Showing posts with label bullying prevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bullying prevention. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

There's a gender gap in bullying - watch it widen as kids grow up

 July 29  
Every other year, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is required to collect data on “key education and civil rights issues in our nation’s public schools.” A few years ago, the survey grew to include reports of bullying and harassment.

An analysis of the 2011-2012 school year data show that disparities between bullying and harassment on the basis of sex increase between boys and girls as they progress through school. While girls at every level are harassed on the basis of their sex at a higher rate than boys, the disparities increase with age.

“Harassment or bullying on the basis of sex is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, such as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature,” according to a Department of Education definition. “Harassment or bullying on the basis of sex also includes gender-based, nonsexual harassing conduct, such as harassment based on gender stereotyping. This conduct can be carried out by school employees, other students, and non-employee third parties. Both male and female students can be victims of sexual harassment, and the harasser and the victim can be of the same sex.”


As you can see by the graphic above, middle school is where the most reports of bullying or harassment are made for both genders. However, in  a traditional high school (grades 9-12), reports of harassment are as much as 56 percent higher for girls than their male counterparts, up from 34 percent in middle school (grades 6-8) and 20 percent in elementary school (grades 1-5).

The data is self-reported and likely understates the problem. Since the bullying and harassment question is new to the survey, the Office for Civil Rights reports that it’s hard for some schools to provide accurate data.

For example, of the nearly 3,900 public schools in Florida, there were only 606 incidents in the data. Vermont, which has 295 public schools, reported 709 incidents over the same year.

There’s also the issue of under-reporting among students. Many students never come forward to report being bullied for fear that it may make things worse.

The next collection, which took place this last school year, will likely be out in two years and will hopefully refine results as schools get used to the reporting requirements.
                    
 August/September Kick-Off Specials--Call Now!!!
  **District Tour Specials**
Competitive rates are available when multiple schools in your area schedule together for our district packages
802-362-5448

 
Shipping and handling is included on all orders.
Fax purchase orders to: 802-549-5024

   
DVD Books Poster
Providing dynamic and practical anti-bullying workshops to students, staff and parents, Mike Dreiblatt teaches realistic bullying prevention strategies and best practices that can be used immediately to STOP bullying.
Bullying Prevention PSAs!!!
802-362-5448 -- 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center Vermont 05255

Who are more likely to be bullies - poor kids or rich kids?

Who are more likely to be bullies – poor kids or rich kids?



It doesn’t matter how much your parents earn. Bullying picture via stefanolunardi/Shutterstock

Neil Tippett Dieter Wolke

Bullying is the repeated and systematic abuse of power with the aim of causing intentional harm. Examples of bullying have been found in all societies, including among modern hunter-gatherers and in ancient civilisations. But new research has shown that in the modern age, we can draw few strong conclusions about whether bullies are more likely to come from richer or poorer families. In hierarchical social settings, anybody can be at risk of bullying.

Some researchers consider bullying to be an evolutionary adaptation, designed to gain access to resources, secure survival, and allow for more mating opportunities. Bullying can also reduce stress upon bullies: by enabling them to develop a culture of fear and respect it deters others from attacking them and means they have to spend less of their time fighting.

While children diagnosed with conduct disorder or delinquency are more often found in socially disadvantaged groups, such as among families with low socioeconomic status, it is less clear whether bullies are also more likely to come from these backgrounds.

If bullies are motivated by the desire to obtain greater status and dominance, and use strategic behaviour as a means of gaining social success and romantic partners, then it is likely they will be found in similar numbers among all socioeconomic groups.

Richer or poorer?

To explore this, we investigated whether being a victim, bully, or bully/victim (someone who is victim but also fights back) was associated with socioeconomic status. Our research synthesised findings from 28 studies published since 1970 covering 342,611 children and adolescents in North America, Europe and Australia.

We found a weak association between socioeconomic status and being a bully: bullies were only slightly more likely to come from middle or lower-socioeconomic backgrounds. In contrast, victims and bully/victims were more likely to live in poorer families. Fewer victims came from richer households.

The results suggest that bullies exist across all socioeconomic groups: they are as likely to be found in deprived inner city areas as they are in leafy, suburban schools in well-to-do neighbourhoods. In contrast, those who become victims, particularly victims who retaliate unsuccessfully (bully/victims), are more likely to be raised in less well-off families. Overall, it seems that socioeconomic status is not the most accurate indicator for identifying those involved in school bullying.

A social strategy

These findings for bullies support an evolutionary interpretation of bullying situations. Unlike other forms of child aggression, such as conduct disorder or delinquency, which can result from psychiatric problems within the child, bullying appears to be a social strategy, which is used to gain access to resources and achieve greater social status.

