free of adverse external influences. It is possible to see […]
• Bullying and Harassment in the Healthcare Workplace This paper is written to explore the origins of discrimination and harassment in the healthcare workplace. Bullying begins early in medical college and residencies; it has been referred to as an element of the learning […]
• Queer (LGBT) Teenage Bullying at School The importance of this source to the research is associated with the significant role that youth organizations have to play towards minimizing bullying among LGBT students.
• Bullying of Children: Misconceptions and Preventive Measures As a result, the density of shows and articles devoted to bullying creates an illusion that this event appears more often than it does in reality.
• Bullying Behavior and Impact of Hegemonic Masculinity Rosen and Nofziger applied a quantitative research design to explore the relationships between students’ bullying experiences and race, age, and socioeconomic status and identify the frequency of bullying.
• Bullying and Incivility in Clinical Setting The problem of bullying and incivility in a clinical setting can negatively affect the quality of care provided, so it needs to be managed.
• Bullying and Its Influences on a Person It is common for victims of bullying to develop mental health issues, as they were placed in stressful situations and had a constant fear along with depression in some cases. Making friends is one of […]
• “Bullying in Schools”: The Aspects of Bullying In their article, Menesini and Salmivalli examine the current state of knowledge on the topic and thoroughly discuss all of the aspects of bullying.
• Moral Development and Bullying in Children The understanding of moral development following the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan can provide useful solutions to eliminating bullying in American schools.
• Analysis of Bullying and Parenting Style Since the given topic usually refers to children and adolescents, it is evident that their parents hold a portion of responsibility because the adults affect the growth and development of young individuals.
• Hate Crimes – Bullying More than two-thirds of children and adolescents experience bullying and more than one-fourth of them report extreme forms of coercion.
• Bullying Management: Mass Awareness Program Bulletin.”Teachers, trained to help to rebuild trust, confidence, growth, and commitment through mass awareness to arrest bullying in high schools”. The proposed mass action program is meant to promote awareness on the need to stop […]
• An Anti-Bullying Program Integrated With PRAISE by Ackerman I chose to describe bullying because of the importance of the topic and due to my personal interest in it. Education will eliminate most of the reasons for bullying and provide students with the E […]
• Bullying Through Social Media: Methods An Informed Consent Document will be provided to participants prior to the research, explaining the purpose of the study and promising to protect their identity.
• Bullying Through Social Media In particular, inequality in the position of the persecutor and the victim is evident – the aggressor can be anonymous, and there can be many of them.
• Bullying of Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic Then, the principles of adult learning will be used to develop and implement an information product to improve the nursing workforce’s bullying awareness and the knowledge of healthy conflict resolution in the workplace.
• Bullying in Healthcare Organizations: Impact on Nursing Practice Bullying in business entities is a common phenomenon, but the extent of its influence on the “production process” in healthcare and medicine institutions is only beginning to be recognized.
• Workplace Bullying Among Nurses in the Acute Setting Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of conflicts between nurses and their colleagues and managers has increased significantly in my workplace.
• Bullying Perpetration Among School-Aged Children Mucherah et al.examined how the school climate and teachers’ sanctions against bullying relate to the risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of bullying.
• Programming for a Year 5 Class on Bullying As a result, in Lesson 6, they will offer their project addressing bullying behaviour and present it to their class, which is the main aim of the Unit Plan.
• Injury and Violence Prevention: – Bullying The aim of preventing injury and violence from bullying is to enable the student to have a healthy social and physical life that will enable them to perform well in their studies and live healthily.
• Cyber-Bullying vs. Traditional Bullying: Its Psychological Effects The researchers presented the recent statistics in order to illustrate the negative social and psychological effects of cyber-bullying in contrast to the traditional bullying in schools.
• Bullying in the Workplace Old Nurse to New Nurse This unvoiced scourge in nursing is characteristically encouraged by the need of bullies to have a total control of a person. Resignation of nurses due to bullying can lead to shortage of nurses in hospitals.
• Bullying and Peer Abuse Especially at work, targets fear coming to work and this will have an adverse result in the efficiency of the staff in the hospital.
• Cyber Bullying and Positivist Theory of Crime Learning theory approaches to the explanation of criminal behavior have been associated with one of the major sociological theories of crime, the differential association theory.
• Cyberbullying and Bullying: Similarities While deciding on fitting and balanced sanctions, it is vital to reflect on the ways in which cyberbullying events differ in effect in comparison to other forms of bullying.
• Protection From Bullying: Methods That Work Because of this, it is vital that parents, teachers, and guardians educate themselves on the nature of bullying and work together to develop effective methods and strategies that would help to overcome the problem.
• Psychology: Social Media and Bullying The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social media and bullying and express the author’s opinion on the matter.
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on People and Society The paper follows a traditional structure with the introduction and body paragraphs that provide essential information devoted to the problem, and improve the understanding of the concept of bullying.
• “Bullying Behavior Among Radiation Therapists” by Johnson and Trad The literature review encompassed a considerable number of sources pertinent to the study and recent enough to be relevant; all the publications were dated within the last fifteen years.
• Human Rights Issues in Australia: Bullying Among School-Going Age and Young People The focus of the topic of the day is on bullying. It is used to prevent or avoid the occurrence of a bullying experience.
• Bullying and Worker’s Harassment in Western Australia In most of the armed services in Australia, new recruits and women are commonly the victims of bullying and harassment despite the fact that it is unacceptable.
• Behaviour Management: Bullying The typical behaviors which I saw in the child who got bullied are: The victim of this bullying is physically weak and a soft-natured one.
• Cyber-Bullying Is a Crime: Discussion It is easy to see the effects of cyber-bullying but it is hard to find out who is the bully making it hard for authorities to pin the blame on the perpetrator of a crime […]
• Conflict Resolution Tactics and Bullying This study is interesting to the extent that it shows how the social environment impacts the development of a child and how it shapes his or her conflict resolution techniques.
• School Bullying: Case Analysis Even today there is no generally accepted definition of bullying but it is thought that when an individual is for a long period of time is exposed to repeat negative actions and behavior by one […]
• Bullying in the Workplace as a Psychological Harassment Another form of bullying in the workplace is physical assault in the sense that if the workers are not at ease with each other and when the rules and regulations are not at all observed, […]
• “Adolescents’ Perception of Bullying” by Frisen et al. The second and the third aims of the study were “to describe how adolescents perceive bullies” and “to describe what adolescents believe to be important in order to stop bullying”, respectively.
• The Long Term Effects of Bullying in Elementary School Wolke and Lereya argue that the problem is that the majority of studies on bullying are cross-sectional and only use follow-ups after a short period of time.
• Workplace Bullying, Salivary Cortisol and Long-Term Sickness Absence The purpose of this cohort-based study was to investigate the extent to which cortisol levels were associated with sickness absence and the relationships between workplace bullying and sickness absence through the prism of cortisol use.
• Workplace Bullying in Australia It is possible to offer several recommendations that can reduce the risk of bullying in organisations. In this case, more attention should be paid to the absence of mechanisms that can protect the victims of […]
• Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools It also states the major variables related to bullying in schools. They will confirm that social-economic status, gender, and race can contribute to bullying in schools.
• The “Bully-Free” Initiative: Bullying in Education The students need to have a clear idea that bullying goes against the rules of the school and which actions may be considered bullying.
• Gender and Bullying Issues in Nursing A lack of tolerance for workplace harassment and bullying is likely to lead to the deterioration of the situation and further misunderstanding and tension in an organization.
• Bullying and Cyberbullying Among Peers They are facing the dilemma of how to react, whether they have to fight a superior force of the enemy or to complain to teachers and parents, undermining their reputation.
• Bullying Prevention Programs Some teachers and professors claim that their students cannot show their potential in their hobbies due to the limitations they experience because of bullies around them. As it is mentioned above, educators do not control […]
• Bullying and Its Impact Thus, the current paper is dedicated to the issue of bullying and its effects as well as anti-bullying practices as related to peer victimization.
• Fights and Bullying Among Middle School Learners Alongside the positivist philosophy, the research adopted the survey strategy that involved the use of self-administered questionnaires to collect from the participants.
• Dealing With Workplace Bullying According to the report presented by the University of Louisville, workplace bullying is a repeated action of one employee or a group of employees towards another individual or group. Dealing with bullying in the workplace […]
• Bullying Policies in Walton School District and Georgia University The sample bullying policy language in Walton School District is very similar to the language in the policy of the University of Georgia.
• Amanda Todd’s Bullying and Suicide Story She was fifteen years old, and her story created a major uproar in the press, as it showed the true nature of bullying and the effects it has on the person.
• Bullying in America: Causes and Prevention That is why it is important to pay attention to the reasons why bullying occurs and ways in which it can be reduced.
• Bullying as Social and Criminal Deviance The most important step in the student’s guide to research that I would need to analyze bullying is defining the topic.
• Bullying and Legislation in Australian Workplace According to the authors of the article, workplace bullying can be characterized as internal violence. According to the authors of the article, bullying is a widespread phenomenon and is a common attribute of many organizations.
• Bullying at Australian School: Causes and Solution The technological breakthrough that was witnessed in the late 90s and the early 2000s also contributed to the development of the phenomenon, sparking the concepts such as cyberbullying and online bullying.
• Workplace Bullying in The Playground Never Ends The primary reason for becoming a bully is primarily seen in fear to lose authority or formal positions in an organization and have more institutional power than that of the targets.
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying-Methods The analysts used this tool to report the mood of the participants by posting quizzes, which the students answered while filling the questionnaire.
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying and Mean Stinks Program The positive results can be achieved by the implementation of the multiple educational programs, the increase in public awareness, and promotion of the values of the healthy relationships.”Mean Stinks” is exactly the program with the […]
• Association of Parenting Factors With Bullying The lack of the parental support is the main cause of students’ deviant behaviors at school, including the cases of bullying, and those parents who pay much attention to developing their career cannot provide the […]
• The Problem of Workplace Bullying In particular, this paper will include the discussion of the research articles, reports and case studies that describe the causes of workplace bullying and the strategies used by companies in an effort to overcome it.
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying The misconception that bullying is a minor issue among college students has contributed to the high number of students who suffer because of bullying.
• Homosexual Students and Bullying Specifically, the section addresses the prevalence of bullying in schools and the level of bullying in bisexuals, gay males, and lesbians.
• Social Psychology of Violence and Bullying in Schools Bullying is a common phenomenon in schools and it is reported that it results in violence in learning institutions in the end.
• Bullying and Suicide: The Correlation Between Bullying and Suicide Nonetheless, the extensive research shows that the correlation exists and bullying is one of the risk factors for development of suicidal ideas in adolescents.
• Cyber Bullying Reduction Program Table of Activities Activity Significance Assembling parents/guardians, students and teachers to announce and explain the program in the institution To enlighten parents/guardians, students and teachers about the rules and regulation enacted due to the threat […]
• Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the […]
• Discouraging and Eliminating Cyber Bullying Resources Role of the resource/input Statement forms To facilitate information transfer to the staff Counseling Personnel To arm students against the problem Bullying report system To create efficient internet enhance report system Regulation implementation documents […]
• School Bullying: Methods for Managing the Problem The investigation of relevant studies on the methods for stopping school bullying reveals that the most effective ways of eliminating this type of behavior include providing training for teachers, encouraging students to participate in the […]
• High School Bullying Effective Responses Emphasis will also be made on the kind of audience to read this article because the contents of this study need to be at par with other similar articles in the journal to be selected.
• Bullying as a Relational Aggression This resistance has been one of the obstacles to eliminating the cyber bullying in the schools. Schools and districts have been involved in the Challenge Day activities where children are advised on how to handle […]
• Social Bullying in Jeff Cohen’s “Monster Culture” It is clear that his part of character is mostly dominant in the childhood stages, as children are not able to develop a sense of morality and predict the consequences of their actions.
• Cyber Bullying and Its Forms The difference between the conventional way of bullying and cyber bullying is that in conventional bullying, there is contact between the bully and the victim.
• Problem of Childhood Bullying in Modern Society To begin with, the family which is the basic and the most important unit in the society as well as the primary socializing agent plays a major role in shaping behavior of children include bullying.
• Problem of the Managing Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace Employees in an organization have a specific role that they are supposed to play and this means that there might be shortcomings which should not lead to bullying.
• School Bullying: Causes and Police Prevention It is for this reason that there has been need for the intervention of the community and the government to address the issue of bullying schools lest the school environment becomes the worst place to […]
• Cyber Bullying as a Virtual Menace The use of information and communication technologies to support a deliberate and most of the time repeated hostile behavior by an individual or groups of people with the sole intention of harming others, one is […]
• Does Bullying Cause Emotional Problems? However, the current study was relevant because of this design, for the scope of the study covered as well as the results were accurate, and the conclusions drawn were correct.
• Ban High School Bullying A number of stakeholders contribute to the high prevalence of bullying in American schools. Schools that ignore bullying are a big part of the problem and they need to be held accountable.
• The Problem of Bullying While most states in the United States of America have laws to protect people from bullying, the federal government is yet to enact an anti-bullying law.
• Ethical Case: Facebook Gossip or Cyberbullying? The best option to Paige is to apologize publicly and withdraw her comments. The final stage is to act and reflect the outcome of the choice made.
• Bullying on the Rise: Should Federal Government Enact Federal-Bullying Laws? This paper will thus use both primary and secondary data to discuss the prevalence of bullying in schools and whether the federal govern should enact federal laws to curb the social vice at school.
• Bullying in School Face-to-face bullying is an interesting area of study because it clearly demonstrates bullying in school. Students consider bullying as a school culture even though it is contrary to the school rules and regulations of schools.
• Bullying in the Schools Furthermore, the law states that training should be done to the teachers as well as the other members of staff on how to deal with bullying and the law also needs the schools to report […]
• The Issue of Bullying in the Schools It gives me joy to know that the issue of bullying is now a pubic affair since bullying stories were unheard of when I was growing up.
• Troubled Adolescent due to Bullying His lowered self-esteem would make him to observe the common behaviours of the older boys quietly and accept the situation as a cultural practice.
• Workplace bullying: does it exist?
• What are the three key elements of bullying?
• How does bullying affect those who observe it?
• Direct and indirect bullying: what is the difference?
• What families do bullies typically come from?
• Aggressive children: what is their future?
• How to prevent bullying in schools?
• School bullying and domestic violence: is there a connection?
• Cyberbullying: how to prevent it?
• What can parents do to prevent their children from bullying?
• Children’s Rights Research Ideas
• Equality Topics
• Homophobia Topics
• School Violence Ideas
• Respect Essay Topics
• Social Inequality Paper Topics
• Suicide Topics
• Youth Violence Research Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Bullying: Problems and Solutions, Essay Example

