Sample Newsletter Article: Bullying

Among Children and Youth

What is bullying?

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional

and that involves an imbalance of power or

strength. Bullying can take many forms, such as

hitting, kicking, threatening others, teasing, 

name-calling, excluding from a group, or sending

mean notes or e-mails. A child who is being bullied

has a hard time defending himself or herself. Often,

children are bullied not just once or twice but 

over and over (Olweus, 1993; Roland, 1989; Smith &

Sharp, 1994). 

How much of a problem is bullying?

Unfortunately, bullying is very common during the

elementary and middle school years. In one study

of fourth through sixth graders, 25 percent of

students admitted to bullying another student

several times or more often during the school term

(Melton et al., 1998). Another study found that 80

percent of middle school students reported

engaging in some form of bullying during the past

30 days, with 15 percent doing so frequently

(Bosworth et al., 1999). In a national study of more

than 15,000 students in grades 6 through 10, 17

percent reported having been bullied “sometimes”

or more often during the school term, and 19

percent reported bullying others “sometimes” or

more often (Nansel et al., 2001).

Isn’t bullying just part of growing up?

Perhaps this attitude is why bullying is still common

in American schools. There is a lot of research that

shows that being a victim of a bully can affect

students’ self-esteem and how they approach school

(Juvonen & Graham, 2001). Students who are often

bullied by other students may have serious levels of

depression and anxiety, and they are more likely

than other students to think about suicide (Austin &

Joseph, 1996; Grills & Ollendick, 2002). 

Victims of bullying also are more likely than other

students to report that they do not want to go to

school because of fear of being bullied (Slee, 1995).

Some children who are bullied decide, in turn, to

bully others. For all of these reasons, it is important

that schools address the bullying problem in 

their school.

Where does bullying happen?

Most bullying happens at school and on the school

bus to and from school (Hoover, Oliver, & Hazler,

1992). Bullying also can take place when kids walk

to and from school, but this is not quite as

common. Bullying is more likely to happen when

large groups of students are supervised by a small

number of adults, including during lunchtime,

recess, physical education, and when kids change

classes (Espelage & Asidao, 2001; Olweus, 1993).

Students also report being bullied in the classroom

when their teacher’s attention is diverted (e.g.,

when the teacher turns around to write on the

board or is distracted helping other students).

Do boys and girls bully in the same ways?

Both boys and girls bully, but there are some

interesting differences in how they bully. Boys tend

to be bullied by other boys, whereas girls are

bullied both by boys and girls (Melton et al., 1998;

Olweus, 1993). The most common form of bullying

for both boys and girls is verbal bullying (teasing or

name-calling). Boys are more likely to say that they

are physically bullied. Girls are more likely to report

being targets of rumor-spreading and sexual

comments (Nansel et al., 2001). Both boys and girls
These and other materials are available online at: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

engage in what is called relational aggression

(Knight et al., 2000). Individuals who use relational

aggression tend to exclude students from a group

activity (e.g., a game on the playground or a party)

or they might threaten to not be someone’s friend

unless he or she does what they say. Girls are

somewhat more likely than boys to bully each other

through social isolation (Olweus, 2002).

Who takes part in bullying?

Bullying often involves groups of students picking

on another student (Craig & Pepler, 1997; Espelage

& Asidao, 2001). Within these groups, there often is

a “ring leader” and a number of followers. In

addition, many students observe bullying but do

not necessarily take any action—they neither

engage in the bullying nor help stop the bullying.

Children and youth are often reluctant to try to

stop bullying because they are afraid of being

bullied themselves, because the want to be part of

a popular group, or because they simply are not

sure how to help.

Who is bullied? 

Any child can be bullied. It is important not to

blame or look for faults in children who are bullied,

because nobody deserves to be abused by their

peers. However, understanding some common

characteristics of children who are bullied may help

adults identify children who are likely targets of

bullying and help protect them from abuse.

