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essay definition of bullying

Essay on Bullying

essay on bullying

Here we have shared the Essay on Bullying in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 300, 500, or 1000 words.

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Essay on Bullying in 150 words

Essay on bullying in 250-300 words, essay on bullying in 500-1000 words.

Bullying is a serious issue that affects individuals of all ages, particularly in schools and online platforms. It involves repeated aggressive behavior aimed at causing harm, imbalance of power, and psychological distress to the victim. Bullying can take various forms, such as physical, verbal, or relational aggression.

The consequences of bullying are significant and long-lasting. Victims often experience emotional and psychological trauma, leading to decreased self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation. Bullying also creates an unhealthy and hostile environment, impacting the overall well-being of individuals and hindering their ability to thrive and learn.

To combat bullying, it is crucial to raise awareness, promote empathy, and foster a culture of respect and inclusivity. Schools and communities should implement anti-bullying policies and provide support systems for both victims and perpetrators. Education on the effects of bullying and the importance of kindness and empathy can help prevent and address this issue effectively. It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up against bullying and create a safe and nurturing environment for all individuals.

Bullying is a harmful and pervasive issue that involves repeated aggressive behavior aimed at causing harm, distress, and power imbalance. It manifests in various forms such as physical, verbal, or relational aggression, primarily affecting individuals in schools.

The consequences of bullying are significant and far-reaching. Victims often experience emotional and psychological trauma, leading to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and, in extreme cases, suicidal ideation. Bullying not only impacts individual victims but also creates an unhealthy environment that hampers overall well-being and learning.

To combat bullying effectively, awareness and prevention strategies are essential. Raising awareness about the nature and consequences of bullying among students, teachers, parents, and communities is crucial. Implementing comprehensive anti-bullying policies in schools, defining bullying, establishing reporting mechanisms, and imposing appropriate consequences for perpetrators is necessary. Fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusivity can prevent bullying and create a safer environment.

Support systems should be in place for both victims and bullies. Victims need access to counseling and resources to cope with the effects of bullying. Intervention programs and counseling can help bullies develop empathy, address underlying issues, and learn alternative behaviors.

Collaboration between schools, parents, and communities is vital. Open communication, encouraging reporting, and proactive measures are necessary to create a positive and safe environment.

In conclusion, bullying is a harmful issue with severe consequences for individuals and communities. By raising awareness, implementing policies, fostering a culture of respect and empathy, and providing support, we can combat bullying effectively. Together, we can create a society where bullying is not tolerated, and individuals can thrive in safe and inclusive environments.

Title: Bullying – The Menace That Demands Immediate Attention

Introduction :

Bullying is a persistent and alarming issue that plagues individuals across various environments, with schools being a common breeding ground for such behavior. This essay aims to explore the definition and types of bullying, its detrimental effects on victims, the underlying causes, the role of bystanders, and the strategies required to effectively address and prevent bullying.

I. Definition and Types of Bullying

Bullying is a form of repeated and intentional aggression characterized by a power imbalance, where the bully seeks to cause harm, distress, and domination over the victim. It can take various forms, including physical aggression, verbal abuse, relational manipulation, and cyberbullying.

II. Detrimental Effects of Bullying

Bullying has severe consequences for the mental, emotional, and social well-being of victims. It can lead to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, academic decline, school avoidance, and in extreme cases, suicidal ideation or attempts. The long-lasting effects of bullying extend beyond the immediate victim, creating a hostile and unhealthy environment for all individuals involved.

III. Underlying Causes of Bullying

Several factors contribute to the development of bullying behavior. These may include family dynamics, exposure to aggression or violence, a desire for power and control, low empathy levels, and a lack of appropriate social skills. Additionally, societal factors such as media influence and cultural norms may indirectly support or perpetuate bullying behavior.

IV. The Role of Bystanders

Bystanders play a significant role in the bullying dynamic. They can either reinforce the bully’s behavior by passively observing or actively participating, or they can intervene and support the victim. Creating a culture where bystanders feel empowered to speak up against bullying and report incidents is crucial in addressing this issue.

