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ABSTRACT This paper examined the problems of bullying in schools. The paper is a position paper. The term
bullying refers to physical, verbal and psychological attacks intended to induce fear and distress or to inflict physical
harm upon victim. Physical attacks between peers were traditionally categorized as rough play and integrated parts of
students’ culture. The victims of bullying can have a variety of psychological problems such as: low self confidence,
feeling of worthlessness; and low self esteem. The study advocates that bullying should not be viewed as an integral
part of growing up but as an antisocial behavior associated with public health problems. The authors suggested ways
to prevent and stop bullying in our schools.
child relationships number of positive and nega- victim of bullying may stop talking about school
tive interactions. The breakdown of parenting or a particular class activity at school. Also youth
practices and family management may provide victimization such as bullying leads to feeling of
the breeding grounds for aggressive behavior distress, unhappiness and loneliness, increased
problems. It is also indicated that family members social isolation and negative attitude towards
directly train the child to perform antisocial school. They feel unpopular and rejected by their
behavior by being non contingent in their use of peers, they lack social skills, and their relationship
both positive reinforces for prosocial behavior with friends are weak. (Farrington 1993).
and effective punishment for problematic In the same vein, Victimized children are at
behavior. The results of these parenting practices risk for a variety of negative outcomes: They are
are many daily interactions in the family in which more anxious and insecure; have lower self
aggressive and coercive behaviours are reinforc- esteem, are lonely, more likely to be rejected by
ed and prosocial behaviours not attended to. their peers, and are depressed than non victimized
Some of the reinforcement for negative behaviour children. This is supported by the studies of
comes from attending, laughing, or approving of Farrington (1993), Craig (1998), and Boulton and
the behaviour, while reinforcement is a result of Underwood (1992).
escape conditioning contingencies. Escape Furthermore, Thorbes (2003) posited that
conditioning contingencies occurs when the child victims and bullying are more likely to display
uses aggressive or aversive behaviour to termi- several problems-suicidal thoughts, depression,
nate an aversive response from another family anxiety, poor general physical health, drug use,
member. In these interaction when one family poor body image, eating disorders and poor
member behaves aversively others respond in academic performance. Also victims report distant
kind, and an aversive exchange ensues and and non-supportive relations with their parents,
escalates until one member gives in. because to have very few close friends and to express
continuation and escalation of the aversive beha- positive attitudes towards their teachers and
viour successfully terminates the other member’s schools (Fishman et al. 2002)
aggressive behaviour each family member is likely Moreover, (Craig 1998; Olweus 1991),
to use the aversive behaviour on future position-ed that generally, majority of children
occasions. In these interactions, the child learns who are victims are passive, anxious, weak,
that negative behaviours are successful and lacking self confidence, unpopular with other
overtimes tries to control other family members children and have low self esteem. Thus victims
through coercive means. typically display behaviours that are described
In the same vein, the family of the aggressive as internalizing problems (e.g. depression,
children is also characterized by harsh and anxiety, social phobias). Internalizing problems
inconsistent punishment practices. Poor and refers to a range of over controlled behaviours
erratic discipline contributes to development of and internal distress. Symptoms of internalizing
the aggressive behaviour because parents fail to disorders may include: High level of anxiety,
consistently label, track and provide conse- depression, somatic complaints and withdrawal.
quences for negative behaviour. Consequently, On the other hand, peers also suffers from
a large number of children behaviours go bulling behaviour by feeling group pressure to
unpunished, and some of the behaviour is join in the bullying; merely observing bullying
punished excessively. Furthermore, parents’ use may lead to distress
of harsh punishment practices may serve to model Bullying also has bad effect on the bullies
aggressive and antisocial modes of problem themselves. If not stopped in childhood, they will
solving and relating to others. likely grow up to bully others in the work place.