Emerging evidence shows that bullies are more prevalent in social settings characterised by hierarchical social structures, and more financial or social inequality. Greater financial inequality in nations, as well as more hierarchical classroomand household structures all increase the risk of children bullying others. The more unequal a social setting, the more likely it is that using any means of getting ahead is endorsed.

Contrary to views held by some teachers, parents and even psychiatrists that bullies are poorly adjusted, there is also increasing evidence that bullies excel at reading other people’s emotions, and are often skilled manipulators who use a variety of social strategies. These may range from classical bullying (verbal, physical, black mailing or social exclusion) to more “pro-social strategies” such as publicly offering favours that make the victim feel uncomfortable and cannot be repaid.

The benefits to bullies have recently been shown in a range of longitudinal studies, which found bullying others had few psychological, health or economic downsides in early adulthood. It has actually been shown that being a bully may be protective for health: bullies were found to have less “chronic inflammation” – caused when the body tries to fight an infectious agent – and therefore might be at a decreased risk for developing cardiovascular or metabolic illness.

Reasons for being picked on

In contrast, low socioeconomic status does somewhat increase the risk of being victimised at school. Standing out from the rest of the peer group such as being unable to afford lifestyle items may single out children for victimisation.

Alternatively, characteristics which differ by socioeconomic level, such as parenting strategies, may explain this association. Harsh parenting practices and greater rates of domestic violenceincrease the risk of being victims or bully/victims, but are also more often found in low socioeconomic households. Overprotective, or so-called “helicopter parenting”, in particular, increases the risk of becoming a victim of bullying.

Overall, bullies are found in all socioeconomic groups while victims or bully/victims are slightly more likely to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. To predict who might become a victim or bully/victim, a combination of background, family factors, such as parenting or sibling relationships, and individual characteristics need to be considered.

As bullies are found in all social strata, social conditions can mean that anyone is at risk of becoming a victim, particularly those in hierarchical school settings who are new or different, and have few friends to support them.

This article is part of a series on bullying. Read the other articles in the series here.
                    
 Our evidence-based programs dramatically improve the culture of your school.
  **District Tour Specials**
Competitive Rates are available when multiple schools in your area schedule together for our District Packages
802-362-5448

 
Shipping and handling is included on all orders.
Fax purchase orders to: 802-549-5024

   
DVD Books Poster
Providing dynamic and practical anti-bullying workshops to students, staff and parents, Mike Dreiblatt teaches realistic bullying prevention strategies and best practices that can be used immediately to STOP bullying.
Bullying Prevention PSAs!!!
802-362-5448 -- 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center Vermont 05255

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

A Bully's Impact 35 Years Later

A Bully's Impact 35 Years Later

A bully's impact 35 years later

I can't stand bullies, name-calling, dragging people down and hurting people with words; a bully's impact can linger even 35 years later.

Today's bullies are bigger cowards than the ones I faced in junior high. At least my bully bullied me face-to-face.
We didn't have the internet, social media and cellphones with digital cameras.
The closest thing to a digital camera we had was a Polaroid that shot out a developing photo you had to wave around to dry.
I knew who my bully and her cronies were, and I could avoid them. I didn't have to worry about the ways in which kids are bullied today; cowards - the lot of them.
But, once again, I digress...
You may be asking, "What prompted this subject? You've never talked about bullying before."
What prompted this post was memories. I recently discovered that one of the people that tormented me in 6th grade died from cancer.
I feel badly for her husband, children, friends and other family members for the hole in their lives her dying has left. She was too young.
And, although I've walked in forgiveness for decades,  I realized upon hearing the news that I felt no sense of loss for her.
I feel sadness for her family and friends who obviously loved her, but I felt no sadness in my spirit for her personally.
That's what bullying does, even 35 years later.
This girl and her little clutch of friends called me names, ruined my clothes, intentionally embarrassed me in front of people and dumped my books out of my hands in the hallway.
I never knew why she did these things; we hadn't known each other before that year (our feeder elementary schools were different), and we rarely had classes together.
She made my 6th grade year miserable, but then our class tracks took us in different directions, so 7th and 8th grade were marginally better.
We lived in totally different neighborhoods, so we fed into different high schools.
The fact is, I hadn't seen her at all since 1981, until I found out she had died.
At first, when I saw her picture on Facebook, my gut reaction was a sense of revulsion, and I couldn't figure out why. Then it all started to "click" and the memories fell into place.
It was HER. Wow. That was a whopper to process.
I started thinking about the things she said and did. Although I don't believe bullying is the way to handle anything, her bullying made me aware of some things I was clueless about.
I paid more attention to my personal grooming (it really was needed) amongst other things, and by 8th grade, had made up my mind that I was going to use high school as a new beginning.
I was leaving these people behind and moving on with my life.
I was going to do all the things I had wanted to do in junior high and didn't. I was going to get involved in all the activities I was interested in.
I graduated from 8th grade with the Citizenship Award, reading my graduation speech in front of my peers, and with other honors for my band and choir participation.
I took that momentum into high school and flourished. Although I was never considered part of the "popular" kids, I had lots of friends. I excelled. I thrived in my new environment.
That bully did some harm to my psyche, but God has always made me stronger than any bully. He's always given me the ability to face adversity and grow in strength and courage from it.
Little did I know that I'd need that strength and courage in spades just 4 years later when my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The most amazing aspect of this story is the example of how great God is. He took a bad situation (the bullying), and made it work for the good in me (strength and courage).
Now, I can see the truth in a bully's impact 35 years later.
My greatest hope from all of this is that she knew Jesus before taking her last breath. I'd like to see her in heaven some day.
                   