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In recent years bullying has received greater attention in America’s schools, though the issue of bullying is hardly a new one. While many people might consider bullying to be a matter involving physical intimidation and even physical violence, the range of behaviors that comprise bullying are much broader, and include psychological as well as physical intimidation and actions. According to Long and Alexander (2010), bullying “has been defined as hostile actions, recurring over time that is deliberately destructive and occurs without provocation.” Long and Alexander go on to describe bullying as “a subtype of violent behavior,” driving home the point that the emotional impact of bullying is a form of violence even if no actual physical contact is involved. Bullying behaviors are not restricted to schools; they’re also found ion homes and other social settings, and even in the workplace among adults. From a statistical standpoint, however, bullying is especially pervasive among students of middle-school age (Long & Alexander), and as such it is of significant concern to administrators, teachers, and parents. The following paper examines some of the issues and problems associated with school bullying, as well as several possible solutions.

While bullying is associated with a number of problems for victims and those whose role it is to protect them, perhaps the most significant problem involving bullying is simply recognizing it. There are a number of reasons why bullying often goes unnoticed; among these is that many of the behaviors that constitute bullying often take place less overtly than some of the most blatant acts of physical intimidation or violence. Identifying is inherently subjective, and those who are tasked with identifying it and reporting it will not always see bullying when it occurs (Brank, Hoetger& Hazen, 2012). What might look like harmless teasing to one person might appear to be a clear case of bullying to another. Many forms of bullying fall under the heading of indirect or “relational” bullying, including gossip and rumor, social exclusion, and other social behaviors that can be difficult to identify as bullying (Long & Alexander). Another related problem is that even when some teachers or administrators are aware of bullying, they choose not to intervene. According to one study, 71% of teachers simply ignore most instances of bullying (Schroeder, 1999). Before any effective solutions can be found to bullying it is first necessary for teachers, administrators and parents to know how to identify it and to take it seriously.

Another set of problems associated with bullying are the risk factors that correlate to becoming a potential victim of bullying.Being the victim of bullying is known to be associated with a number of serious risk factors. Studies have determined that there are some cognitive and emotional factors that are commonly seen in victims, which seems to indicate a causal relationship between the two (Brank et al.) These include such conditions as Asperger’s syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum that undermines an individual’s capacity to understand social norms and respond with socially appropriate behaviors. Children with stronger peer and friend relationships are less likely to be targeted for bullying, though there may be an inverse relationship at work, with victims of bullying retreating from social relationships, thereby affirming the conditions of victim status (Brank et al.). External factors such as socioeconomic background and race are also correlated with bullying, especially when these factors place victims in a social minority at school.

The most serious problems associated with bullying are, of course, the effects on victims. Bullying victims suffer from a range of problems, including higher rates of emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety (Long & Alexander). Victims of bullying are at a greater risk of committing suicide, using drugs and alcohol, and becoming detached from social settings such as school and family (Brank et al). Victims may develop overt physical symptoms predicated by the stress of victimization, and often report headaches, stomachaches, and other ailments (Collier, 2013). Bullying has clear and often serious effects on victims.

Solving the problem of bullying has no one-size-fits-all solution, and typically requires a multi-pronged approach. The first step towards addressing the issue of bullying is simply raising awareness among responsible adults about the seriousness of the problem. Teachers, administrators, and parents must be given the tools and information to identify bullying behaviors and to understand their negative consequences in order to be able to intervene appropriately. This requires more than just informal conversations, and must include appropriate programs that are provided in an adequate and complete fashion. Settings fort this might include seminars and forums for school officials and teachers, as well as parent-teacher conferences and other settings where parents can be given educational materials and information about available resources.

This educational information must be backed up by practical structures and interventions in schools, with clearly-defined anti-bullying policies and clearly-defined consequences for students who victimize other students (Long & Alexander). Students must also be properly informed about the seriousness of bullying and about the consequences for bullies who engage in inappropriate behavior.  Many states have passed anti-bullying legislation which makes bullying a legal matter, and such legislation generally includes significant punitive measures for bullies, including suspension, expulsion, and even incarceration (Duncan, 2011). While such rules and laws are helpful and appropriate, the best way to protect potential victims is for those responsible for supervising students to intervene as early as possible to minimize the damage of bullying.