Also studies reveal that those who had been
CONSEQUENCES OF BULLYING ON bullies as children develop behaviour pattern that
THE VICTIM endured into adult life. They were also more likely
to have a criminal record than those who were
Recent studies have identified important not bullies.
consequences of bullying among school children. Also, students who are repeatedly exposed
It was revealed that children miss school because to violence may have specific cognitive and
they fear being bullied. It is also observed that behavioural deficits that affect their attention and
212 AGNES EBI MALIKI, C.G.ASAGWARA AND JULIE E. IBU
classroom behaviour. In ambiguous situation, being bullied, the teachers just look at it as a part
these children tend to be hyper vigilant and expect of rough play without intervening. The school
the worst. They may have difficulty relaxing in environment should be such that fosters respect
the learning environment and respond and set high standard for interpersonal behaviour.
aggressively to perceived hostility from peers or For bulling interventions to be effective it
authority figures at school. must focus beyond the aggressive child and the
victim to include peers, school staff, parents and
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PREVENTION the community. A comprehensive anti-bullying
OF BULLYING IN SCHOOLS approach can reduce bullying. The central feature
of the intervention is clearly stated code of
In order to steer children and adolescents behaviour with consistent and supportive follow-
away from retorting to violence measures such through. It takes considerable time to bring about
as bullying, parents and school system need to both attitudinal and behavioural changes among
work together to prevent aggressive behaviour staff students, and parents in the school
from children and adolescents. community. The following sections provide a brief
Children’s behaviour patterns are first overview of components of an anti-bullying
established at home. It is important that parents programme.
should start training children early in life to be Parents: Parents meeting and newsletters
empathetic which can help to prevent them from should inform parents about the problems of
turning into bullies in that one of the bulling. Parents should talk about bulling and be
characteristics of bullies is that they do not aware of the signs of potential victimization.
consider other peoples feelings. Often the bully Communication between parents and the school
does not know how to relate to others, and so he is essential, as parents are often the first to know
need to be taught how to communicate with that their children are being victimized. Also
others. I n other words bullies can be monitored parents need to learn to reinforce their children’s
taught to communicate properly and to positive behaviour patterns and model
understand the feelings of others and to treat appropriate interpersonal interactions. Parents
people with kindness. should contact school counselors and ask for
The home should be such that is peaceful help around bullying or victimization concerns.
and conflict free because bullying may be learned They should also take active role in school
by observing high levels of conflict between programmes to counteract bullying.
parents at home. Care need to be taken by parents Schools: Adult behaviour is crucial to success
so that they do not model bullying for their of anti-bulling initiative. All adults in school must
children. Also parents should pay attention to become aware of the extent of bully/ victim
their children’s, prosocial behaviours among problem in their own school and community.
siblings should be discouraged, when a child uses School staff should focus on creating a school
aggressive or aversive behaviour and it is been climate of trust, respect, acceptance and caring.
reinforced positively the child terns to use such School staff together with parents and students
behaviour always at home and at school. The representatives, should be responsible for
home environment should be stable so as to updating the code of behaviour and its
provide secure upbringing to children. Also consequences. They should also ensure and
parents should not see bullying as part of enforce students to follow the behaviour
developmental process. guideline. Teachers’ attitude are reflected in their
Similarly, the school have a role to play, in behaviour, when adults recognize the problem of
that they are important in shaping children’s bullying and their central role in reducing it, they
development as in families, schools must strike a supervise actively and intervene to stop bullying.
balance between clear, consistent discipline and Peers: Peers play a critical role in bullying.
warm, supportive relationships. The school Interventions must aim to change attitude
personnel often ignore bullying, when children behaviours and norms around bullying for children
who are victimized report to them, they simply in a school. Under teachers’ guidance, students
look at them as being silly and exaggerates and can recognize the problems of bullying and their
are told to try to solve their problems. In the case potential contributions. With teachers support,
where a teacher is watching one of the students they can develop strategies for intervening
BULLYING PROBLEMS AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN 213
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