Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do (Understanding Children's Worlds) [Paperback]

"The problem of school bullying is one of growing dimensions and is of tremendous concern to teachers, parents, and many of the children themselves. Professor Olweus is without question the world′s leading authority on the topic. His book is a succinct yet accurate and thorough statement of the problem and what educators and parents can do to alleviate it. It will be invaluable to its intended readership." Professor David G. Perry, Florida Atlantic University.

"Olweus′s book provides evidence that his programme of intervention has encouraging results where it has been applied, leading to significant and sustained reductions in direct and indirect bullying. This should encourage schools and authorities to study the method described and the valuable suggestions made. There is a useful and wide–ranging reference list of works on bullying and aggression." Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health

"Dr Olweus′ program, which is in place at 42 Norwegian schools, is the first program against bully/victim problems to be scrutinized by scientific research... The program has been so successful that it is now being set up in several other countries including the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, and the United States. For Dr Olweus... has studied the problem of bullying for 20 years... Dr Olweus′ intervention program is described in detail in his book Bullying at School." Pediatric News

"Share it with other parents." Kentucky Enquirer

Bullying at School is the definitive book on bullying/victim problems in school and on effective ways of counteracting and preventing such problems.

Bullying at School is the definitive book on bully/victim problems in school and on effective ways of counteracting and preventing such problems. On the basis of the author′s large–scale studies and other research, it is known that bullying is a serious problem in all societies that have been studied so far, and that more than 15 percent of the school population in primary and secondary/junior high schools are involved, either as bullies or victims.

The facts about bullying, its causes and consequences, are presented in clear and straightforward language. The book is a milestone in the study of bullying at school in that it offers a scientifically evaluated intervention program. The results of this extensive research are remarkable:

• a reduction of bully/victim problems by 50 percent or more
  
• a considerable drop in antisocial behavior such as vandalism, theft, drunkenness, and truancy
  
• clear improvements in the "social climate" of the classroom and student satisfaction with school life.

The book gives practical advice to school principals, teachers, and parents on how to implement a "whole school approach to bullying," and contains a valuable guide to help teachers and parents recognize if a child is being victimized or bullies others. Bullying at School is essential reading for all who are involved with children and young people.

Dan Olweus is Professor of Psychology at the University of Bergen, Norway, and it is acknowledged as a leading world authority on problems of bullying and victimization. He has conducted research in this area for over 20 years and is regarded as the "Founding Father" of research on bully/victim problems. He has published many books and articles on the topic.

Guide for the Identification of Possible Victims and Bullies Before describing the intervention program against bullying, it is useful to present a guide for the identification of children or young people who may be involved in a bully/victim problem. One or (usually) several of the signs listed below may indicate that a student is being repeatedly bullied or victimized by peers. Other signs may indicate that the student is him/herself bullying one or several other students. Such signs should be taken seriously and followed up with more detailed exploration of the situation. If there is a bully/victim problem, firm action should be taken along the lines described in Part II of this book. In some of the following sections a division is made between primary and secondary signs. This distinction may be useful, even though it is not always quite sharp. By and large, primary signs are more directly and clearly related to a bully/victim situation. Secondary signs, too, are often an indication of such a situation but the link is not so direct and strong. When only secondary signs are present in a child, more detailed exploration of the situation is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. What are called general characteristics below may also be regarded as secondary signs. Primary signs are marked with two asterisks (* *) and secondary signs with a single asterisk (* ). In this context, the general definition of bullying or victimization specified in the beginning of this book should be recalled: A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other students. Also implied in bullying is an imbalance in strength (an asymmetric power relationship): the student who is exposed to the negative actions has difficulty defending him/herself and is somewhat helpless against the student or students who harass. In judging the seriousness of a particular sign, one must also consider the frequency with which the sign occurs. For example, many students are teased by peers occasionally, but, as a rule, it is only when it occurs relatively often (and in a nasty way) that it needs to be taken seriously. I. Being a Victim - Possible Signs A.At school Children or young people who are being bullied may display one or (usually) several of the following signs: Primary signs * *are (repeatedly) teased in a nasty way, called names (may also have a derogatory nickname), taunted, belittled, ridiculed, intimidated, degraded, threatened, given orders, dominated, subdued * *are made fun of and laughed at in a derisive and unfriendly way * *get picked on, pushed around, shoved, punched, hit, kicked (and are not able to defend themselves adequately) * *are involved in "quarrels" or "fights" in which they are fairly defenseless and from which they try to withdraw (maybe crying) * *have their books, money, or other belongings taken, damaged or scattered around * *have bruises, injuries, cuts, scratches, or torn clothing that cannot be given a natural explanation (and have some of the general characteristics listed below) Secondary signs *are (often) alone and excluded from the peer group during breaks and lunch time. Do not seem to have a single good friend in the class. (See also p. 91 for an easy method to find out if there are isolated and unpopular students in the class.) *are chosen among the last in team games *try to stay close to the teacher or other adults during breaks *have difficulty speaking up in class and give an anxious and insecure impression *appear distressed, unhappy, depressed, tearful *show sudden or gradual deterioration of school work B. At home Primary signs * *come home from school with torn or disordered clothing, with damaged books (and have some of the general characteristics listed under C below) * *have bruises, injuries, cuts, and scratches that cannot be given a natural explanation (and have some of the general characteristics listed under C below) Secondary signs *do not bring classmates or other peers home after school and seldom spend time in the homes or playgrounds of classmates *may not have a single good friend to share free time with (play, shopping, sports and musical events, chatting on the phone, etc.) *are seldom or never invited for parties and may not be interested in arranging parties themselves (because they expect nobody wants to come) *appear afraid or reluctant to go to school in the morning, have poor appetite, repeated headaches, or stomach pains (particularly in the morning) *choose an "illogical" route for going to and from school *have restless sleep with bad dreams, may cry in their sleep *lose interest in school work and get lower grades *appear unhappy, sad, depressed, or show unexpected mood shifts with irritability and sudden outbursts of temper *request or steal extra money from family (to accommodate the bullies) C. General Characteristics of Possible Victims Victimized students are often in the kinds of situations described and tend to display several of the specific reactions or behaviors listed above. In addition, they are likely to have one or more of the following general characteristics (some of which have already been mentioned above): *may be physically weaker than their peers (applies particularly to boys) * may have "body anxiety:" are afraid of being hurt or hurting themselves; are physically ineffective in play activities, sports, and fights; have poor physical coordination (applies particularly to boys) *are cautious, sensitive, quiet, withdrawn, passive, submissive and shy; may easily take to tears *are anxious, insecure, unhappy, and distressed, and have a negative view of themselves (poor self-esteem); in a sense, they "signal" to others that they are worthless and inadequate individuals who will not retaliate if attacked or insulted - they are "easy targets"