Parents of bullying victims can also take steps to minimize the effects of bullying. This can include providing “insulating or protective factors” (Brank et al) to help the victim avoid contact with the bully and to provide positive emotional support. For victims who do not have strong social bonds, parents can help by involving their children in activities of interest or, in some cases, switching schools or finding alternatives to typical education. Victims of bullying may be helped by counseling, and schools should help provide information about the resources available to victims and their families.

While bullying is clearly a serious problem for many victims, it is also clear that bullying behaviors often go unnoticed or ignored by those who are in a position to intervene. Teachers and school officials must learn to identify the range of bullying behaviors and to take these behaviors seriously, while school officials must provide appropriate information for teachers and establish guidelines and policies for students related to anti-bullying measures. Parents must learn to spot the signs that indicate their child is being bullied, and take advantage of the resources and information available to protect and help their children. There is no single solution to stopping bullying, but by working together, parents and schools can help to reduce the problem.

Brank,, E., Hoetger, L., & Hazen, K. (2012). Bullying.  Annual Review Of Law And Social Science I , 8 (2132).

Long, T., Alexander, K. (2010). Bullying: Dilemmas, Definitions, And Solutions. (2010).  Contemporary Issues In Education Research ,  3 (2).

Collier, R. (2013). Bullying Symptoms.  CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal ,  85 (16).

Duncan, S. (2011). Restorative Justice and Bullying: A Missing Solution in the Anti-Bullying Laws.  New England Journal On Criminal & Civil Confinement ,  327 (267).

Schroeder, K. (1999). Bullying.  The Education Digest ,  65 (4).

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Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice (2016)

Chapter: 1 introduction, 1 introduction.

Bullying, long tolerated by many as a rite of passage into adulthood, is now recognized as a major and preventable public health problem, one that can have long-lasting consequences ( McDougall and Vaillancourt, 2015 ; Wolke and Lereya, 2015 ). Those consequences—for those who are bullied, for the perpetrators of bullying, and for witnesses who are present during a bullying event—include poor school performance, anxiety, depression, and future delinquent and aggressive behavior. Federal, state, and local governments have responded by adopting laws and implementing programs to prevent bullying and deal with its consequences. However, many of these responses have been undertaken with little attention to what is known about bullying and its effects. Even the definition of bullying varies among both researchers and lawmakers, though it generally includes physical and verbal behavior, behavior leading to social isolation, and behavior that uses digital communications technology (cyberbullying). This report adopts the term “bullying behavior,” which is frequently used in the research field, to cover all of these behaviors.

Bullying behavior is evident as early as preschool, although it peaks during the middle school years ( Currie et al., 2012 ; Vaillancourt et al., 2010 ). It can occur in diverse social settings, including classrooms, school gyms and cafeterias, on school buses, and online. Bullying behavior affects not only the children and youth who are bullied, who bully, and who are both bullied and bully others but also bystanders to bullying incidents. Given the myriad situations in which bullying can occur and the many people who may be involved, identifying effective prevention programs and policies is challenging, and it is unlikely that any one approach will be ap-

propriate in all situations. Commonly used bullying prevention approaches include policies regarding acceptable behavior in schools and behavioral interventions to promote positive cultural norms.

STUDY CHARGE

Recognizing that bullying behavior is a major public health problem that demands the concerted and coordinated time and attention of parents, educators and school administrators, health care providers, policy makers, families, and others concerned with the care of children, a group of federal agencies and private foundations asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to undertake a study of what is known and what needs to be known to further the field of preventing bullying behavior. The Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization:

Lessons for Bullying Prevention was created to carry out this task under the Academies’ Board on Children, Youth, and Families and the Committee on Law and Justice. The study received financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Highmark Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Semi J. and Ruth W. Begun Foundation, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The full statement of task for the committee is presented in Box 1-1 .

Although the committee acknowledges the importance of this topic as it pertains to all children in the United States and in U.S. territories, this report focuses on the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Also, while the committee acknowledges that bullying behavior occurs in the school

environment for youth in foster care, in juvenile justice facilities, and in other residential treatment facilities, this report does not address bullying behavior in those environments because it is beyond the study charge.

CONTEXT FOR THE STUDY

This section of the report highlights relevant work in the field and, later in the chapter under “The Committee’s Approach,” presents the conceptual framework and corresponding definitions of terms that the committee has adopted.

Historical Context

Bullying behavior was first characterized in the scientific literature as part of the childhood experience more than 100 years ago in “Teasing and Bullying,” published in the Pedagogical Seminary ( Burk, 1897 ). The author described bullying behavior, attempted to delineate causes and cures for the tormenting of others, and called for additional research ( Koo, 2007 ). Nearly a century later, Dan Olweus, a Swedish research professor of psychology in Norway, conducted an intensive study on bullying ( Olweus, 1978 ). The efforts of Olweus brought awareness to the issue and motivated other professionals to conduct their own research, thereby expanding and contributing to knowledge of bullying behavior. Since Olweus’s early work, research on bullying has steadily increased (see Farrington and Ttofi, 2009 ; Hymel and Swearer, 2015 ).

Over the past few decades, venues where bullying behavior occurs have expanded with the advent of the Internet, chat rooms, instant messaging, social media, and other forms of digital electronic communication. These modes of communication have provided a new communal avenue for bullying. While the media reports linking bullying to suicide suggest a causal relationship, the available research suggests that there are often multiple factors that contribute to a youth’s suicide-related ideology and behavior. Several studies, however, have demonstrated an association between bullying involvement and suicide-related ideology and behavior (see, e.g., Holt et al., 2015 ; Kim and Leventhal, 2008 ; Sourander, 2010 ; van Geel et al., 2014 ).

In 2013, the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requested that the Institute of Medicine 1 and the National Research Council convene an ad hoc planning committee to plan and conduct a 2-day public workshop to highlight relevant information and knowledge that could inform a multidisciplinary

___________________

1 Prior to 2015, the National Academy of Medicine was known as the Institute of Medicine.

road map on next steps for the field of bullying prevention. Content areas that were explored during the April 2014 workshop included the identification of conceptual models and interventions that have proven effective in decreasing bullying and the antecedents to bullying while increasing protective factors that mitigate the negative health impact of bullying. The discussions highlighted the need for a better understanding of the effectiveness of program interventions in realistic settings; the importance of understanding what works for whom and under what circumstances, as well as the influence of different mediators (i.e., what accounts for associations between variables) and moderators (i.e., what affects the direction or strength of associations between variables) in bullying prevention efforts; and the need for coordination among agencies to prevent and respond to bullying. The workshop summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c ) informs this committee’s work.

Federal Efforts to Address Bullying and Related Topics

Currently, there is no comprehensive federal statute that explicitly prohibits bullying among children and adolescents, including cyberbullying. However, in the wake of the growing concerns surrounding the implications of bullying, several federal initiatives do address bullying among children and adolescents, and although some of them do not primarily focus on bullying, they permit some funds to be used for bullying prevention purposes.

The earliest federal initiative was in 1999, when three agencies collaborated to establish the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative in response to a series of deadly school shootings in the late 1990s. The program is administered by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to prevent youth violence and promote the healthy development of youth. It is jointly funded by the Department of Education and by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program has provided grantees with both the opportunity to benefit from collaboration and the tools to sustain it through deliberate planning, more cost-effective service delivery, and a broader funding base ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015 ).

The next major effort was in 2010, when the Department of Education awarded $38.8 million in grants under the Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) Program to 11 states to support statewide measurement of conditions for learning and targeted programmatic interventions to improve conditions for learning, in order to help schools improve safety and reduce substance use. The S3 Program was administered by the Safe and Supportive Schools Group, which also administered the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act State and Local Grants Program, authorized by the

1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 2 It was one of several programs related to developing and maintaining safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools. In addition to the S3 grants program, the group administered a number of interagency agreements with a focus on (but not limited to) bullying, school recovery research, data collection, and drug and violence prevention activities ( U.S. Department of Education, 2015 ).

A collaborative effort among the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Justice; the Federal Trade Commission; and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders created the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Steering Committee. Led by the U.S. Department of Education, the FPBP works to coordinate policy, research, and communications on bullying topics. The FPBP Website provides extensive resources on bullying behavior, including information on what bullying is, its risk factors, its warning signs, and its effects. 3 The FPBP Steering Committee also plans to provide details on how to get help for those who have been bullied. It also was involved in creating the “Be More than a Bystander” Public Service Announcement campaign with the Ad Council to engage students in bullying prevention. To improve school climate and reduce rates of bullying nationwide, FPBP has sponsored four bullying prevention summits attended by education practitioners, policy makers, researchers, and federal officials.

In 2014, the National Institute of Justice—the scientific research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice—launched the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative with a congressional appropriation of $75 million. The funds are to be used for rigorous research to produce practical knowledge that can improve the safety of schools and students, including bullying prevention. The initiative is carried out through partnerships among researchers, educators, and other stakeholders, including law enforcement, behavioral and mental health professionals, courts, and other justice system professionals ( National Institute of Justice, 2015 ).

In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed by President Obama, reauthorizing the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students. Although bullying is neither defined nor prohibited in this act, it is explicitly mentioned in regard to applicability of safe school funding, which it had not been in previous iterations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The above are examples of federal initiatives aimed at promoting the

2 The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act was included as Title IV, Part A, of the 1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. See http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect08-i.html [October 2015].

3 For details, see http://www.stopbullying.gov/ [October 2015].

healthy development of youth, improving the safety of schools and students, and reducing rates of bullying behavior. There are several other federal initiatives that address student bullying directly or allow funds to be used for bullying prevention activities.

