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BULLYING : Psychopathology Human Nature or Part of Growing Up?

BULLYING : Psychopathology Human Nature or Part of Growing Up?. The Prevention of Bullying: Building an Alberta Research Agenda March 23-23, 2006 Calgary, AB Shelley Hymel University of British Columbia. KASSERIAN INGERA. How are our children?

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BULLYING : Psychopathology Human Nature or Part of Growing Up?

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  1. BULLYING:Psychopathology Human Nature or Part of Growing Up? The Prevention of Bullying: Building an Alberta Research Agenda March 23-23, 2006 Calgary, AB Shelley Hymel University of British Columbia

  2. KASSERIAN INGERA How are ourchildren? • 1 in 5 youth display significant mental health problems that warrant social services • 11.4% of Canadian youth drop out of school early • 7% of BC students in grades 7-12 reported attempting suicide at least oncein the past 12 months; about 10% of girls and 17% of boys considered suicide. (McCreary AHS, 1998) • 8-10% of students report that they are bullied and harassed by peers on a regular (daily/weekly) basis • Disliked and socially rejected children are at particular risk for later mental health problems, criminality and early school withdrawal • 6-12% of students report that they do not feel safe at school

  3. Norway early 1980’s • Japan early 1990’s • North America late 1990’s

  4. Jason Lang, aged 17 shot and killed at W.R. Myers High School Taber, Alberta April 20, 1999

  5. Recent Surveys of Secondary Students Only 62 – 75% of students across different high schools agree that bullying behaviors are actually criminal offenses.

  6. Emmett Fralick Age 14 Grade 9 St. Agnes School Halifax Nova Scotia Took his own life 8April 2002

  7. Travis Sleeva Age 16 Grade 11 Canora, Saskatchewan Shot himself in 2004 in response to peer bullying

  8. “A person is being bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons.”Olweus, 1991 Three critical components: • Intentionality • Repetition • Power Differential

  9. Bullying is about power…..(Vaillancourt, Hymel & McDougall, 2003) • Power comes in many forms… • Physical (larger, older) • Numbers (mobbing, scapegoating) • Social (more popular, more competent) • Over time, the power imbalance between the bully and victim becomes more established • Children who are victimized are powerless to stop the bullying on their own

  10. Involvement in Bully-Victim Incidents

  11. Incidence RatesSample of nearly 500 students, grades 8-10 • How often have you been bullied in school [this year]? • 31% report that they have NOT been bullied • 56% report being bullied a “few times” or “once in a while” • 12% report being bullied once a week or many times a week • How often have you taken part in bullying others? • 33% report that they have NOT bullied others • 54% report bullying others a “few times” or “once in a while” • 13% report bullying others once a week or many times a week • How often have you watched others being bullied at school? • only 5% report that they have not seen others bullied • 52% report that they see others bullied a “few times” or “once in a while” • 42% report that they see other bullied once a week or many times a week

  12. CANADA USA How often have you been bullied in school this term?

  13. CANADA USA How often have you taken part in bullying other students?

  14. Bullying takes many forms…

  15. Frequent Victims (once a month or more)

  16. Bullying externalizing problems antisocial problem behaviour mental health problems dating aggression sexual harassment arrests for child/spousal abuse depression anxiety suicide delinquency and criminality moral disengagement Victimization academic difficulties school truancy/avoidance increased absenteeism somatic complaints (e.g., headaches, stomachaches) stress-related illness, physical health problems low self-esteem depression social withdrawal/isolation social anxiety, loneliness suicide aggressive behaviour Long Term Consequences

  17. WHY? Three possibilities • Psychopathology • Part of growing up • Human nature

  18. Why? Psychopathology?

  19. CHARACTERISTICS OF BULLIES AND VICTIMS Bullies •  externalizing problems & hyperactivity(e.g., Khatri et al., 2000; Kumpulainen et al. 1999) •  antisocial & physically aggressive behavior(e.g., Craig, 1998) •  empathy(e.g., Espelage & Mebane in press; Funke 2003; Roberts & Morotti, 2000; Olweus 1993, 1997) •  anxiety(e.g., Craig, 1998; Olweus, 1993) Victims •  depression & anxiety(e.g., Boivin et al., 2001; Craig, 1998; Olweus, 1993,1997; Sourander et al., 2000)

  20. Bullies > Controls Axis 1 Syndromes: Conduct Disorder Oppositional Defiant Disorder ADHD Depressive Disorder Axis II Personality Disorders Passive-Aggressive Disorder % of bully group with “clinically elevated scores” 46% 49% 51% 49% Personality and neuropsychological correlates of bullying behavior(Coolidge, DenBoer & Segal, 2004)

