CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. School Bullying: What It Is and Why It Hurts
2. The Role of Bullies, Victims, and Witnesses
3. Factors Contributing to Bullying and Violence
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Treatment For Children and Adolescents
6. Prevention and Intervention
7. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Case Studies
Fact Sheets
References
Resources

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

Social Learning Theory

Researchers who have examined behaviors of kids just entering middle school have found that bullying incidents increase during the first year of the transition. ref Researchers have speculated that if bullying is part of the larger school culture (in middle school), then those kids just entering the school are trying to assimilate.

Learned behavior theory demonstrates that people -- and kids are no exception -- easily learn behaviors from those around them. Clearly, some of the behaviors are not appropriate or healthy. Many kids who have learned bullying behavior have not yet learned how to interact positively in the social structure of the school. Sixth graders who want to fit in, for example, may adopt behaviors such as teasing and bullying, modeling those older kids who have been in the school longer and have more power. ref

In the 1970s, Albert Bandura, a researcher and psychologist, created and pioneered the social learning theory. This approach examined the phenomenon that people (and especially children) will model behavior usually considered outside the norm. Through hundreds of studies with children, Bandura identified three conditions that influence the likelihood of modeling. Children are more likely to imitate a model when:ref

• The model is a powerful figure.
• The model is rewarded rather than punished for the behavior.
• The model shares similar characteristics with the child.

In the context of bullying, the bully clearly holds a position of power and often suffers no negative consequences for his or her actions. Reinforcement often comes from a bully's peers who either join in the bullying, gather to watch, or silently condone the behavior by not offering to help the victim or stop the bullying. ref

Yet not all children who fit into one of the above categories falls prey to bullying. How a child reacts to the bullying can often determine how long bullying continues. Children with good coping skills, as well as those able to use a sense of humor, are less likely to become continued targets of bullies.

Clinicians can consider the above theoretical perspectives as they examine bullying in the context of the increasing importance of the peer group during late elementary and middle school. Early adolescents, seeking autonomy from their parents, turn to their peers to discuss problems, feelings, fears, and doubts. However, this reliance on peers exists concurrently with the need for status. ref It is during this time that peer groups become distinct, and issues of acceptance and popularity become highly important.