Definitional Context

The terms “bullying,” “harassment,” and “peer victimization” have been used in the scientific literature to refer to behavior that is aggressive, is carried out repeatedly and over time, and occurs in an interpersonal relationship where a power imbalance exists ( Eisenberg and Aalsma, 2005 ). Although some of these terms have been used interchangeably in the literature, peer victimization is targeted aggressive behavior of one child against another that causes physical, emotional, social, or psychological harm. While conflict and bullying among siblings are important in their own right ( Tanrikulu and Campbell, 2015 ), this area falls outside of the scope of the committee’s charge. Sibling conflict and aggression falls under the broader concept of interpersonal aggression, which includes dating violence, sexual assault, and sibling violence, in addition to bullying as defined for this report. Olweus (1993) noted that bullying, unlike other forms of peer victimization where the children involved are equally matched, involves a power imbalance between the perpetrator and the target, where the target has difficulty defending him or herself and feels helpless against the aggressor. This power imbalance is typically considered a defining feature of bullying, which distinguishes this particular form of aggression from other forms, and is typically repeated in multiple bullying incidents involving the same individuals over time ( Olweus, 1993 ).

Bullying and violence are subcategories of aggressive behavior that overlap ( Olweus, 1996 ). There are situations in which violence is used in the context of bullying. However, not all forms of bullying (e.g., rumor spreading) involve violent behavior. The committee also acknowledges that perspective about intentions can matter and that in many situations, there may be at least two plausible perceptions involved in the bullying behavior.

A number of factors may influence one’s perception of the term “bullying” ( Smith and Monks, 2008 ). Children and adolescents’ understanding of the term “bullying” may be subject to cultural interpretations or translations of the term ( Hopkins et al., 2013 ). Studies have also shown that influences on children’s understanding of bullying include the child’s experiences as he or she matures and whether the child witnesses the bullying behavior of others ( Hellström et al., 2015 ; Monks and Smith, 2006 ; Smith and Monks, 2008 ).

In 2010, the FPBP Steering Committee convened its first summit, which brought together more than 150 nonprofit and corporate leaders,

researchers, practitioners, parents, and youths to identify challenges in bullying prevention. Discussions at the summit revealed inconsistencies in the definition of bullying behavior and the need to create a uniform definition of bullying. Subsequently, a review of the 2011 CDC publication of assessment tools used to measure bullying among youth ( Hamburger et al., 2011 ) revealed inconsistent definitions of bullying and diverse measurement strategies. Those inconsistencies and diverse measurements make it difficult to compare the prevalence of bullying across studies ( Vivolo et al., 2011 ) and complicate the task of distinguishing bullying from other types of aggression between youths. A uniform definition can support the consistent tracking of bullying behavior over time, facilitate the comparison of bullying prevalence rates and associated risk and protective factors across different data collection systems, and enable the collection of comparable information on the performance of bullying intervention and prevention programs across contexts ( Gladden et al., 2014 ). The CDC and U.S. Department of Education collaborated on the creation of the following uniform definition of bullying (quoted in Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ):

Bullying is any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm.

This report noted that the definition includes school-age individuals ages 5-18 and explicitly excludes sibling violence and violence that occurs in the context of a dating or intimate relationship ( Gladden et al., 2014 ). This definition also highlighted that there are direct and indirect modes of bullying, as well as different types of bullying. Direct bullying involves “aggressive behavior(s) that occur in the presence of the targeted youth”; indirect bullying includes “aggressive behavior(s) that are not directly communicated to the targeted youth” ( Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ). The direct forms of violence (e.g., sibling violence, teen dating violence, intimate partner violence) can include aggression that is physical, sexual, or psychological, but the context and uniquely dynamic nature of the relationship between the target and the perpetrator in which these acts occur is different from that of peer bullying. Examples of direct bullying include pushing, hitting, verbal taunting, or direct written communication. A common form of indirect bullying is spreading rumors. Four different types of bullying are commonly identified—physical, verbal, relational, and damage to property. Some observational studies have shown that the different forms of bullying that youths commonly experience may overlap ( Bradshaw et al., 2015 ;

Godleski et al., 2015 ). The four types of bullying are defined as follows ( Gladden et al., 2014 ):

• Physical bullying involves the use of physical force (e.g., shoving, hitting, spitting, pushing, and tripping).
• Verbal bullying involves oral or written communication that causes harm (e.g., taunting, name calling, offensive notes or hand gestures, verbal threats).
• Relational bullying is behavior “designed to harm the reputation and relationships of the targeted youth (e.g., social isolation, rumor spreading, posting derogatory comments or pictures online).”
• Damage to property is “theft, alteration, or damaging of the target youth’s property by the perpetrator to cause harm.”

In recent years, a new form of aggression or bullying has emerged, labeled “cyberbullying,” in which the aggression occurs through modern technological devices, specifically mobile phones or the Internet ( Slonje and Smith, 2008 ). Cyberbullying may take the form of mean or nasty messages or comments, rumor spreading through posts or creation of groups, and exclusion by groups of peers online.

While the CDC definition identifies bullying that occurs using technology as electronic bullying and views that as a context or location where bullying occurs, one of the major challenges in the field is how to conceptualize and define cyberbullying ( Tokunaga, 2010 ). The extent to which the CDC definition can be applied to cyberbullying is unclear, particularly with respect to several key concepts within the CDC definition. First, whether determination of an interaction as “wanted” or “unwanted” or whether communication was intended to be harmful can be challenging to assess in the absence of important in-person socioemotional cues (e.g., vocal tone, facial expressions). Second, assessing “repetition” is challenging in that a single harmful act on the Internet has the potential to be shared or viewed multiple times ( Sticca and Perren, 2013 ). Third, cyberbullying can involve a less powerful peer using technological tools to bully a peer who is perceived to have more power. In this manner, technology may provide the tools that create a power imbalance, in contrast to traditional bullying, which typically involves an existing power imbalance.

A study that used focus groups with college students to discuss whether the CDC definition applied to cyberbullying found that students were wary of applying the definition due to their perception that cyberbullying often involves less emphasis on aggression, intention, and repetition than other forms of bullying ( Kota et al., 2014 ). Many researchers have responded to this lack of conceptual and definitional clarity by creating their own measures to assess cyberbullying. It is noteworthy that very few of these

definitions and measures include the components of traditional bullying—i.e., repetition, power imbalance, and intent ( Berne et al., 2013 ). A more recent study argues that the term “cyberbullying” should be reserved for incidents that involve key aspects of bullying such as repetition and differential power ( Ybarra et al., 2014 ).

Although the formulation of a uniform definition of bullying appears to be a step in the right direction for the field of bullying prevention, there are some limitations of the CDC definition. For example, some researchers find the focus on school-age youth as well as the repeated nature of bullying to be rather limiting; similarly the exclusion of bullying in the context of sibling relationships or dating relationships may preclude full appreciation of the range of aggressive behaviors that may co-occur with or constitute bullying behavior. As noted above, other researchers have raised concerns about whether cyberbullying should be considered a particular form or mode under the broader heading of bullying as suggested in the CDC definition, or whether a separate defintion is needed. Furthermore, the measurement of bullying prevalence using such a definiton of bullying is rather complex and does not lend itself well to large-scale survey research. The CDC definition was intended to inform public health surveillance efforts, rather than to serve as a definition for policy. However, increased alignment between bullying definitions used by policy makers and researchers would greatly advance the field. Much of the extant research on bullying has not applied a consistent definition or one that aligns with the CDC definition. As a result of these and other challenges to the CDC definition, thus far there has been inconsistent adoption of this particular definition by researchers, practitioners, or policy makers; however, as the definition was created in 2014, less than 2 years is not a sufficient amount of time to assess whether it has been successfully adopted or will be in the future.

THE COMMITTEE’S APPROACH

This report builds on the April 2014 workshop, summarized in Building Capacity to Reduce Bullying: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c ). The committee’s work was accomplished over an 18-month period that began in October 2014, after the workshop was held and the formal summary of it had been released. The study committee members represented expertise in communication technology, criminology, developmental and clinical psychology, education, mental health, neurobiological development, pediatrics, public health, school administration, school district policy, and state law and policy. (See Appendix E for biographical sketches of the committee members and staff.) The committee met three times in person and conducted other meetings by teleconferences and electronic communication.

Information Gathering

The committee conducted an extensive review of the literature pertaining to peer victimization and bullying. In some instances, the committee drew upon the broader literature on aggression and violence. The review began with an English-language literature search of online databases, including ERIC, Google Scholar, Lexis Law Reviews Database, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Web of Science, and was expanded as literature and resources from other countries were identified by committee members and project staff as relevant. The committee drew upon the early childhood literature since there is substantial evidence indicating that bullying involvement happens as early as preschool (see Vlachou et al., 2011 ). The committee also drew on the literature on late adolescence and looked at related areas of research such as maltreatment for insights into this emerging field.

The committee used a variety of sources to supplement its review of the literature. The committee held two public information-gathering sessions, one with the study sponsors and the second with experts on the neurobiology of bullying; bullying as a group phenomenon and the role of bystanders; the role of media in bullying prevention; and the intersection of social science, the law, and bullying and peer victimization. See Appendix A for the agendas for these two sessions. To explore different facets of bullying and give perspectives from the field, a subgroup of the committee and study staff also conducted a site visit to a northeastern city, where they convened four stakeholder groups comprised, respectively, of local practitioners, school personnel, private foundation representatives, and young adults. The site visit provided the committee with an opportunity for place-based learning about bullying prevention programs and best practices. Each focus group was transcribed and summarized thematically in accordance with this report’s chapter considerations. Themes related to the chapters are displayed throughout the report in boxes titled “Perspectives from the Field”; these boxes reflect responses synthesized from all four focus groups. See Appendix B for the site visit’s agenda and for summaries of the focus groups.

