School Bullying And Mental Health

Bullying amongst young people is a serious and pervasive problem, and recent rapid advances in electronic communication technologies have provided even more tools for bullies to exploit. School Bullying and Mental Health collates current research evidence and theoretical perspectives about school bullying in one comprehensive volume, identifying the nature and extent of bullying and cyberbullying at school, as well as its impact on children and young people’s emotional health and well-being. There are many negative consequences of bullying, and children and young people who have been victimised often suffer long-term psychological problems, such as increased levels of anxiety, depressive symptoms, social isolation, loneliness and suicidal ideation. Perpetrators of bullying also have a heightened risk of experiencing problems such as anxiety and depression, as well as eating disorders and antisocial behaviour. Founded on rigorous academic research, this important book tackles the negative consequences of bullying, and bullying culture itself, by examining the social and cultural contexts that perpetuate such behaviour from childhood through adolescence and potentially into adulthood. Containing contributions from an international team of authors, this book explores current interventions to prevent and reduce school bullying and to alleviate its negative effects on the mental health of children and young people. In-depth discussion of the profound implications of this research for researchers, practitioners and policymakers makes this book essential reading for those interested in bullying culture and the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.

Bullying is a multifaceted phenomenon and is connected to a variety of individual, relational, familial, schooling, and cultural variables. In this book, the authors present current research in the study of the predictive factors, coping strategies, and effects on mental health of school bullying. Topics discussed include the parental views of children's bullying experiences, coping strategies, and their association with parenting practices; personal and environmental predictors of school bullying and its emotional consequences; coping strategies of secondary school students experiencing bullying; bullying/victimisation in preschool children; discordances in adolescents' adoption of perspectives on bullying and their importance for dealing with the problem; school bullying and health problems; the modifying factors, impact on psychosocial well-being and intervention strategies of bullying in childhood and adolescence; why do bullies bully?; the role of father involvement in children's bullying behaviour; and the implementation of a state-wide bullying prevention program and its impact on schools and communities.

Bullying has long been tolerated as a rite of passage among children and adolescents. There is an implication that individuals who are bullied must have "asked for" this type of treatment, or deserved it. Sometimes, even the child who is bullied begins to internalize this idea. For many years, there has been a general acceptance and collective shrug when it comes to a child or adolescent with greater social capital or power pushing around a child perceived as subordinate. But bullying is not developmentally appropriate; it should not be considered a normal part of the typical social grouping that occurs throughout a child's life. Although bullying behavior endures through generations, the milieu is changing. Historically, bulling has occurred at school, the physical setting in which most of childhood is centered and the primary source for peer group formation. In recent years, however, the physical setting is not the only place bullying is occurring. Technology allows for an entirely new type of digital electronic aggression, cyberbullying, which takes place through chat rooms, instant messaging, social media, and other forms of digital electronic communication. Composition of peer groups, shifting demographics, changing societal norms, and modern technology are contextual factors that must be considered to understand and effectively react to bullying in the United States. Youth are embedded in multiple contexts and each of these contexts interacts with individual characteristics of youth in ways that either exacerbate or attenuate the association between these individual characteristics and bullying perpetration or victimization. Recognizing that bullying behavior is a major public health problem that demands the concerted and coordinated time and attention of parents, educators and school administrators, health care providers, policy makers, families, and others concerned with the care of children, this report evaluates the state of the science on biological and psychosocial consequences of peer victimization and the risk and protective factors that either increase or decrease peer victimization behavior and consequences.

School Bullying and Violence: Interventions for School Mental Health Specialists provides readers assessment and intervention strategies for responding to students who have experienced cyberbullying, bullying, and violence. The book also describes how to intervene and respond to student perpetrators of cyberbullying, bullying, and violence.