  21. Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Children and Youth (Waddell & Shepherd, 2002) Children (age 4-17) diagnosed with specific mental health disorders Estimated # in AB (given est. 590,000 K-12 students) Anxiety 6.4% 37,776 Conduct Disorders 4.2% 24,789 ADHD 4.8% 28,320 Depression 3.5% 20,650 Substance Abuse 0.8% 4,720 PDD 0.3% 1,770 OCD 0.2% 1,180 Tourettes 0.1% 590 Eating Disorders 0.1% 590 Schizophrenia 0.1% 590 Bipolar <0.1% <590 Total diagnosed (any disorder) 14.3% or 811,5000 children across Canada

  22. Why? Part of Growing Up?

  23. The Priority of Human Relationships • Belonging is a basic human need • We have a fundamental, biologically-based human drive to form emotional bonds and attachments with others (attachment theory)

  24. ADULT (PARENT)  CHILD CHILD  CHILD Two Social Worlds of Childhood (Hartup, Piaget)

  25. loss of extended families dual parent work/careers increased work week (less family time) increased divorce rates (reconstituted families, competing attachments) secularization of society early child proximity to peers (daycare) daycares poorly funded (not enough adults) increasing age-segregation larger schools, larger classes (primary peer affiliation) electronic transmission of culture Cultural Trends Promoting Attachment to Peers rather than Adults(Neufeld & Maté, 2004)

  26. Social Participation Perspective-taking Friendship conceptions Empathy Prosocial Reasoning Brain Development Identity Development Moral Development Domains of Social Development

  27. Child Characteristics Family Characteristics School Policies & Practices Media (TV & Video Games) Peer Group Contributions Societal and Cultural Norms Causes and Contributing Factors SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

  28. Why? Human Nature?

  29. BETWEEN GROUPS WITHIN GROUPS Group Socialization Theory(Harris, 1995, 1998) • group contrast effects • group differences widen • ingroup favoritism/ outgroup discrimination • ASSIMILATION • self- categorization • adopt group norms • increased similarity • DIFFERENTIATION • social comparisons • status hierarchies • dominance, power

  30. Olweus’ Bullying Circle A G Child Bullying Defenders B Followers Victimized Child F Supporters Possible defenders C Passive supporters Disengaged onlookers E D

  31. Bullying in school is a group phenomenon in which most children have a definable participant role (Salmivalli et al., 1996, 1997)

  32. Craig & Pepler: The role of peers in bullying Peers… • are present as observers in 85% of bullying episodes • intervened on behalf of victim only 11% of the time • spent 53% of the time passively watching • spent 22% of the time helping the bully • shift the affect of the bullying child when they support bullying and/or join in, creating • more excitement • more happiness • more aggression

  33. Peer solutions Although peers were witnesses in 85% of bullying incidents: • they only spent 25% of their time helping the victim. • they only intervened in 19% of bullying episodes. • most peer interventions (57%) were effective in stopping bullying within 10 seconds. • peers intervened prosocially (53%) or aggressively (47%) • Aggressive to bullying child • Prosocial to victimized child • intervention was more likely from same-sex peers.

  34. Student Attitudes and Beliefs Range Across Secondary Schools Bullies are losers. 78% yes Bullies have power. 49-66% yes You get what you want from kids if you are a bully. 29-49% yes Some of the coolest kids in school are bullies. 33-60% yes Bullies are popular. 35-61% yes

  35. Student Attitudes and BeliefsBeliefs about Victims Empathy for Victims It bothers me that other kids get picked on by bullies. 70-81% yes It bothers me when someone is left out because of bullies. 67-82% yes Perceptions of Victims Some kids get bullied because they deserve it. 40-71% yes Most students who get bullied bring it on themselves. 37-58% yes If certain kids didn’t whine or given in so easily, they wouldn’t get bullied so much. 58-72% yes Victims should fight back. 66-70% yes If you refuse to fight, other kids will think you’re a loser. 55-63% yes

  36. Student Attitudes and BeliefsJustifying Bullying Sometimes it’s okay to bully other people. 16-31% yes Bullying gets grudges out in the open. 65-72% yes Getting bullied helps make people tougher. 29-44% yes Some kids need to be picked on just to teach them a lesson. 36-51% yes Bullying gets kids to understand what is important to the group. 20-34% yes Bullying can be a good way to solve problems. 10-21% yes

  37. Moral Disengagement(Bandura,1999; 2001; Bandura, Caprara, Barbaranelli, Pastorelli, & Regalia, 2001) Four major categories: 1) Cognitive restructuring 2) Minimizing one’s agentive role 3) Disregarding or distorting negative impact 4) Blaming and dehumanizing the victim

  38. Attitudes that Predict Bullying • Sometimes it’s okay to bully other people. • In my group of friends, bullying is okay. • Kids get bullied because they are different. • Some kids get bullied because they deserve it. • Some kids get bullied because they hurt other kids.