The committee also benefited from earlier reports by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine through its Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education and the Institute of Medicine, most notably:

• Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Intervention Research ( Institute of Medicine, 1994 )
• Community Programs to Promote Youth Development ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2002 )
• Deadly Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2003 )
• Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009 )
• The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking: Workshop Report ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2011 )
• Communications and Technology for Violence Prevention: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2012 )
• Building Capacity to Reduce Bullying: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c )
• The Evidence for Violence Prevention across the Lifespan and Around the World: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014a )
• Strategies for Scaling Effective Family-Focused Preventive Interventions to Promote Children’s Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014b )
• Investing in the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2015 )

Although these past reports and workshop summaries address various forms of violence and victimization, this report is the first consensus study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the state of the science on the biological and psychosocial consequences of bullying and the risk and protective factors that either increase or decrease bullying behavior and its consequences.

Terminology

Given the variable use of the terms “bullying” and “peer victimization” in both the research-based and practice-based literature, the committee chose to use the current CDC definition quoted above ( Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ). While the committee determined that this was the best definition to use, it acknowledges that this definition is not necessarily the most user-friendly definition for students and has the potential to cause problems for students reporting bullying. Not only does this definition provide detail on the common elements of bullying behavior but it also was developed with input from a panel of researchers and practitioners. The committee also followed the CDC in focusing primarily on individuals between the ages of 5 and 18. The committee recognizes that children’s development occurs on a continuum, and so while it relied primarily on the CDC defini-

tion, its work and this report acknowledge the importance of addressing bullying in both early childhood and emerging adulthood. For purposes of this report, the committee used the terms “early childhood” to refer to ages 1-4, “middle childhood” for ages 5 to 10, “early adolescence” for ages 11-14, “middle adolescence” for ages 15-17, and “late adolescence” for ages 18-21. This terminology and the associated age ranges are consistent with the Bright Futures and American Academy of Pediatrics definition of the stages of development. 4

A given instance of bullying behavior involves at least two unequal roles: one or more individuals who perpetrate the behavior (the perpetrator in this instance) and at least one individual who is bullied (the target in this instance). To avoid labeling and potentially further stigmatizing individuals with the terms “bully” and “victim,” which are sometimes viewed as traits of persons rather than role descriptions in a particular instance of behavior, the committee decided to use “individual who is bullied” to refer to the target of a bullying instance or pattern and “individual who bullies” to refer to the perpetrator of a bullying instance or pattern. Thus, “individual who is bullied and bullies others” can refer to one who is either perpetrating a bullying behavior or a target of bullying behavior, depending on the incident. This terminology is consistent with the approach used by the FPBP (see above). Also, bullying is a dynamic social interaction ( Espelage and Swearer, 2003 ) where individuals can play different roles in bullying interactions based on both individual and contextual factors.

The committee used “cyberbullying” to refer to bullying that takes place using technology or digital electronic means. “Digital electronic forms of contact” comprise a broad category that may include e-mail, blogs, social networking Websites, online games, chat rooms, forums, instant messaging, Skype, text messaging, and mobile phone pictures. The committee uses the term “traditional bullying” to refer to bullying behavior that is not cyberbullying (to aid in comparisons), recognizing that the term has been used at times in slightly different senses in the literature.

Where accurate reporting of study findings requires use of the above terms but with senses different from those specified here, the committee has noted the sense in which the source used the term. Similarly, accurate reporting has at times required use of terms such as “victimization” or “victim” that the committee has chosen to avoid in its own statements.

4 For details on these stages of adolescence, see https://brightfutures.aap.org/Bright%20Futures%20Documents/3-Promoting_Child_Development.pdf [October 2015].

ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

This report is organized into seven chapters. After this introductory chapter, Chapter 2 provides a broad overview of the scope of the problem.

Chapter 3 focuses on the conceptual frameworks for the study and the developmental trajectory of the child who is bullied, the child who bullies, and the child who is bullied and also bullies. It explores processes that can explain heterogeneity in bullying outcomes by focusing on contextual processes that moderate the effect of individual characteristics on bullying behavior.

Chapter 4 discusses the cyclical nature of bullying and the consequences of bullying behavior. It summarizes what is known about the psychosocial, physical health, neurobiological, academic-performance, and population-level consequences of bullying.

Chapter 5 provides an overview of the landscape in bullying prevention programming. This chapter describes in detail the context for preventive interventions and the specific actions that various stakeholders can take to achieve a coordinated response to bullying behavior. The chapter uses the Institute of Medicine’s multi-tiered framework ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009 ) to present the different levels of approaches to preventing bullying behavior.

Chapter 6 reviews what is known about federal, state, and local laws and policies and their impact on bullying.

After a critical review of the relevant research and practice-based literatures, Chapter 7 discusses the committee conclusions and recommendations and provides a path forward for bullying prevention.

The report includes a number of appendixes. Appendix A includes meeting agendas of the committee’s public information-gathering meetings. Appendix B includes the agenda and summaries of the site visit. Appendix C includes summaries of bullying prevalence data from the national surveys discussed in Chapter 2 . Appendix D provides a list of selected federal resources on bullying for parents and teachers. Appendix E provides biographical sketches of the committee members and project staff.

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Bullying has long been tolerated as a rite of passage among children and adolescents. There is an implication that individuals who are bullied must have "asked for" this type of treatment, or deserved it. Sometimes, even the child who is bullied begins to internalize this idea. For many years, there has been a general acceptance and collective shrug when it comes to a child or adolescent with greater social capital or power pushing around a child perceived as subordinate. But bullying is not developmentally appropriate; it should not be considered a normal part of the typical social grouping that occurs throughout a child's life.

Although bullying behavior endures through generations, the milieu is changing. Historically, bulling has occurred at school, the physical setting in which most of childhood is centered and the primary source for peer group formation. In recent years, however, the physical setting is not the only place bullying is occurring. Technology allows for an entirely new type of digital electronic aggression, cyberbullying, which takes place through chat rooms, instant messaging, social media, and other forms of digital electronic communication.

Composition of peer groups, shifting demographics, changing societal norms, and modern technology are contextual factors that must be considered to understand and effectively react to bullying in the United States. Youth are embedded in multiple contexts and each of these contexts interacts with individual characteristics of youth in ways that either exacerbate or attenuate the association between these individual characteristics and bullying perpetration or victimization. Recognizing that bullying behavior is a major public health problem that demands the concerted and coordinated time and attention of parents, educators and school administrators, health care providers, policy makers, families, and others concerned with the care of children, this report evaluates the state of the science on biological and psychosocial consequences of peer victimization and the risk and protective factors that either increase or decrease peer victimization behavior and consequences.

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What Are the Different Types of Bullying?

Bullying can come in many different forms

Ridofranz / Getty Images

6 Types of Bullying

• Mental Health Effects

When you think of bullying, the physically and verbally aggressive behavior that school children endure from their peers might be what immediately springs to mind. However, it's important to recognize that bully can come in many different forms. Just because it doesn't involve physical or verbal aggression doesn't mean that it doesn't count as bullying. In fact, there are actually six different kinds of bullying: physical, verbal, relational, cyber, sexual, and prejudicial.

These types of bullying often overlap. Bullies frequently use more than one form to abuse a victim. Moreover, bullying isn't limited to kids and teenagers. Adults can also be guilty of bullying, too.

At a Glance

Bullying is a common problem among school-age kids, but it can affect anyone of any age. This intentional aggressive behavior is often about intimidation and control, and it can range from overt acts of violence to more subtle forms of emotional intimidation. Being able to recognize the different forms that bullying can take, including physical, verbal, relational, cyber, sexual, and prejudicial, is important. It can take a heavy toll on victims, so spotting the signs and taking action is crucial.

What Exactly Is Bullying?

Bullying is defined as any intentional, repeated aggressive behavior directed by a perpetrator against a target in the same age group.

One of the most noteworthy components of bullying is an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim.

Sometimes, the power imbalance is obvious when, for example, a bigger, stronger kid bullies a weaker, smaller kid or when a group of people bullies a single individual. However, sometimes the power imbalance is more difficult to discern because it involves less obvious factors, such as differences in popularity, intelligence, or ability, or knowledge of the information the victim finds embarrassing.

Bullying falls into six categories, some of which are more obvious than others. They include:

• Physical bullying
• Verbal bullying
• Relational bullying

Cyberbullying

• Sexual bullying
• Prejudicial bullying

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying is the most obvious type of bullying and what many people think of when they imagine this kind of aggression .

Physical bullying involves any assault on a person's body, including hitting, kicking, tripping, or pushing. It can also extend to inappropriate hand gestures or stealing or breaking a victims' belongings.

Physical bullying is perpetrated by an individual or group of individuals who are bigger or stronger than the individual being targeted.

If a physical altercation happens between two people of similar size and strength, it's not considered physical bullying.

Studies have shown that boys are more likely to be involved in physical bullying than girls. For example, research has found that boys are more likely to be both the perpetrators and victims of physical bullying.

Some research suggests that such differences stem from gender differences in socialization. Boys are socialized to use direct aggression, whereas girls are socialized to express aggression indirectly.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal bullying involves using spoken or written words to insult or intimidate a victim. It includes name-calling, teasing, and even threats.