Multiperspectivity on School Bullying is unique in providing a comprehensive account of school bullying from the perspectives of schools, teachers, parents, students and institutional authorities. It identifies diverse viewpoints and discusses their implications for addressing bullying and thereby improving the mental health and well-being of children. Drawing on findings from studies conducted in a wide range of countries, including those undertaken by the author in his own country, Australia, this book examines experiences of bullying and debates around how bullying can be best understood, managed and discouraged. It outlines what is needed before an agreed understanding of the problem can be reached and more effective anti-bullying programs devised and implemented. The book examines both historical and cultural factors relating to bullying and violence; major theoretical and research perspectives on bullying; views of different social groups affected by bullying; and how different institutional authorities view school bullying. It highlights the need for a multiperspectivity approach to bullying, taking into account and evaluating a variety of viewpoints that are currently held. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and students in the fields of bullying, wellbeing and mental health in schools. It will also be valuable reading for educational leaders around the globe.

This book addresses, and seeks to harmonise, different paradigms for understanding school bullying. It sets out to examine two paradigms for conceptualising bullying, and the worldviews that underpin them. It uses a complex systems perspective to bring the two paradigms together in a holistic fashion. By doing so, it creates an integrated framework for conceptualising the many individual, relational and societal factors that are in dynamic interaction and play a part in promoting or reducing school bullying. This book draws upon a number of disciplines by way of background, including evolutionary, child development and social psychological theories of group behaviour and identity. It proposes that the human need for belonging is central to understanding bullying, and situates the topic within an understanding of gender and children’s human rights, bringing philosophical and moral perspectives to bear. It discusses practical ways forward, presents a systemic approach to bullying and application of complex adaptive systems methods to bullying research and evaluation. It serves as an introduction to such methods and suggests further creative ideas for policy, intervention practice, and teacher education about bullying.

Exploring international and intercultural perspectives, Making an Impact on School Bullying presents a much-needed insight into the serious problem of bullying in schools. As the effect of bullying on victims can be devastating, and bystanders and even perpetrators are often also negatively affected by the experience, finding successful solutions to the problem of bullying is crucial for improving school life around the world. This invaluable book looks at a range of practical interventions that have addressed the problem of school bullying. Peter Smith presents a curated collection of seven examples of successful anti-bullying procedures from around the world - including the US, Europe and Asia - and an exploration of cyberbullying. Each chapter examines the context in which the interventions took place, how theoretical knowledge transferred into practice, and the impact and legacy of the work. Covering the most important and widely-used strategies to combat bullying, the book provides readers with a roadmap to developing practical and impactful interventions. Ideal reading for students and researchers of education and developmental psychology, Making an Impact on School Bullying is also useful for school counsellors and education authorities.

Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools brings together international experts from various disciplines to identify and address a range of current challenges in this rapidly-developing field of endeavour. The opening chapter details lessons learned from research and practice, outlining some emerging challenges for the effective implementation of mental health initiatives in schools. Subsequent chapters take up the various issues, exploring problems and proposing solutions. Topics fall within four broad areas: Organisational and leadership issues such as dealing with 'wicked' or ‘hard-to-tame’ (complex and resistant) problems and taking a broad public health approach; Teacher-related issues, such as how to integrate programs successfully into schools, and teacher skills and professional learning; The challenges and opportunities of new technologies, including cyberbullying and the use of online, multimedia and mobile resources for both student and teacher learning and support; The need for a greater focus on targeted interventions for at-risk students, such as those with disabilities; also addressing ‘hard-to-tame’ problems such as bullying, youth suicide and depression. Mental Health and Wellbeing through Schools will be of interest to those involved in researching, developing, evaluating and implementing mental health initiatives in schools, including academics, practitioners, educators and educational and Mental Health policy makers. It will also be of use to professionals, such as nurses and social workers, concerned with the wellbeing of children and adolescents. The book will have international appeal, with contributors from around the world, experienced in a range of contexts. Rosalyn H. Shute is Adjunct Professor of Psychology at both Flinders and Federation Universities (Australia). Her research expertise lies broadly in clinical child psychology and paediatric psychology/child health and wellbeing. She is an experienced teacher of Developmental Psychology, educational and clinical child/paediatric psychology. Phillip T. Slee is a Professor in Human Development in the School of Education at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. He is a trained teacher and registered psychologist. His main areas of interest include childhood bullying/aggression, mental health and wellbeing, stress and teacher education. He has a particular interest in the practical and policy implications of his research. He and Shute recently co-authored Child Development: Theories and Critical Perspectives.