NCJ Number
207282
Journal
Prevention Researcher Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2004 Pages: 12-14
Date Published
September 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This study used data from students in grades 8-12 to explore bullying among older adolescents.
Abstract
For this study, "bullying" is defined as "intentionally harmful, aggressive behavior of a more powerful person or group of people directed repeatedly toward a less powerful person, usually without provocation." The study sample consisted of 1,893 ethnically diverse students in grades 8-12; 51 percent were boys and 49 percent girls. The schools represented were located in rural and suburban communities in Texas, Georgia, and Nebraska. A questionnaire solicited information on types of bullying, where it occurs, how safe students feel at school, how bullying made them feel, whom they told about being bullied, and how interested the school staff was in stopping bullying. Responses indicated that bullying occurs in many places on the campus and causes victims to feel sad or angry. A small percentage of the sample have told teachers about being bullied, but the bullying did not stop or got worse. Over half of the students were not convinced that school staff was interested in stopping bullying. The recommended model for reducing bullying is adult recognition of the harmfulness of bullying, the building of trusting relationships among students and staff, adult support for all students, and the development of skills in adults to intervene appropriately in bullying situations. 15 references