 Our evidence-based programs dramatically improve the culture of your school.
  **District Tour Specials**
Competitive Rates are available when multiple schools in your area schedule together for our District Packages802-362-5448
Shipping and handling is included on all orders.
Fax purchase orders to: 802-549-5024
Providing dynamic and practical anti-bullying workshops to students, staff and parents, Mike Dreiblatt teaches realistic bullying prevention strategies and best practices that can be used immediately to STOP bullying.Bullying Prevention PSAs!!!
802-362-5448 -- 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center Vermont 05255

Autism and Bullying in the United States

Autism and Bullying in the United States

130-1113tm-vector2-1017Editor’s Note: One of the mini themes in this month’s ASDigest is the subject of bullying. Here is an article from that edition.

Bullying has always been an issue in American schools, but for students on the autism spectrum, it is especially problematic. Multiple studies consistently show that students with autism are more likely to be victims of bullying than their neurotypical peers. A 2012 study published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that 46.3% of young people with autism were victims of bullying. These findings were based on interviews with over 900 parents of children with ASDs, along with feedback from students’ teachers and principals.

Another study done by the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) at the Kennedy Kreiger Institute raised that number to 63%. The 2012 study surveyed 1, 167 families of children with autism. This survey also found that 12% of the 695 unaffected siblings of children with autism were also victims of bullying, showing that the students with autism were more than three times as likely to be victims of bullying than their typically-developing peers.

Anyone who is familiar with autism is certainly aware of the unique characteristics of the condition, which can leave individuals vulnerable to bullies and manipulators. Difficulties with communication and understanding social nuances contribute to the problem, especially during the middle school years, when the social rules become less clear-cut. The unspoken guidelines that define the social pecking-order can be difficult for neurotypical children to navigate, and for those on the autism spectrum, it can seem impossible.

The IAN report found that bullying behaviors peaked between fifth and eighth grade, and were most intense during fifth and eighth grade, which tend to be the years prior to a transition to middle or high school. The survey also showed that student attending regular public schools were more likely to be bullied(43%) than those attending private (28%) or special-education (30%) schools.

Both studies also found that students with autism were also at risk for turning into bullies themselves. According to the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine report, 14.8% of students with ASDs engaged in bullying behaviors towards others, while 8.9% reported being both victims and perpetrators simultaneously. The IAN report found that 20% of respondents had children who had engaged in bullying behaviors towards other students.

The IAN report found that bullying perpetrated by students on the spectrum was not motivated by the same factors that fueled typical bullying behaviors, which are generally intended to maintain or increase social status within the peer group. Bullying behaviors from students with autism were more often attributed to a lack of social understanding, or a misperception of another’s intentions or motives.

These statistics are surely upsetting, and for parents struggling to help their children with autism, they can seem insurmountable. The good news is that schools are more aware of the problem, and are making efforts to curb bullying all-around. There are also resources available to parents to help their children navigate the social world of school, and to deal with bullying when it becomes an issue.

Autism Speaks has partnered with the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the PACER Center, and Ability Path to create and anti-bullying kit to help parents help their children. For more information, visit their website at http://specialneeds.thebullyproject.com/splash?splash=1.
Our evidence-based programs dramatically improve the culture of your school.802-362-5448 -- Info@StandUpToBullying.net
  **District Tour Specials**
Competitive Rates are available when multiple schools in your area schedule together for our District Packages.802-362-5448
Shipping and handling is included on all orders.
Fax purchase orders to: 802-549-5024
Providing dynamic and practical anti-bullying workshops to students, staff and parents, Mike Dreiblatt teaches realistic bullying prevention strategies and best practices that can be used immediately to STOP bullying.Bullying Prevention PSAs!!!
802-362-5448 -- 136 Clover Lane Manchester Center Vermont 05255