Bullying and Harassment Among
Children & Youth
Office of Civil Rights:
September 7, 2007
Recent Attention to Bullying

Since 1992, there have been decreases in
most measures of school violence.

But there has been a dramatic increase
(post-Columbine) in the public’s attention to
bullying.
Bullying in the News
(Lexis/Nexis Citations with
bullying in headline and text,
“schools” in text)
800
700
600
500
# citations 400
300
200
100
0
'96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05
years
Number of State Laws Related to Bullying
35
30
25
# statutes
20
15
10
5
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007
years
State Laws on Bullying
= States with laws on bullying
= States with no laws on bullying
Research on Bullying
PSYCHInfo Searches for “bully” or “bullying”
300
250
200
# articles 150
100
50
0
'90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '05 '06
years
Has bullying increased since 1999?
25%
20%
15%
% bullied
10%
5%
0%
1999
2001
years
2003
Bullying…

Is aggressive behavior that intends to cause
harm or distress.

Usually is repeated over time.

Occurs in a relationship where there is an
imbalance of power or strength.
Direct Bullying

Hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting

Taunting, teasing, racial slurs, verbal
harassment

Threatening, obscene gestures
Indirect Bullying




Getting another person to bully someone for
you
Spreading rumors
Deliberately excluding someone from a
group or activity
Cyberbullying
Type of Bullying Experienced
NCVS 2005
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
verbal
rumors
physical
threatened
social exclusion
property destroyed
Type of Bullying
Key Findings About Bullying
1. Many children are involved in bullying
situations, and most are quite concerned
about it.
Prevalence of Bullying

Nansel et al. (2001): national sample of 15,600
students in grades 6-10
– 19% bullied others “sometimes” or more often
 9% bullied others weekly
– 17% were bullied “sometimes” or more often
 8% were bullied weekly
– 6% reported bullying and being bullied “sometimes”
or more often
Key Findings About Bullying
2. There are similarities and differences
among boys and girls in their experiences of
bullying.
Gender & Bullying

Similarities:
–
–

Both boys and girls engage in frequent verbal bullying.
Girls and boys engage in relational bullying.
Differences:
–
–
–
–
Most studies indicate that boys bully more than girls.
Boys are more likely to be physically bullied.
Girls are more likely to be bullied through social exclusion,
rumor-spreading, cyber bullying, and sexual comments.
Boys are bullied primarily by boys; girls are bullied by boys and
girls.
Frequency of Self-Reported
Bullying Among Boys & Girls


Nansel et al. study
(2001) of 15,686 6th10th graders.
Boys were 2x as likely
as girls to report
bullying others:
–
–
“sometimes” or more.
“once a week” or more
often.
30
25
20
Sometimes
or more
Weekly
15
10
5
0
Boys
Girls
Key Findings About Bullying
3. Bullying is more common among
elementary and middle school children than
high school youth.
Victimization Rates
Nansel et al. (2001)
25
20
15
10
5
0
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
Bullying Rates
Nansel et al. (2001)
25
20
15
10
5
0
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
Key Findings About Bullying
4. Cyber Bullying is a “new modality” for
bullying that has some unique
characteristics.
Cyber Bullying
How prevalent is it?
Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, in press)

Survey of 3,767 middle school students
–
–
18% had been cyber bullied at least once in the
last 2 months (girls 2x boys)
11% had cyber bullied others at least once
(girls somewhat more)
Method of Cyber Bully Victimization
(Kowalski et al.)
70
60
50
IM
Chat room
Website
E-mail
Text msg
Another way
40
30
20
10
0
Of students who had been cyber bullied
Identity of “Cyber Bully”
(Kowalski et al.)
60
50
40
Another student
Stranger/DK
Friend
Sibling
30
20
10
0
Of those who had been cyber bullied
What is cyber bullying




Willful and repeated harm inflicted through medium
of electronic text
Using information and communication technologies
with the intent to harass, humiliate, and intimidate
another
Text and images communicated via computer email,
IM, S.N. websites, chat rooms)
… or via cell phone (text messages, images)
From A Girl
Bully
“It’s great! Over
the internet you
don’t really see
the faces and
they don’t see
you. You don’t
even have to look
at their eyes and
see their hurt.”
The psychology of online behavior:
disinhibition effect




“You can’t see me”
(invisible/anonymous)
“I can’t see you”
(no tangible feedback)
Role playing
(personas/avatars)
Online social norms …
revealing of personal information,
freedom of speech,
perception that it is not real
(no one gets hurt)
Popular Social Networking Sites
myspace .com (30 million R.U.)
 friendster.com
 xanga.com
 facebook.com
 bebo.com
 tagworld.com
( 2 million members)