V. Strategies to Address and Prevent Bullying

A. awareness and education, b. establishing clear policies and consequences, c. encouraging reporting and support, d. empathy and social-emotional learning, e. involving the community.

Raising awareness about the detrimental effects of bullying and its various forms is essential. Educational institutions should implement comprehensive anti-bullying programs that educate students, teachers, and parents about the signs of bullying, its impact, and the importance of intervention.

Schools should have well-defined anti-bullying policies that outline the definition of bullying, reporting procedures, and consequences for perpetrators. These policies should be communicated effectively to all stakeholders to create a safe and inclusive environment.

Creating a safe reporting system where victims and witnesses feel comfortable reporting incidents is crucial. Offering support and counseling services for victims, as well as intervention programs for bullies, helps address the underlying issues and promote behavioral change.

Integrating empathy and social-emotional learning programs into the curriculum can foster a culture of respect, kindness, and empathy. Teaching students how to manage emotions, develop healthy relationships, and resolve conflicts peacefully can prevent bullying behavior.

Engaging parents, community members, and local organizations in anti-bullying initiatives fosters a collective effort in addressing this issue. Collaboration between schools, families, and communities is essential to create a comprehensive and sustained approach to bullying prevention.

Conclusion :

Bullying is a deeply concerning issue that inflicts significant harm on individuals and communities. By raising awareness, implementing clear policies, fostering empathy, involving bystanders, and providing support, we can effectively address and prevent bullying. It is our collective responsibility to create safe and inclusive environments where every individual can thrive without fear of aggression or harm. Through concerted efforts, we can eradicate bullying and cultivate a society built on respect, empathy, and equality.

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  • Introduction

Background factors

Consequences.

  • Workplace bullying
  • Policies and prevention

Workplace bullying: A case study

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  • Healthline - Types of Bullying Your Child May Be Facing in School
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Workplace bullying: A case study

bullying , intentional harm-doing or harassment that is directed toward vulnerable targets and typically repeated. Bullying encompasses a wide range of malicious aggressive behaviours, including physical violence , verbal mockery, threats, ostracism , and rumours spread either orally or by other means of communication, such as the Internet . One influential definition proposed by Norwegian researcher and psychologist Dan Olweus says:

A person is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other persons, and he or she has difficulty defending himself or herself.

Given the damage a single incident can cause, however, some scholars question whether the behaviour must be repeated in order to qualify as bullying. Additionally, not all people engaged in this interaction can be categorized as pure bullies or pure victims; research has distinguished a third category of “bully-victims,” youth who are both bullies and victims.

School bullying

Bullying in educational settings remains a commonplace everyday experience. In Europe significant attention to school bullying began in the early 1970s, in part because of the efforts of Olweus, as well as a widely publicized trio of victim suicides in Norway in 1983. A spate of school shootings in the late 1990s brought further media attention to the subject of school bullying, and concern was renewed during a later series of bullying-related suicides in Canada and the United States . A U.S. national study published at the turn of the 21st century documented that bullying and other forms of aggression affected approximately 30 percent, or 5.7 million, middle- to high-school students in the then-current school term.

Early research showed that the prevalence of bullying increases quickly as children age, peaking during early adolescence, and declines in later adolescence. Distinct gender patterns also were identified, most studies finding that boys bully their classmates more frequently than do girls and that boys tend to target other boys. However, both of these findings may be in part artifacts of a narrow conception of bullying as overt harassment, as opposed to covert rumour mongering and ostracism. Children’s definitions of bullying centre on physical aggression and verbal abuse, which are more common among boys and younger adolescents. When studies adopt a broader measure that includes more subtle forms of aggression, such as spreading rumours, ostracism, manipulation, and “ cyberbullying ” (the anonymous electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person), the gender and age differences become less dramatic. Indeed, some research has found equivalent levels of aggression, broadly defined, among girls and boys. At the same time, girls tend to be disproportionately victimized, both by boys and by other girls.

