The ABCs of Bullying
Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression

Module 3: Factors Contributing to Bullying and Violence - Page 2 of 17

Youth Violence and Aggression

"It appears that bullying is not an isolated behavior, but a sign that children may be involved in more violent behaviors." -Duane Alexander, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Developmentref

The deaths of 12 students and 1 teacher in a suburban Colorado school by two troubled-and bullied-youth, who then committed suicide, etched the word "Columbine" in the American psyche. Columbine and other highly publicized school shootings garnered countless media reports and public commentary, including a report by the Surgeon Generalref and antibullying efforts by State legislatures and the U.S. Government.

Rarely does bullying reach the level of violence that erupted at Columbine. Even low-level bullying, however, has the potential to escalate into mental health, substance abuse, or other problems. For many students, bullying may be just one manifestation of other problems present in the home, at school, or in the community.

Because experts now know that bullying may increase the level of fear in schools, as well as violence outside of schools, substance abuse, and other problems, parents, educators, policymakers, and others must understand the factors contributing to the problem to design effective responses.

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