Cyber – bullying types








Some of the many forms (Willard):
A threatening email (Harassment)
Nasty instant messaging session (Flaming)
Repeated notes sent to the cell phone (Harassment)
A website set top to mock others (Denigration)
“Borrowing” someone’s and pretending to be them while
posting a message (Impersonation)
Forwarding supposedly private messages pictures or video to
others (Outing and Trickery)
Intentionally leaving out of conversations (Exclusion)
Differences between traditional
bullying and cyber-bullying






Cyber bullying: occurs more often at home
Is more anonymous
Involves a different power balance: may stem from
proficiency, may be used by “lower social status”
individual to retaliate
Is just as likely to be done by girls
May be more harmful: can happen anytime;
information widely disseminated; lack of tangible
feedback can increase intensity of harassment
Similar to bullying: repeated, harmful, not reported!
The digital divide




93% of parents say they have established internet
safety rules
37% of students report being given no rules from
parents on internet safety
95% of parents say they know “some” or “a lot”
about where children go or what children do on the
internet
41% of students do not share where they go or what
they do on the internet with parents
Text Messaging

Students in Our
Focus Groups Were
Asked:
“Do kids text message
during the school
day?
Answer: “All day every
day.”
Cyber-bullying
What to do?




Tell someone, if it is school related; tell your school.
All schools have bullying solutions.
Never open, read or respond to messages from
cyber bullies. Do not erase the messages. They may
be needed to take action.
If bullied through chat or IM, the bully can often be
blocked.
If you are threatened with harm, call the police.
What Can Educators Do?






Educate the school community
Update bullying rules an d policies
Monitor student’s use of computerssupervision!
Use filtering and tracking software
Investigate reports of cyber-bullying
Model and promote positive behavior
What Can Educators Do?

Emphasize the importance of speaking out
against bullying in all its forms.

Establish and anonymous reporting
box/system.

Bullying prevention programs.
Text Messaging and Instant
Messaging Abbreviations











LOL
BFF
DIKU
BRB
BWL
PM
CTN
BU
IHU
URH
SM










URF
PG11
ASL
S
LMAO
MOS
MYOB
URU
F2F
PAL
IPN
Blog Case Example
Warning: Offensive
Profanity
Key Findings About Bullying
5. Bullying can seriously effect children who
are targeted.
Myth: Bullying isn’t serious—it’s just a
matter of “kids being kids.”
Short-Term Effects of Bullying on
Victims




Lower self-esteem
Higher anxiety and depression
More suicidal ideation
Higher rates of illness
Health Consequences of Bullying
(Fekkes et al., 2003)
Headache
Sleep problems
Abdominal pain
Feeling tense
Anxiety
Feeling unhappy
Depression scale
moderate indication
strong indication
Bullied
16%
42%
17%
20%
28%
23%
Not bullied
6%
23%
9%
9%
10%
5%
49%
16%
16%
2%
Impact of Bullying on School Engagement & Student
Academic Achievement

Bullied children are more likely to:
–
–
–
Want to avoid going to school (Kochenderfer &
Ladd, 1996)
Have higher absenteeism rates (Rigby, 1996; Smith
et al, 2004)
Say they dislike school; receive lower grades
(Eisenberg et al., 2003)
Buhs et al. (2006) Study of Peer
Exclusion & Victimization and
Academic Achievement
Peer
Rejection
Peer
Exclusion
Peer Abuse
Kindergarten
Classroom
Participation
Achievement
Decrease
School Avoidance
5th Grade
• Early peer rejection in kindergarten is associated with
peer exclusion and peer abuse in grades K-5.
• Peer exclusion leads to a decrease in classroom
participation, which in turn leads to a decrease in
achievement
• Peer abuse leads to an increase in school avoidance
(but not directly to decreases in achievement)
GLBT teens hear anti-gay slurs
about 26 times per day,
or once every 14 minutes …
(National Mental Health Association)
Safe Places to Learn


7.5% of California students reported being
harassed on the basis of actual or perceived
sexual orientation
They are more than 3X as likely:
–
–
–
–
Carry a weapon to school
Seriously consider suicide
Make a plan for attempting suicide or
Miss at least one of school in the last 30 days
because they felt unsafe
California Safe School Coalition
Long-Term Effects of Bullying


Lower self-esteem
Higher rates of depression
Chronic Peer Abuse:
the rise of “bullycide”

“Exposure to repeated insults and rejection
by peers can generate deadly results such
as suicide or homicide.