Other demographic patterns are harder to discern. With respect to race and ethnicity , several studies from Europe and Australia found no racial differences in bullying, while others showed that students who were members of a country’s racial or ethnic minorities were more likely to be victimized. Contradictory results also surface in the United States, where one national study found that Latinos were more likely to bully and that African American students were more likely to be victimized, yet another identified African Americans as those less apt to become victims. These mixed results suggest that there may not be any general patterns with respect to race and that racial and ethnic differences in bullying may instead depend on the ethnic composition of individual schools.

essay definition of bullying

The results of studies of the structure and socioeconomic status of families are likewise mixed regarding the likelihood of children becoming bullies. However, exposure to aggression and conflict in the home consistently relates to aggressive behaviour . Parents who are aggressive or neglectful, use corporal punishment , or engage in serious conflicts with each other are more prone to have children who bully.

Over the course of adolescence, peer groups become increasingly important and in some cases eclipse parental influences. As within the family, exposure to aggression in the peer group is associated with bullying behaviour. There is a strong tendency for bullies to be friends with other bullies in their class or school. It is not clear to what extent this is because bullies choose other bullies as friends or because they influence their friends to engage in aggression, but research typically finds that both selection and influence processes are at work.

Research often has found that—perhaps as a result of exposure to conflict and aggression in the home and at school—bullies suffer from mental health problems. Bullying may arise as a response to low levels of self-esteem and empathy or to elevated levels of anxiety , depression , or anger. Additional research has documented that bullies have difficulty adjusting to school and that academic failures may contribute to their aggressive behaviour. These research findings together suggest that bullying is caused by psychological deficiencies, which in turn are triggered by exposure to aggression and conflict.

However, other research finds evidence of a quite different pattern, where bullies have either equivalent or higher levels of self-esteem than bystanders. Some bullies have high levels of social skills, empathy , and self-regard. They may occupy central positions in the social life of their schools and can be seen as quite popular among their peers, although they are not necessarily well-liked. Indeed, the high social status of these aggressors likely empowers them to torment their more vulnerable peers. In this view, rather than resulting from psychological troubles, bullying behaviour stems from a desire for greater social status among peers. As with gender, this novel, seemingly discrepant image of the popular bully may result from the expansion in the definition of harmful actions—or changes in bullying behaviour itself—to include cyberbullying and other forms of covert harassment.

These two general patterns—the bully as socially marginal and psychologically troubled versus the bully as socially successful and charismatic—have parallels in research on victims. The bulk of research on victims suggests that they are vulnerable or otherwise different in some dimension that is of importance to most adolescents. They are more likely to be physically underdeveloped and socially isolated and to have difficulty making friends. Victimization rates are also substantially higher among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth and among youth who are overweight or disabled. Additional research, using a wide notion of aggression, documents that a good deal of harmful behaviour—if not the bulk—targets popular adolescents in addition to isolated adolescents.

Bullying emerges out of fundamental social processes, and it is not always accurately identified as a negative personality trait by peers and onlookers. The terms bully and victim themselves can be misleading, because they suggest a permanence to these characteristics that is not always reflected in actual social interaction. As mentioned earlier, people can be both perpetrators and targets, which calls into question the stability of the bully and victim identities. Furthermore, bullying behaviour often appears to develop in reaction to struggles over status and power within group contexts . Depending on the situation, individuals may engage in short-term deleterious bullying behaviour in order to gain a social advantage over others. Once an advantageous position has been reached, however, they may no longer employ bullying tactics. Some research documents that harmful aggressive behaviour toward classmates increases as peer status increases until the pinnacle of the hierarchy is reached, at which point such actions decrease in frequency. A substantial amount of school bullying thus appears to result not simply from individual proclivities but also from social jockeying among adolescents.

Although the root causes of bullying remain unclear, its consequences for victims are abundantly apparent. The U.S. Secret Service in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education found that bullying was a factor in the majority of “incidents of targeted school violence” in the last two and a half decades of the 20th century. Victimization is also significantly related to suicidal ideation, social isolation, anxiety and depression, low self-esteem, physical health problems, and diminished academic performance and school attachment. Many of these effects can last well into adulthood.

