Dealing with Bullying in Schools

The most common mistake is to think that there is only one method of dealing with a problem rather than a number of complementary methods. The most persistent mistake is the belief that severe punishment of bullies will stop bullying from continuing. Although the use of sanctions is sometimes justified, such as for criminal assault, it can be counterproductive in other cases.

Another mistake is to believe that a school anti-bullying policy is enough. Although useful as a guide, policies are often not rigorously applied or communicated to students and parents. A reliance on the promotion of positive attitudes, empathy and social skills as part of the school curriculum is desirable but also not enough.

Cases of bullying need focused attention, as in the use of “Restorative Practice” and “The Support Group Method” – see my book Interventions in Cases of Bullying in Schools: A Training Manual for Teachers and Counsellors (Hawker-Brownlow, 2023). Often it is not realized that it is necessary to work with small groups of students who are bullying someone rather than with one person.

Another mistake is the failure to include parents or guardians in working with cases of bullying. They need to be fully informed and, as far as possible, worked with closely in solving the problem.

1. Strengthening the victim in cases of mild verbal bullying, where it is possible to help the victim develop and employ appropriate social skills. For example, a victim may work with a counselor or teacher to confidently respond to verbal insults without appearing upset or making matters worse. In some cases, however, attention must also be paid to changing the bully's behavior.
   

2. Mediation is a method for teachers or trained peers between children in conflict. This strategy is only possible when BOTH parties want help to find a solution. This is rare, but possible on occasion.
   

3. Restorative Practice is an increasingly popular method where the bully (or bullies) and victim must meet together with a practitioner. The bully is required to acknowledge the harm they have done, apologize and undertake to put things right to the victim's satisfaction.
   

4. The Support Group Method is relevant when a person is being bullied by a group. Bully group members must attend a meeting with other students who are prepared to help the victim, who is NOT present, but interviewed earlier. Each member is required to indicate how they can help and the outcome is monitored.
   

5. The Method of Shared Concern is also relevant to group bullying. For this, the identified bullies are interviewed individually by a teacher who shares a concern for the victim and invites help. Subsequently, all bullies meet with the teacher to work out collectively what they agree to do. Finally, the victim and bullies attend a meeting to agree upon a solution.
   

6. The use of sanctions (for example, suspensions and police involvement) may be justified for very severe or criminal bullying and where the victim's protection is needed.

There are techniques for dealing with verbal bullying when it is happening, such as responding non-emotionally and confidently without showing any personal concern. The negative effects may nevertheless continue in anxiety that the bullying could reoccur and feeling bad because one is a target.

Mindfulness has been suggested as a means of handling negative thoughts. This technique requires one to focus on the "here and now", non-judgmentally accept any thoughts or bodily sensations, and tune in to the immediate physical environment. Related to mindfulness is the use of rational emotive thinking, pioneered by psychologist Albert Ellis. In this approach, beliefs that do not help one to cope or make things worse (such as catastrophizing) are seen as irrational and must be discarded. Children may be taught to adopt this way of thinking to change the way they respond to events. Finally, in really extreme cases, finding and moving to a new school is not unreasonable.

None of which I am aware of. However, such a component is obviously needed in any anti-bullying strategy.

I know of no research on this question, but certainly, the belief in a just world is positively related to support for institutional authority and conservatism. I suspect that victims generally do not see the world as "just." My guess is that both victims and bullies (sometimes the same people!) do not have a positive view of the world.

Of possible relevance is the finding that bullying has a much higher prevalence in countries with large differences in wealth distribution, such as Turkey and Russia. Low levels of school bullying are found in countries with comparatively low wealth differences between individuals, for example, in Sweden and Norway.

Perhaps the most important thing for schools to do is to stop modeling preference for some children over others, especially favoring those achieving educationally and socially while disregarding or sometimes denigrating others who are less able. Of course, excellence should be acknowledged, but not by drawing attention (even unintentionally) to those who do not conspicuously succeed.

When a child is not being accepted by peers, it is sometimes unclear whether this is due to social prejudice (for example, racism or physical appearance) or something they are doing that is socially unacceptable and ought to stop. Some children are described in research as “provocative victims”. If the latter is the case, they need to be tactfully informed about the effects of their behavior.

If social prejudice is involved, it is beneficial to help children identify why it is unacceptable. Books and films focusing on the injustice of racism (for example, To Kill a Mockingbird) can be studied and discussed with teachers. However, probably most effective is teachers modeling positive, accepting, tolerant and supportive behavior in interactions with students.

There are parallels between the two contexts. Both schools and workplaces:

• Require policy guidelines

• Are responsive to respectful and supportive behavior by staff or managers

• Can sometimes be helped through mediational procedures

However, there are clearly some key differences:

• In schools, there is an ongoing opportunity and commitment to help develop social awareness and social skills

• Some disciplinary actions taken with children are inappropriate for adults

• Teachers can work closely with parents of bullies and victims

Some school initiatives, especially in dealing with cases of group bullying (for example, “Support Group Meetings” and “The Method of Shared Concern”) could be adopted or adapted for the workplace. This does not appear as yet to be attempted.