Ongoing victimization can create or
exacerbate adolescent and low self-esteem,
raising the risk of a suicide attempt.
“Bullied to Death,” JoLynn Carney
and Adolescence, 2003
Bullying and Mental Health …
problems later in life

Boys who were frequent victims of bullying
had elevated risks of anxiety disorders

Boys who both bullied others and who were
bullied by others appeared to the “worst off.”
They had elevated risks of both and
antisocial personality disorders as adults.
Pediatrics, August 2007
Bullying and Mental Health …
problems later in life

At particular risk for later mental health problems are
young men who were both involved in bullying – as a
perpetrator and as one who was bullied.

In the research these boys represented 3% of the
study group and nearly all had some psychiatric
problem at the age of 8.
Dr. Andre Sourander
Pediatrics, August 2007
Key Findings About Bullying
6. Children who bully are more likely to be
engaged in other antisocial, violent, or
troubling behavior.
Bullying and Mental Health …
problems later in life

Boys who habitually bullied others were more
likely than their peers to be diagnosed with
antisocial personality disorders as young
men … resulting in less regard for the law,
rights of other people, and are prone toward
aggression and violence.
Pediatrics, August 2007
Children Who Bully are
More Likely to:









Get into frequent fights
Be injured in a fight
Steal, vandalize property
Drink alcohol
Smoke
Be truant, drop out of school
Report poorer academic achievement
Perceive a negative climate at school
Carry a weapon
Longitudinal Study of Children who
Bullied Others
(Olweus, 1993)

60% of boys who were bullies in middle
school had at least one conviction by age 24.

40% had three or more convictions.

Bullies were 4 times as likely as peers to
have multiple convictions.
Key Findings About Bullying
7. Bullying can occur anywhere—even where
adults are present.
Locations of Bully Victimization
NCVS 2005
80
70
60
50
Inside school
Outside school
On the bus
Elsewhere
40
30
20
10
0
% of bullied children who were bullied in
various locations
Common Bullying Locations






Classroom (with and w/o teacher present)
Hallways/stairwells
Playground/athletic fields
Cafeteria
Restrooms
Gym/gym locker rooms
Key Findings About Bullying
8. Many children don’t report bullying
experiences to adults.
Reporting of Bullying to School Staff



Many do not report being bullied.
Older children and boys are less likely to
report victimization.
Why don’t children report?
– 2/3 of victims felt that staff responded
poorly
– 6% believed that staff responded very
well. (Hoover et al., 1992)
Key Findings About Bullying
9. Adults are not as responsive to bullying as
they should be and as children want us to be.
Adults’ Responsiveness to Bullying

Adults overestimate their effectiveness in
identifying bullying and intervening.
–
–
70% of teachers believed that adults intervene
almost all the time
25% of students agreed (Charach et al., 1995)
Students’ Perceptions of Adult
Concerns About Bullying

Study of 9th grade students (Harris et al., 2002):
–
–
–
35% believed their teachers were interested in
trying to stop bullying (25% for administrators)
44% did not know if their teachers were interested
21% felt teachers were NOT interested
Key Findings About Bullying
10. Bullying is best understood as a group
phenomenon in which children may play a
variety of roles.
The Bullying Circle: Students’ Reactions/Roles
in a Bullying Situation (Olweus)
A
Start the
bullying and
take an active
part
Take an active
part, but do
not start
the bullying
Students who
bully
Victim
B
Followers
Defenders
of the
bullied child
G
Dislike the bullying,
helps or try to help
the bullied child
H
The one who is exposed
Support the
bullying, but
do not take
an active part
C
Like the bullying,
but do not display
open support
Supporters
D
Possible
Defenders
Passive
Supporters
Disengaged
Onlookers
F
Dislike the bullying
and think they
ought to help, but
don’t do it
E
Watches what happens. Doesn’t take a stand.
© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2004
Peer Attitudes Toward Bullying

Most children have sympathy for bullied
children.
–

80% of middle school students “felt sorry” for
victims of bullying (Unnever & Cornell, 2003)
But, sympathy does not always translate into
action.
–
64% said that other students try to prevent
bullying only “once in a while” or “never.”
Kids Who Observe Bullying
(Study by Melton et al., 1998)
What do you usually do when you see a
student being bullied?

38%
Nothing, because it’s
none of my business

27%
I don’t do anything, but
I think I should help

35%
I try to help him or her
Effects of Bullying on Bystanders

Bystanders may feel:
–
–
–
–
Afraid
Powerless to change the situation
Guilty for not acting
Diminished empathy for victims over time
Possible Legal
Concerns
•State Laws related to
bullying/bullying prevention
•Civil suits brought against
schools/school systems
•Risk management issues for
schools
Ultimately...
It’s a question of
rights.
© The Olweus Bullying Prevention Group, 2001
Best Practices in
Bullying Prevention
and Intervention
#1 Focus on the School
Environment

What is required to reduce bullying in
schools is nothing less than a change in the
school climate and in norms for behavior.