However, victims are not the only ones who suffer from bullying. For many outcomes, bully-victims often fare the worst on a variety of measures, but pure bullies also experience difficulties. They are at increased risk of subsequent mental health problems and are likely to encounter difficulty maintaining positive relationships as adults. More significantly, bullies are considerably more likely to be convicted of crimes and incarcerated as young adults.

Some youth nevertheless use bullying as a way to gain social status among peers. These adolescents may be more strategic in how they choose their targets, and they are also likely to be among the more popular students in school. For at least some of them, bullying and harassment effectively boost their status and influence among schoolmates by winning the admiration of peers or by tearing down social rivals. Generally speaking, however, bullying is more effective at harming victims than aiding aggressors.

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  • About Youth Violence
  • Risk and Protective Factors
  • School-Associated Violent Death Study
  • Youth Violence Prevention Centers

About Bullying

  • Bullying is a form of youth violence and an adverse childhood experience (ACE).
  • Bullying is widespread in the U.S., but bullying is preventable.

What is bullying?

CDC defines bullying as any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm. 1 Common types of bullying include:

  • Physical such as hitting, kicking, and tripping.
  • Verbal including name-calling and teasing.
  • Relational or social such as spreading rumors and leaving out of the group.
  • Damage to victim's property.

Bullying can also occur through technology, which is called electronic bullying or cyberbullying. 1 A young person can be a perpetrator, a victim, or both (also known as "bully/victim").

For more information about bullying definitions, please see Bullying Surveillance Among Youths: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1 .

Quick facts and stats

Bullying is widespread in the United States. Bullying negatively impacts all youth involved including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying, known as bystanders.

  • Bullying is common . About 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property. More than 1 in 6 high school students reported being bullied electronically in the last year. 2
  • Some youth experience bullying more than others . Nearly 40% of high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and about 33% of those who were not sure of their sexual identity experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to 22% of heterosexual high school students. About 30% of female high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year, compared to about 19% of males. Nearly 29% of white high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year compared to about 19% of Hispanic and 18% of Black high school students. 2
  • Reports of bullying are highest in middle schools (28%) followed by high schools (16%), combined schools (12%), and primary schools (9%).
  • Reports of cyberbullying are highest in middle schools (33%) followed by high schools (30%), combined schools (20%), and primary schools (5%). 3

Bullying can result in physical injury, social and emotional distress, self-harm, and even death. It also increases the risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. Youth who bully others are at increased risk for substance misuse, academic problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. 4 Youth who bully others and are bullied themselves suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems.

Bullying is preventable. There are many factors that may increase or decrease the risk for perpetrating or experiencing bullying. To prevent bullying, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence . CDC developed, Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action , to help communities take advantage of the best available evidence to prevent youth violence. 5 This resource is also available in Spanish and can be used as a tool in efforts to impact individual behaviors as well as the relationship, family, school, community, and societal risk and protective factors for violence. The approaches in this resource, particularly universal school-based programs that strengthen youths' skills and modify the physical and social environment, have been shown to reduce violence and bullying or key risk factors.

Different types of violence are connected and often share root causes. Bullying is linked to other forms of violence through shared risk and protective factors. Addressing and preventing one form of violence may have an impact on preventing other forms of violence.

  • Gladden RM, Vivolo-Kantor AM, Hamburger ME, Lumpkin CD. Bullying surveillance among youths: Uniform definitions for public health and recommended data elements, Version 1.0. Atlanta, GA; National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Education; 2013. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-definitionsfinal-a.pdf.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2019. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report–Surveillance Summaries 2020; 69(SS1). Available from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/pdf/2019/su6901-H.pdf
  • Diliberti, M., Jackson, M., Correa, S., and Padgett, Z. (2019). Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2017–18 (NCES 2019-061). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch
  • Farrington D, Baldry A. Individual risk factors for school bullying. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research 2010; 2(1):4-16. Available from https://doi.org/10.5042/jacpr.2010.0001 .
  • David-Ferdon, C., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Dahlberg, L. L., Marshall, K. J., Rainford, N. & Hall, J. E. (2016). Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Note: The title of this document was changed in July 2023 to align with other Prevention Resources being developed by CDC's Injury Center. The document was previously cited as "A Comprehensive Technical Package for the Prevention of Youth Violence and Associated Risk Behaviors."

