Samantha Goodwin

Period 2 Independent Research

10/18/16
Research Hypothesis Assignment
Improving The School System: Effective Prevention Programs Against Bullying
Research Question:
What constitutes an effective preventative program against bullying and what is its effect in high
schools?
Hypothesis:
The implementation of en effective bullying prevention program in high schools will decrease
the rate of suicide and self-harm among students.
Background:
Bullying is one of the major contributing factors regarding teenage suicide because of its
intensely harmful effects on the already fragile mental stability of adolescents. The current
suicide rate of young people ages 15-24 is 11.6%, and 22% of students report being bullied in the
last year. Although school-based prevention programs decrease bullying up to 25%, the means of
finding the most effective means of prevention is a pressing matter. There are proposed ideas of
efficient prevention programs in the school-system, but with cyberbullying on the rise, the means
of preventative measures need to change. Along with a boost in test scores, schools in Clemson,
South Carolina reported that there were fewer incidences of children being bullied, more students
reported bullying situations, and more teachers actively counteracted bullying in their classes
with the implementation of an effective prevention program.
Rationale:

With the suicide rate of adolescents growing daily, the issue becomes what can we do to prevent
such tragedy? As students in high school transition from childhood to adulthood, high school is a
crucial time for development. Students begin to form opinions of themselves and further explore
their individuality. With younger generations having increased access to technology,
cyberbullying has become a new issue. To make the internet a safe environment for children of
all ages, there should be a larger emphasis on the prevention of bullying over these electronic
resources. The prevention of cyberbullying, as well as other types of bullying in the school
system will ensure that maturing students will be able to succeed both in their development and
academics.
Basis of Hypothesis:
My hypothesis is that the implementation of an effective bullying prevention program will
ultimately decrease the rate of teen suicide and self-harm. This is a strong correlation because
with a strong prevention program in the school system, the occurrence of reported bullying
incidences will decline, and when these situations decline, this indicates that less students are
taking part in the bullying, as either the bully, victim, or bystander. Bullying also has a strong
relationship with the current rate of adolescent suicide, and if the bullying is decreased, the
suicide and self-harm rates will decrease as well. Each element is connected because the effects
of one issue will impact the other; prevention programs in schools decrease bullying, thus the
decreased bullying reduces the frequency of suicide and self-harm.
Operational Definitions:
Bullying: The intentional mental or physical abuse inflicted upon another
individual.
Cyberbullying: The continuous harrassement through the use of the internet,
email, text message, or any other electronic outlet.

Descriptors Used In Research:

Bullying in high schools

Teenage suicide
Requirements that make for effective prevention programs
Why are kids bullied
Effects of bullying