One study found that verbal bullying was the most common form of bullying. Boys experienced this type of bullying at a slightly higher rate than girls, and most were bullied by their own friends.

Verbal bullying isn't always easy to recognize because it often takes place when authority figures aren't around. Moreover, a bully can pass it off as good-natured ribbing between friends. As a result, it can be difficult for the victim to prove. Therefore, this form of bullying can become a long-term source of stress and anxiety.

Relational Bullying

Relational bullying, which is also referred to as relational aggression or social bullying, involves actions intended to harm a victim's reputation or relationships. It can include embarrassing the victim in public, spreading rumors, purposely leaving them out of social situations, or ostracizing them from a group.

Unlike more overt types of bullying, it is especially sly and insidious because it involves social manipulation.

Relational bullying is often associated with so-called "mean girls." However, while research has shown girls are more often the victims of relational bullying than boys, both boys are more likely to be perpetrators of this type of bullying.

On the other hand, studies suggest that girls who engage in relational bullying have worse adjustment problems , including issues maintaining fulfilling and positive relationships.

Relational bullying can lead to isolation , loneliness , depression, and social anxiety. Unfortunately, research indicates that teachers, school counselors, and other educational staff tend to feel relational bullying is less serious and have less empathy for victims of relational bullying than victims of physical and verbal bullying.

This may be because the severity of relational bullying is more challenging to detect. Physical and verbal bullying results in disciplinary action toward the perpetrator around 50% of the time, whereas this response only happens 10% of the time with relational bullying

Cyberbullying is bullying that happens via electronic devices like computers, smart phones, and tablets. It can take place over text messages, social media, apps, or online forums and involves posting or sending harmful content, including messages and photos, and sharing personal information that causes humiliation.

Research by the Cyberbullying Research Center shows that 15% of 9- to 12-year-olds and 37% of 13- to 17-year-olds have experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lives.

In-person bullying is still more prevalent than cyberbullying but cyberbullying is a growing problem. Not only are perpetrators of cyberbullying less likely to be caught, but the online nature of cyberbullying can also be especially damaging to victims.

People have their devices on them all day, every day, so if they're being cyberbullied, they never get a break, even in their homes.

Similarly, targets of cyberbullying may be constantly reminded of the online bullying they've endured because, even if they block the cyberbully, others may see and share the evidence.

Sexual Bullying

Sexual bullying is online or in-person bullying that involves sexual comments or actions, including sexual jokes and name-calling, crude gestures, spreading sexual rumors, sending sexual photos or videos, and touching or grabbing someone without permission.

Sexual bullying and harassment are remarkably widespread. A 2019 study found that 81% of women and 43% of men experienced sexual harassment or assault at some point in their lifetime.

Meanwhile, sexting, sending or receiving sexually explicit messages or images between electronic devices, is becoming increasingly common.

Research shows that among kids between the ages of 11 and 17, 15% of them sent sexts and 27% received sexts; the prevalence of the behavior increases as adolescents age.

When sexts are sent without consent, such as when private nude photos or videos of an individual are widely shared among a peer group, it can lead to sexual bullying and even sexual assault .

Prejudicial Bullying

Prejudicial bullying involves online or in-person bullying based on the target's race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation . It is based on stereotypes and is often a result of the belief that some people deserve to be treated with less respect than others.

Though prejudicial bullying has been studied less than other types of bullying, research indicates that ethnic and sexual minorities are more likely to be bullied than their peers.

However, ethnic minorities that attend more ethnically diverse schools experience less bullying than those in schools that are more ethnically homogenous.

How Common Is Bullying?

Bullying is widespread and can negatively impact both bullying victims and the bullies themselves. A 2019 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 19.5% of ninth through twelfth graders were bullied on school property in the 12 months prior to completing the questionnaire.

Moreover, a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted in 2013 and 2014 in 42 countries in Europe and North America found that, on average, 14% of 11-year-old boys and 11% of 11-year-old girls were bullied at least twice in the previous two to three months.

Mental Health Effects of Bullying

People who are bullied can experience a plethora of short- and long-term problems , including depression and anxiety, social withdrawal , substance abuse, difficulties at school or work such as underachieving and poor attendance, and even suicide .

In addition, children who are targets of bullying may become victims or perpetrators of violence later in life. Meanwhile, those who bully others are more likely to get into fights and vandalize property, abuse drugs and alcohol, have criminal convictions in adulthood , and abuse their romantic partners and children .

Even people who simply observe bullying can experience issues, including mental health difficulties and increased substance use.

Bullying can have lasting mental health effects, which is why it's so important to recognize it and address it as soon as possible. While physical and verbal bullying are the most recognizable forms, other types are also common and often occur together. Relational, cyber, sexual, and prejudicial bullying are other types of bullying that are sometimes less readily apparent (but just as damaging).

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database .

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By Cynthia Vinney, PhD Cynthia Vinney, PhD is an expert in media psychology and a published scholar whose work has been published in peer-reviewed psychology journals.

Relational Bullying

"She had barely introduced herself when Brianna and Mackenzie gave her a code name and started calling her Harriet the Hairy Whore. They told everyone Jenny was hooking up with the boys in the woods behind the soccer field. Jenny knew that being called a slut was the worst thing in the world, no matter where you lived. No one was even kissing yet. It was the lowest of the low" 2 (p. 26).

Overview of Relational Bullying

Childhood bullying is often noticed when physical signs, like bruises and cuts, are present. Although we generally can see the signs of physical bullying, there are other harmful forms of bullying that occur in childhood circles. An even more painful type of bullying is one that hurts a child on the inside. This relational bullying is a hidden type of aggression ( or hostile behavior) where peers harm "others through purposeful manipulation and damaging of their peer relationship" 1 (1995).

Types of Relational Bullying

• Stonewalling: The Silent Treatment: Stonewalling or the silent treatment is where people ignore one another. If two children are angry with another child, they may choose to go about their business, ignoring the other child completely.
• Exclusions from the group: Exclusion from a group is where a single member can be cut out from all activities and participation in a group. This is slightly different from the silent treatment, because it goes a step further from ignoring by making sure a child knows that he or she isn’t allowed in the group.
• Spreading rumors and gossip: Children will often say things about other people, behind their backs, or even worse within earshot. Hearing it through the grapevine can easily skew true stories, and ruin children’s reputations.
• Taunting: Taunting is another form of spoken relational bullying, but it's said to a person's face. Taunting continues and even flourished in the face of distress.
• Making Friendship Conditional: It is often noticed when the phrase, "I'll only be your friend if..." is used. By making friendship conditional, it makes children overly cautious around their friends; those they should be most comfortable with.

Why Bullying Continues...

Relational bullying is something that is difficult for persons outside of the bullying circle to detect because of the hidden style (it's not physically obvious), but why don’t children do anything about it? Why, if they're being bullied, don't they make different friends, or tell an adult? The main reason why is that children are often afraid of being alone. Being lonely as a child is often scarier than having to friends at all, even if those friends are bullies. Children are often bullied by the same people whom they call their friends and they will put up with some taunting and conditionality of a relationship, just to have friends. Even if they talk to an adult, it's often hard to figure out who is doing the bullying, because it can easily be a group of people actively or passively participating in the act.

There are a lot of ways that relational bullying occurs, but where do children learn to act relationally aggressive? Sadly, the most prominent displays of relational bullying are seen in the home. Children either watching siblings or parents, may model the behavior they see and bring it to the playground. If relational bullying is observed in such forms as gossiping about neighbors, using the silent treatment, or making love conditional, children may interpret that type of aggression as an appropriate way to communicate and to relate to other persons. Children may also see their peers participating in this bullying, see it as successful, and decide that it's in their favor to follow the example of their peers.

Relational bullying is obviously a very big problem, and the best thing to do about problems such as this is to prevent them. There are many different types of school interventions, but you as a parent are capable of providing your own personal prevention program:

Ways to Prevent/Repair Relational Bullying

• Have multiple social groups: One of the simplest prevention strategies to assist your child in avoiding the damage that comes from relational bullying is to establish multiple social circles in which your child participates. Whether your child is participating in a church youth group, a sports team, or in an art class, these different sources of social interaction allow a child to establish worth on more than a scholastic social network.
• Model appropriate behavior: Modeling appropriate behavior is probably one of the most vital things in the prevention of relational bullying. If negative behaviors in families (like gossiping and love conditionality) promote negative behaviors in children, it seems that positive behaviors in families would promote positive behaviors in children. Make sure that your family has established a communication pattern of kindness and inclusion. The phrase "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" is commonly used in families to teach children that kind words are the only words that should be spoken one to another.
• Talk to your child about empathy: Just as you should model appropriate behavior to your children, you should talk to your children about good pro-social behaviors, the most important being empathy. Empathy, or feeling and understanding another persons' situation, can be a huge deterrent to relational bullying.
• Talk to your child about bullying: Using a direct approach and talking to your child about bullying is also an important way to help stop the bullying cycle. You and your child can develop a game plan on what to do if they’re being bullied or if other people start bullying someone else. Something simple as walking away or saying "this isn't fun, let's go play a fame" can be an easy way to prevent your child from being a part of the bullying cycle.
• Teaching forgiveness: Forgiveness is a key component to breaking the cycle of relational bullying. Things like gossip, taunting, and stonewalling, usually occur because someone has held a grudge. If your child learns to forgive other they'll be less hurt by victimization, and less likely to find reasons to bully others.
• Developing a strong sense of self: Finally, helping your child develop a strong sense of self can be the most important factor in dealing with relational bullying. If your child is capable of feeling good about him or herself then they'll be less hurt by bullying and less likely to bully as a means for group approval.