This requires a comprehensive, school-wide
effort involving the entire school community.
#2: Access Bullying at Your
School

Administer an anonymous survey to students

Benefits of a survey:
–
–
–
Findings may help to motivate staff, parents to address
issue
Findings will help to target specific interventions
Will provide important baseline data from which to measure
improvement
#3: Seek Out Support for Bullying
Prevention

Early and enthusiastic support from the principal is
critical.

Commitment from a majority of classroom teachers is
important.
–
Teachers who are committed to bullying prevention are more
likely to fully implement programs.
–
Include Parents in the process … early and often!
#4: Form A Group
To Coordinate Efforts








Should be representative of the school community
Principal
Teacher from each grade
Counselor
Non-teaching staff (e.g. bus driver)
School-based health professional
Parent
Community member
#5; Train All Staff in Effective Bullying Prevention
and Intervention Strategies








Administrators
All Teachers
Health & mental health professionals
Support Staff
Custodians
Bus drivers
Luncheon Supervisors
Playground aides
#6: Establish & Enforce School
Rules and Policies



Many schools do not have explicit rules
against bullying.
Rules should guide the behavior of children
who bully AND children who witness bullying.
Follow-up with positive and negative
consequences.
#7: Increase Adult Supervision

Focus on “hot spots” for bullying that are
identified by students.

All adults in a school community should be
vigilant to stop bullying.
#8: Intervene Consistently and
Appropriately

Are all adults prepared to intervene
appropriately on-the-spot, whenever they
observe bullying?

Do we have plan for follow-up interventions
with children who bully, children who are
bullied by others, parents?
#9: Focus Classroom Time on
Bullying Prevention




Set aside a small amount of time each week.
Discuss bullying and peer relations.
Videos, story books, role playing, artistic
expression …
Integrate bullying prevention throughout the
curriculum.
#10: Continue the Effort Over Time
 Bullying
prevention should have no
“end date.”
 Implement Comprehensive
Bullying Prevention Programs in
Schools and Community Centers
StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov
(Campaign “HQ”)





Every campaign product/activity
housed here
Specially designated youth and adult
sections
Updated every 60 days since launch
in March, 2004
Employs latest Web technology and
online communication tools
Sitio Web en español – Web site
content available in Spanish
StopBullyingNow.hrsa.gov
(Campaign “HQ”)





Every campaign product/activity
housed here
Specially designated youth and adult
sections
Updated every 60 days since launch
in March, 2004
Employs latest Web technology and
online communication tools
Sitio Web en español – Web site
content available in Spanish
For Adults:
Facts and Figures

“All About Bullying”
–

Definitions of bullying, prevalence of bullying,
research, and more.
“Additional Resources”
–
Links to books, research, and campaigns with
more facts on bullying and bullying prevention.
For Adults:
Prevention & Intervention Tips

“Tip Sheets and Resources”
–
–
More than 40 tip sheets in PDF format, ready to
be downloaded, viewed, and printed.
Customized tip sheets available for parents and
children, educators and school staff, and other
professionals.
www.clemson.edu/olweus
Welcome to the U.S. website for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. The Olweus [pronounced Ol-VEY-us]
Bullying Prevention Program is a comprehensive, school-wide program designed for use in elementary, middle, or
junior high schools. Its goals are to reduce and prevent bullying problems among school children and to improve
peer relations at school. The program has been found to reduce bullying among children, improve the social
climate of classrooms, and reduce related antisocial behaviors, such as vandalism and truancy. The Olweus
Program has been implemented in more than one dozen countries around the world.
For more information about the elements of the program, click here.
For Program History, click here.
For fact sheets about the program, click here.
To check out the website for HRSA's National Bullying Prevention Campaign, "Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop
Bullying Now.", click here.
So Where Should I Start?
If you are a parent, educators, or other concerned adult who may be interested in implementing the Olweus
program, we suggest that you:
Visit the page entitled, Program Content to learn about the basic elements of the program. Print out a fact sheet to
review and share with others.
Review the program's Evidence of Effectiveness, Suggested Timeline, Program Costs, and Program Materials.
If you are interested in more in-depth information about the program, consider ordering a copy of the Blueprint or
the book, Bullying at School (see Program Materials for ordering information).
Review the Readiness Checklist to implement the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
If you are interested in possible training for members of your school, visit Training & Consultation.
If you have questions that aren't answered on the web site, feel free to Contact Us.
If you would like to learn about how you might become a certified trainer in the Olweus Bullying Prevention
Program, click here.