  39. “Disengagement practices will not instantly transform considerate persons into cruel ones. Rather, the change is achieved by progressive disengagement of self-censure Initially, individuals perform mildly harmful acts they can tolerate with some discomfort. After their self-reproof has been diminished through repeated enactments, the level of ruthlessness increases, until eventually acts originally regarded as abhorrent can be performed with little anguish or self-censure. Inhumane practices become thoughtlessly routinized. The continuing interplay between moral thought, affect, action, and its social reception is personally transformative. People may not even recognize the changes they have undergone as a moral self.” Albert Bandura, 2001

  40. BYSTANDER HELPLESSNESS It’s okay to report bullying to school authorities. 70-82% yes It is my responsibility to do something when I see bullying. 45-72% yes If you tell on a bully, people will think you are a “tattle tale” or loser. 58-86% yes Kids who tell on bullies are often the next victims. 76-87% yes Across schools…. 20-36% agree that it is “better not to get involved.” 26-38% believe that there is “nothing I can do to stop it”. 28-33% admit that they are “too frightened to intervene.” 51-67% agree that they are “just glad it’s not me”.

  41. Why do people bully? • Child psychopathology • The gradual social development of our children • The nature of human beings

  42. Implications • Bullying is a social problem that requires an understanding of human relationships in order to adequately address it. • We need to purposefully promote positive social development in our youth. • All children involved in bullying incidents -- perpetrators, victims and bystanders - must be included and considered in bullying interventions. • We need to intervene at multiple levels if we are to effect real changes in bullying in our society.

  43. Levels of Intervention Targeted or individualized intervention Universal or school-based intervention Every individual has the right to be spared from oppression and repeated, intentional humiliation. It is a fundamental democratic right to not be victimized in school. Dan Olweus, 1991 Societal level intervention

  44. School-Based Initiatives:Intervening in the Bullying Processes • Bullying as a teaching moment rather than a discipline problem (Rocke-Henderson, 2002) • Something is better than nothing • Nonintervention is typically interpreted as acceptance and tolerance • Three targets of intervention • BULLIES Children who bully require formative consequences: • VICTIMS Children who are victimized require safety and support to develop positive connections with peers. • WITNESSES All children involved in bullying incidents -- perpetrators, victimized youth, and bystanders -- must be included in bullying interventions.

  45. Evidence-Based Practice

  46. A Recent Review of Bullying Prevention • The majority of programs were successful at reducing bullying and victimization at school. • Of the 46 studies: • 26 (56%) reported only positive reductions in bullying/victimization; • 7 (15%) reported only negative results; • 6 (13%) reported mixed results (some positive,some negative effects); • 3 (7%) reported no change; • 4 (9%) programs are ongoing and there are no results to date.

  47. The Norway Project (Olweus) School Level better recess supervision contact telephone meeting of school staff & parents teacher groups to develop “school climate” parent circles/discussion groups Classroom Level regular class meetings cooperative learning meetings among teachers, parents & students common positive activities role playing and literature about bullying explicit class rules against bullying Individual Level serious talks with both bullies and victims help from “neutral” students advice to parents (brochure) change of class or school if necessary “discussion” groups with parents of bullies & victims

  48. Percent reduction following the intervention Percentage change due to Program Location Date -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Finland (Kempele) 1992 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Norway (Bergen) 1985 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Finland (Helsinki) 2000 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Norway (Oslo) 1999 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Norway (Bergen 2) 1997 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Ireland (Donnegal) 2000 xxxxxxxxxxxxx Norway (S Norway) 1994 xxxxxxxxxx England (Sheffield) 1994 xxxxxxxxxxx Switzerland(Geneva) 1994 xxxxxxxxx Australia (W.A) 2001 xxxxxx Germany (Holstein) 1996 xxx Belgium (Flanders) 2001 x Canada (Toronto) 1994 x USA (S Carolina) 1997 x Norway (Rogaland) 1986 xxxxxx

  49. Reported variations in outcomes between schools for the Schleswig Holstein Program

  50. Different interventions can yield similar results (Rigby, 2005) • Oslo study Olweus program emphasizing discipline, rules, consequences, and sanctions • Turku study Salmivalli et al. program emphasizing problem-solving methods (e.g., Pikas Method of Shared Concern) Both report 42% reduction in victimization

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