Relational bullying is an important issue to address with your children. By understanding and learning more about relational bullying, you as a parent can be more capable of preventing it and repairing issues that may have already occurred. As a parent, your example is very important for displaying appropriate relationships. Remember to watch how you interact with others, and how you talk about friends and neighbors when they're not present. Also, help your child to develop a strong sense of who they are to deter any negative feedback they receive in a social environment. These things will help foster a positive outlook for all children and could prevent the cycle of relational bullying from continuing.

Additional resources

If you need more help there are plenty of sources dedicated to the prevention of relational bullying. A few are list below:

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html

http://www.girlshealth.gov/bullying/

http://mentalhealth.gov

http://www.stopbullying.gov/

https://www.security.org/resources/cyberbullying-resources-books-podcasts/

Written by Stephanie Deverich, Research Assistant, edited by David A. Nelson and Stephen F. Duncan, professors in the School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.

• Crick, N. R., & Grotpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development, 66, 710-722.
• Simmons, R. (2002). Odd girl out. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books.

"She had barely introduced herself when Brianna and Mackenzie gave her a code name and started calling her Harriet the Hairy Whore. They told everyone Jenny was hooking up with the boys in the woods behind the soccer field. Jenny knew that being called a slut was the worst thing in the world, no matter where you lived. No one was even kissing yet. It was the lowest of the low.

Brianna and Mackenzie started a club called Hate Harriet the Hore Incorporated. They got every girl to join except two who didn't care. All the members had to walk by Jenny in the hallway and say, "Hhiiiiiii..." They made a long sighing noise to make sure she knew they were sounding out the initials of the club: HHHI Usually two or more girls would say it and then look at each other and laugh. Sometimes they couldn’t even say the whole thing, they were laughing so hard [...]Whenever Jenny was between classes, a girl would body slam her, knocking Jenny's books, and sometimes Jenny to the ground. If someone was watching, they'd pretend it was an accident" 4 (pp. 26-27).

Childhood bullying is often noticed when physical signs, like bruises and cuts, are present. Although we generally can see the signs of physical bullying, there are other harmful forms of bullying that occur in childhood circles. An even more painful type of bullying is one that hurts a child on the inside. Although you can't easily see emotional signs of being hurt, this relational bullying (also known as covert aggression, social aggression, social bullying, indirect aggression, and emotional aggression), often begins as early as preschool 3 and can create scars that may never fade. By understanding and talking with your child about relational bullying, you as a parent can either prevent the act altogether or help fix any problems that have already developed.

Relational bullying is a hidden type of aggression (or hostile behavior) where peers harm "others through purposeful manipulation and damaging of their peer relationship". 1 These acts of meanness may be difficult to detect things because a child may attack their peer verbally and pretend it was all joke. Rachel Simmons, in her book Odd Girl Out. , said that"[relational bullying] isn't just about not getting caught; half of it is looking like you'd never mistreat someone in the first place" 4 (p. 23). It's difficult for parents and teachers to notice this form of bullying because "taking the time to address relational discord is not always as easy as yelling at a boy to remove his peer from the trash can" 4 (pp. 34-35). There are many different manifestations of relational bullying, but a few of the more common types are listed below:

• Stonewalling: The Silent Treatment: Stonewalling (so named because of the similarity between this type of behavior and a stone wall) or the silent treatment is where people ignore one another. If two children are angry with another child, they may choose to go about their business, ignoring the other child completely. When a person is ignored, it makes them want to participate even more in what they're missing out on. This treatment is quite easily hidden from adults because the absence of talking is far less noticeable than the consistency of it-but it's not hidden from the victim. Also, children may just pretend they couldn't hear, or act oblivious to the fact that they didn’t notice a third person. Even though it's not easily noticed by those outside of the group, it's very readily noticed by the victim and very hurtful to them.
• Exclusion from the group: Exclusion from a group is where a single member can be cut out from all activities and participation in a group. This is slightly different from the silent treatment because it goes a step further from ignoring by making sure a child knows that he or she isn’t allowed in the group. It can involve behaviors such as not saving a seat at the lunch table, or "forgetting" to send an invitation to a birthday party.
• Spreading rumors and gossip: Rumors and gossip are the most commonly known manner in which relational bullying occurs. Children will often say things about other people, behind their backs, or even worse, within earshot. Hearing it through the grapevine can easily skew true stories, and ruin children’s reputations. Children shouldn't have to worry about their reputations, but if gossiping continues, they'll continue to worry.
• Taunting: Taunting is another form of spoken relational bullying, but it's said to a person's face. Taunting continues and even flourishes in the face of distress. When cruel and humiliating things are said, and are pretended to be jokes, it's most likely taunting, and is something that can severely hurt a child emotionally.
• Making friendship conditional: Finally, making friendships conditional is a common form of relational bullying. This is often noticed when the phrase, “I’ll only be your friend if..." is used. By making friendship conditional, it makes children overly cautious around their friends; those they should be most comfortable with. Conditionality in friendship may make children participate in things they otherwise wouldn't, leading to strength in peer pressure and instability in feelings of self-worth.

How Bullying Occurs

There are many different types of relational bullying that occur, but one of the biggest problems with bullying in general, is how it occurs. Dan Olweus created a diagram called “The Bullying Circle" which shows how bullying occurs in a large group of people. 5 Although relational bullying can occur with only two children, it's far more common for a group to be keen to the relational bullying style, and to use it on others outside of the group, and even on members within the group. All group members sanction the bullying of others and there are few persons who actually are defending the victim. By involving a group, all persons, whether in support of the bullying or not, are exposed to this unhealthy interaction style, and may use it in their future relationships.

Looking at the diagram, there are several different roles that persons can play. There are four roles of persons bullying, the bully, follower, supporter, and passive supporter. These four roles vary in their levels of bullying activity, but all persons participate. The disengaged onlooker is the role of one who removes themselves from the situation. They feel that it's not their business and ignore the situation overall. There are two roles of persons who may help stop the bullying, the defender and possible defender. The defender actually takes a stance and tries to help the victim. The possible defender recognizes that the bullying shouldn't be going on and may stand up tithe bullies.

In looking at all of these different roles, it's clear that the victim most often stands alone. There is only one role of a person who will stand up for the victim and one role of a person who'll possibly help. The overall lack of support for the victim may further their feelings of sadness. The support given to the bully (or lack of opposition) encourages them and the negative impact (victim isolation) of the bullying circle continues.

Relational bullying is something that is difficult for persons outside of the bullying circle to detect because of the hidden style (it's not physically obvious), but why don't children do anything about it? Why, if they're being bullied, don't they make different friends, or tell an adult? The main reason why is that children are often afraid of being alone. Being lonely as a child is often scarier than having no friends at all, even if those friends are bullies. Children are often bullied by the same people whom they call their friends and they will put up with some taunting and conditionality of a relationship, just to have friends. Even if they talk to an adult, it's often hard to figure out who is doing the bullying, because it can easily be a group of people actively or passively participating in the act.

There are a lot of ways that relational bullying occurs, but where do children learn to act relationally aggressive? Sadly, the most prominent displays of relational bullying are seen in the home. Children, either watching siblings or parents, may model the behavior they see and bring it to the playground. If relational bullying is observed in such forms as gossiping about neighbors, using the silent treatment, or making love conditional, children may interpret that type of aggression as an appropriate way to communicate and to relate to other persons. Children may also see their peers participating in this bullying, see it as successful, and decide that it’s in their favor to follow the example of their peers.

Relational bullying is obviously a very big problem, and the best thing to do about problems such as this is to prevent them, There are many different types of school interventions, but you as apparent are capable of providing your own personal prevention program:

According to the Bullying Circle - there are many different roles that a person can play within a bullying situation. Here we’ll look at the way to help stop bullying if you're a: A) Victim, B) Bully, C) Onlooker/Defender.

