


Terry Cullen
Nov 8, 2022
Sweden and Norway
Categories:
Children, School, Bullying, Abuse, Mental Health, Suicide, Mental Illness, Physical Health
According to this BBC article from earlier this year, children experiencing bullying is a severe problem, but there are ways to address it.
Bullying is miserable for the children who suffer from it, and now research hints that it may create lifelong effects leading to mental and physical health problems. Many famous people have publicly attested to being bullied and its adverse impact on their lives. Examples include the singer Lady Gaga, Kate Middleton (Duchess of Cambridge), and actor/comedian Mike Nichols.
Children often experience intense shame when bullied and do not understand the feeling and how to process it. Anxiety, depression, and paranoia often accompany the victims of bullying. Sadly, they cannot escape the situation, and bullying can continue unabated for years. And though the symptom may disappear once bullying stops, many children continue to suffer from some mental illness.
Some documented effects into adulthood include panic disorder, suicide ideation, and action, inability to make friends and find and commit to a lifelong partner, and more financial instability (possibly relating to lower grades in school resulting from bullying).
Recent research shows that children who experience bullying between 7 and 11 years of age can have physical inflammation lasting into their mid-40s. That inflammation can lead to higher rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
The general view of education professionals is changing. Bullying once considered a normal part of growing up, a prerequisite to character building, is an abuse of fundamental human rights. There is a greater recognition that there is a moral imperative to do something to help children.
The late Swedish-Norwegian psychologist, Dan Olweus, developed The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, a widely tested program. Bullying often occurs because there is a broader culture that tolerates victimization. A comprehensive approach is needed to address the entire ecosystem where bullying occurs, such as school, eliminating the destructive behaviors that enable bullying.
The first step is a survey of students to understand the extent and all facets of bullying. Consider the following: who is experiencing it, its frequency, where it occurs (e.g., school bus, cafeteria, schoolyard, gym, bathrooms), when (what time of day), and then try to understand some broader patterns and relationships. Recognizing, labeling, and calling it out as a problem takes away its dark cloak of secrecy.
There may be some immediate, remedial measures that can curb bullying. For example, if it occurs in the schoolyard where there is little or no adult supervision, then putting more adult eyes there may stop it. If older children are bullying younger ones, reducing the places and times where the two age groups intermingle might help.
Every adult in the schools, professionals, and volunteers, from teachers to school bus drivers to cafeteria workers, can learn and understand bullying and be trained in anti-bullying tactics. That includes being a good role model for children, and it must become an accepted part of their work duties.
Children are brought together in discussion groups to discuss the nature of bullying. Topics such as what children can and should do if bullied and how they can help other children who experience it are essential.
The State of Pennsylvania (United States) launched this prevention program in over 200 schools in Pennsylvania (United States). Over two years, there were 2,000 fewer bullying complaints registered. Further research is needed, but a meta-analysis of many studies indicates that it can reduce victimization and improve the overall mental health of all students.
Children can and do experience bullying in many places outside of school, such as on the internet (cyber-bullying) playgrounds and walking home, so the conversations that start at school must continue in the home too.
It is vital to protect our most vulnerable segment of society, children. They have no voice save for the ones adults give in their advocacy. You can make a difference in your hometown worldwide, no matter where you live. Start by talking with your children and asking them about their experiences with bullying. If you cannot get your children to open up about it (many are afraid), enlist another trusted family member or friend. Talk to the administrators at your children’s schools and ask them about any approaches or programs they use. Does the larger school district have any data they can share? Understanding as much as possible about the local situation is critical.
From there, you can connect with your friends and family and start a group advocating for change where it is needed. Connect with the studies and experiences worldwide. Join interest groups online to understand best practices. Become the best role model you can be for your children. Show your children that being open and honest with you about their experiences will help them. Hiding in fear does not.
Being bullied does not build character, and it harms a child. We all have the power within us to create change.
Some additional resources:
Bullying Resource List
https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/bullying-resource-list
Stop Bullying
https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/external
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sad-boy-in-gray-sweater-sitting-on-the-floor-7929419/
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