Research indicates that children who are bullied

tend to be more socially isolated than other

children (Espelage & Asidao, 2001, Nansel et al.,

2001). These children may seem to be easy targets

for bullying because they have few friends to help

protect them. They also may be shy, sensitive, or

insecure children (Olweus, 1993). Boys who are

bullied are often (though not always) physically

weaker than their peers. Educators, parents, and

others should be especially watchful for bullying of

children with disabilities, as these children are often

bullied by their peers.

What causes a student to start bullying?

There is no one single cause of bullying among

children and youth. Rather, there are many factors

in a child’s environment (his or her family, peer

group, classroom, school, neighborhood, and

society) that can contribute to bullying behavior.

Students who bully are more likely to witness

violence in their home, have little parental

supervision, and lack warmth and involvement from

their parents (Olweus, 1993). Children who bully

also are likely to “hang out” with others who bully

and feel that they gain their popularity or

“coolness” by teasing other students (Pellegrini et

al., 1999). Bullying thrives in schools where faculty

and staff do not address bullying, where there is no

policy against bullying, and where there is little

supervision of students—especially during lunch,

bathroom breaks, and recess. Negative models of

bullying behavior are also prevalent throughout

society—especially in television, movies, and video

games.

What can be done to reduce bullying 

in school?

The good news is that much can be done to stop

bullying in our schools. A single school assembly, PTA

meeting, or social studies lesson on bullying won’t

solve the problem, however. What is needed is a team

effort by students, teachers, administrators, parents,

and other staff to change the culture or climate of

schools. Many schools are meeting this challenge. To

learn more about bullying and what your school or

community can do to address bullying, visit

www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov.
These and other materials are available online at: www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

References

Austin, S., & Joseph, S. (1996). Assessment of bully/victim problems in 8- to 11-year-olds. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 66, 447-456.

Bosworth, K., Espelage, D. L., & Simon, T. (1999). Factors associated with bullying behavior in middle school students. Journal of Early

Adolescence, 19, 341-362.

Craig, W. M. & Pepler, D. J. (1997). Observations of bullying and victimization in the school yard. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 13, 41-59.

Espelage, D., & Asidao, C. (2001). Interviews with middle school students: Bullying, victimization, and contextual factors. Journal of Emotional

Abuse, 2, 49-62.

Grills, A. E., & Ollendick, T. H. (2002). Peer victimization, global self-worth, and anxiety in middle school children. Journal of Clinical Child and

Adolescent Psychology, 31, 59-68.

Hoover, J.H., Oliver, R., & Hazler, R.J. (1992). Bullying: Perceptions of adolescent victims in the midwestern USA. School Psychology

International, 13, 5-16.

Juvonen, J., & Graham (2001). Peer harassment in school: The plight of the vulnerable and victimized. New York, NY: Guilford Press. 

Knight, G. P., Guthrie, I. K., Page, M. C., & Fabes, R. A. (2002). Emotional arousal and gender differences in aggression: A meta-analysis.

Aggressive Behavior, 28, 366-393.

Melton, G. B.. Limber, S. Flerx, V. Cunningham, P., Osgood, D.W., Chambers, J., Henggler, S., & Nation, M. (1998). Violence among rural youth.

Final report to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

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and association with psychosocial adjustment. Journal of the American Medical Association, 285 (16), 2094-2100.

Olweus, D. (1993). Bully/victim problems among schoolchildren: Long-term consequences and an effective intervention program. In S. Hodgins,

Mental Disorder and Crime (pp. 317 - 349). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

Olweus, D. (February, 2002). Personal communication.

Pellegrini, A.D., Bartini, M., & Brooks, F. (1999). School bullies, victims, and aggressive victims: Factors relating to group affiliation and

victimization in early adolescence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 216-224.

Roland, E. (1989). A system oriented strategy against bullying. In E. Roland & E. Munthe (Eds.), Bullying: An international perspective. London:

David Fulton Publishers. 

Slee, P.T. (1995). Peer victimization and its relationship to depression among Australian primary school students. Personality & Individual

Differences, 18, 57-62.

Smith, P.K., & Sharp, S. (1994). School bullying: Insights and perspectives. London: Routledge.