• Victim: If your child were to face relational bullying at school, their secondary social group would still be there to help them feel worthwhile. While it's always suggested to “make new friends," already having friends who aren't unkind can provide a child with a solid comparison model for appropriate relationships. They can transition to spending more time with their friends in their non-school social network until they make new ones within the school.
• Bully: If your child is a bully - having multiple social groups may help them recognize appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. By allowing them to have multiple areas to express themselves a child can recognize how good relationships (one's without conditions and worries) can be formed-they can then use that knowledge and establish friendships established without bullying.
• Onlooker/Defender: If your child feels secure in different groups, they're more likely to help those being victimized. By having more than one area to fulfill their self-esteem needs, child is more willing to stand up for others, because they already feel secure themselves.
• Victim: If your child understands others' situation, they may be less hurt by bullying. It's also important to teach your child not to try and please everyone (over empathetic), thus making them more prone to victimization and harassment. Teach your child to understand others' situations, but also to make sure the choices they ‘remaking are positively affecting them.
• Bully: If your children understand how it might feel if someone was bullying them, and understand how it’s not kind to bully others, then they'll be more likely to stay away from bullying situations.
• Onlooker/Defender: You can promote defending those who are in need or even stand up for those in need. This isn’t to say you should tell your children to put themselves in dangerous situations to break up fights, but if you encourage empathy-then your children won't be likely to become a bully-and may stop bullying from occurring.
• Victim: It also is a scary thought that your child might be bullied themselves. If you think that’s the case, develop a game-plan for how to deal with a bullying situation. You can come up with ideas together like walking away or ignoring the bullies. Just talk together and dependent on your situation, decide the best way to handle your child's specific bullying situation.
• Bully: It might be a scary thought to think that your child is bullying other people, but it is possible, and you need to make sure that your child knows that hurting other people, whether it's physical or emotional, is wrong and is unacceptable behavior. Teach them that being friends with everyone is much more fun than excluding people.
• Onlooker/Defender: By talking directly about bullying to your child, you can help them come up with ways to stop or avoid the act of bullying. If your child is an onlooker to bullying, they too might want to develop new friendships because the bully could turn on them or turn to them to help in the bullying of others. If it's an unhealthy relationship, try and get your child away from it.
• Victim: Children shouldn’t put up with bullying and thinking that they shouldn't stand up for themselves because they have to simply forgive unkind behavior isn't right. But they need to know that they'll only hurt themselves if they hold grudges against others. Teach your child to stand up for themselves while still forgiving those who've hurt them.
• Bully: If your child or other children aren't forgiving one another, then it's easier to justify meanness. By learning how to forgive, and how to move on, children can still be friends with someone even if they were offended on a previous occasion.
• Onlooker/Defender: It's important for those either defending or on looking not to hold grudges against bullies. Defenders can turn into bullies if they continue to be bitter about how a bully treats others. Making sure that a defender or onlooker isn't bitter can help make it easier for a bully to change (if they so wish).
• Victim: If your child is capable of feeling good about him or herself, then relational bullying won't be as satisfying to the bully, and the bully will most likely leave them alone. If children are confident, then they can enjoy their childhood years without the added stresses of emotional scarring. Often victims are chosen to be victimized because they seem like an easy target, while a child who's confident in themselves is a less likely target for bullying. Bullying easily destroys self-confidence, so all of the buildup you can help establish at home can help repair any damage already done.
• Bully: Bullies often have low self-esteem. They may bully to feel better about themselves or to improve their social status in a group. If your child feels good about themselves they won't need group approval to establish their worth-and they then won't need to bully.
• Onlooker/Defender: If your child is confident in themselves, they'll be more capable of standing up for those who are victimized. A person who's confident can help others become confident-so whether or not they're defending others, your child can help victims or bullies become happier with themselves through acceptance and proper friendship.

There may be extreme cases of bullying, and if you fear your child is in that situation, drastic measures might need to be taken. If the bullying your child faces is constant and vicious in nature (if it's occurring online through email or instant messaging, you may want to read these messages to see how serious it is) and the bullying is causing significant distress and impairment in your child's ability to function (possible depression and suicidal ideation), this form of bullying is considered to be severe. If the situation is happening at school, you should set up a meeting with a school advisor and go over the problem and possible solutions. Something as simple as changing classes is advisable, but changing a school may be recommended in severe cases.

Relational bullying is an important issue to address with your children. By understanding and learning more about relational bullying, you as a parent can be more capable of preventing it and repairing damage that may have already occurred. As a parent, your example is very important for displaying appropriate relationships. Remember to watch how you interact with others, and how you talk about friends and neighbors when they’re not present. Also, help your child to develop a strong sense of who they are to offset any negative feedback they receive in environments outside the family. These things will help foster a positive outlook for all children and could prevent the cycle of relational bullying from continuing.

Additional Resources

If you need more help there are plenty of sources dedicated to the prevention of relational bullying, a few are listed below:

http://www.knowledge.offordcentre.com/behaviour/b_testing.html

http://www.girlshealth.gov/bullying/index.htm

Written by Stephanie Deverich, Research Assistant, edited by David Nelson and Stephen F. Duncan, Professors in the School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.

• Crick, N. R., & Gratpeter, J. K. (1995). Relational aggression, gender, and social-psychological adjustment. Child Development , 66, 710-722.
• Eisenberg, N., Fabes, R. A., & Spinrad, T. L. (2006). Prosocial development. Handbook of Child Psychology , 3, 646-718.
• Nelson, D. A., Robinson, C. C., & Hart, C. H. (2005). Relational and physical aggression of preschool-aged children: peer status linkage across informants. Early Education & Development , 16, 115-140.
• Simmons, R. (2002). Odd girl out . Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books.
• Olweus, D., Limber, S. & Mihalic, S. F. (1999). Blueprints for violence prevention, book nine: Bullying prevention program. Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.

Love Thy Neighbor

In Matthew 22: 39 we learn that the second greatest commandment is to "love thy neighbor as thyself." When participating in acts of emotional bullying, a child doesn't love their neighbor; they actually hurt their neighbor. As a parent, it's your job to help teach your child how to follow the commandments, and in this case, how to form relationships with other children without criticism and gossip.

Elder Marvin J. Ashton explained how the adversary tries to get us to break this commandment: "He loves to see us criticize each other, make fun or take advantage of our neighbor's known flaws, and generally pick on each other" 1 (¶ 19). But as parents, you can help teach your children to come unto Christ, and in doing this it helps “our attention turn to the welfare of our fellowman, and the way we treat others becomes increasingly filled with patience, kindness, a gentle acceptance, and a desire to play a positive role in their lives" 1 (¶ 34).

Watch Your Words

We may encounter people who seem to always be kind or unkind, but more often than not, there are situations when a kind person can act in an unkind manner and situations where an unkind person can act in a kind manner. Situations, rather than dispositions, may determine how we behave, and how we speak of one another. In talking about the words we choose to use, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (¶13) 4 said:

"The voice that bears profound testimony, utters fervent prayer, and sings the hymns of Zion can be the same voice that berates and criticizes, embarrasses and demeans, inflicts pain and destroys the spirit of oneself and of others in the process. 'Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing,' James grieves. 'My brethren [and sisters], these things ought not so to be.''' 4

We have the choice to speak kindly of one another or to criticize those we associate with. From a young age, our children should be taught that our words should be used for good, and that unkind words are unacceptable.

Be the Example

Not only do we need to teach our children how to love their neighbors, we have to do the same ourselves. We are and need to be, the person that our children model themselves after. As Elder N. Eldon Tanner (¶ 48) 5 teaches:

"As parents, we have the responsibility in our homes to guard against any of these things. Also, we must realize that every word and every act influences the thinking and attitude of the child. It is in the family that the child picks up the elementary lessons in getting along with people and the virtues of love, compassion, and concern. These lessons will have been well taught if parents can bring up their children without prejudicing them by precept or example against any other children on the grounds of color, race, religion, social status, or intellectual capacity, and if they teach them to love the Lord. I am so thankful that my parents, through their tolerance, were able to accomplish this with their children." 5

We need to teach our children that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" (D&C 18:10), and we need to believe and show this ourselves. By recognizing that all of God’s children have worth, we should love them as God would. As we follow the commandment to "love thy neighbor as thyself' (Matthew 22: 39), our example and guidance will teach our children to do the same.

Find Ways to Forgive

In difficult situations such as your child being bullied by someone they thought was a friend, simply loving those who are hurting them won't resolve the situation. Although having a loving attitude can help lessen the pain felt, the best thing for your child to do is to find a different group of friends. After finding others to associate with, it’s vital for your child to forgive those who've caused them pain. Elder Marion D. Hanks related President Brigham Young's story of how to deal with a rattle snake after being bit: 2

"One may, in anger, fear, or vengefulness, pursue the creature and kill it. Or he may make full haste to get the venom out of his system. If we pursue the latter course we will likely survive, but if we attempt to follow the former, we may not be around long enough to finish it" 2 (¶ 26).

Just as the venom of a rattlesnake can kill a person, if your child is harboring bitterness and anger from being hurt by mean acts, these unresolved feelings can cause further emotional and spiritual damage. Forgiveness is getting the venom out of your system so that you can move on and live your life without bitterness.

Learn to Love

We must learn to love each other, and to speak kindly of one another. If others aren't acting in that manner, we must learn to forgive and forget and focus on doing our part to be kind to everyone. As President Gordon B. Hinckley (¶ 30) said, "Why do any of us have to be so mean and unkind to others? Why can't all of us reach out in friendship to everyone about us?" 3

Stephen F. Duncan, a professor in the School of Family Life, tells the story of how he and his wife helped their 1st grade daughter begin to show love to someone who had treated her in a bullying way. “One day Linsey came home very upset. This time the girl had taken her backpack and hidden it. It was a special backpack because Linsey and her mother had made it together. We knew this was an important time to teach Linsey empathy and kindness, but she also needed to have the meanness stop."

"We prayed for help and felt impressed to tell Linsey that her classmate probably was not very happy. We suggested that Linsey try giving her secret treats and notes to help her feel happier and maybe even more caring. After a week or so, the girl discovered that Linsey was the source of the gifts, and she changed. The girl no longer was unkind to Linsey and even became a protector. Linsey learned that sometimes when other people behave badly, it's because they're hurting, and that often we can help them feel better."

Through our words and our example, we can teach our children to be kind, forgive others, and truly love our neighbors. If we’re able to teach them to understand and live these principles, we truly will be doing our part to help make the world a better place.

Written by Stephanie Deverich, Research Assistant, edited by Stephen F. Duncan, Professor, School of Family Life, Brigham Young University.

• Ashton, M. J. (1992, May). The tongue can be a sharp sword . Ensign, 18.
• Hanks, M. D. (1974, June). Even as Christ forgave . New Era, 4.
• Hinckley, G. B. (2006, May). The need for greater kindness . Ensign , 58.
• Holland, J. R. (2007, May). The tongue of angels . Ensign, 16.
• Tanner, N. E. (1972, July). Judge not. that ye be not judged . Ensign, 34.