Youth Violence Prevention

Youth violence affects thousands of young people each day, and in turn, their families, schools, and communities. CDC works to understand the problem of violence experienced by youth and prevent it.

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Bullying Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on bullying.

Bullying refers to aggressive behavior so as to dominate the other person. It refers to the coercion of power over others so that one individual can dominate others. It is an act that is not one time, instead, it keeps on repeating over frequent intervals.  The person(s) who bullies others can be termed as bullies, who make fun of others due to several reasons. Bullying is a result of someone’s perception of the imbalance of power.

bullying essay

Types of bullying :

There can be various types of bullying, like:

  • Physical bullying:  When the bullies try to physically hurt or torture someone, or even touch someone without his/her consent can be termed as physical bullying .
  • Verbal bullying:  It is when a person taunts or teases the other person.
  • Psychological bullying:  When a person or group of persons gossip about another person or exclude them from being part of the group, can be termed as psychological bullying.
  • Cyber bullying:  When bullies make use of social media to insult or hurt someone. They may make comments bad and degrading comments on the person at the public forum and hence make the other person feel embarrassed. Bullies may also post personal information, pictures or videos on social media to deteriorate some one’s public image.

Read Essay on Cyber Bullying

Bullying can happen at any stage of life, such as school bullying, College bullying, Workplace bullying, Public Place bullying, etc. Many times not only the other persons but the family members or parents also unknowingly bully an individual by making constant discouraging remarks. Hence the victim gradually starts losing his/her self-esteem, and may also suffer from psychological disorders.

A UNESCO report says that 32% of students are bullied at schools worldwide. In our country as well, bullying is becoming quite common. Instead, bullying is becoming a major problem worldwide. It has been noted that physical bullying is prevalent amongst boys and psychological bullying is prevalent amongst girls.

Prevention strategies:

In the case of school bullying, parents and teachers can play an important role. They should try and notice the early symptoms of children/students such as behavioral change, lack of self-esteem, concentration deficit, etc. Early recognition of symptoms, prompt action and timely counseling can reduce the after-effects of bullying on the victim.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Anti-bullying laws :

One should be aware of the anti-bullying laws in India. Awareness about such laws may also create discouragement to the act of bullying amongst children and youngsters. Some information about anti-bullying laws is as follows:

  • Laws in School: To put a notice on the notice board that if any student is found bullying other students then he/she can be rusticated. A committee should be formed which can have representatives from school, parents, legal, etc.
  • Laws in Colleges: The government of India, in order to prevent ragging , has created guideline called “UGC regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in Higher Education Institutions,2009”.
  • Cyber Bullying Laws: The victim can file a complaint under the Indian Penal Code .

Conclusion:

It is the duty of the parents to constantly preach their children about not bullying anyone and that it is wrong. Hence, if we, as a society need to grow and develop then we have to collectively work towards discouraging the act of bullying and hence make our children feel secure.

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Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

Bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. The deliberate targeting of those of lesser power is what distinguishes bullying from garden-variety aggression .

Bullying can involve verbal attacks (name-calling and making fun of others) as well as physical ones, threats of harm, other forms of intimidation, and deliberate exclusion from activities. Studies indicate that bullying peaks around ages 11 to 13 and decreases as children grow older. Overt physical aggression such as kicking, hitting, and shoving is most common among younger children; relational aggression—damaging or manipulating the relationships of others, such as spreading rumors, and social exclusion—is more common as children mature.

Most bullying occurs in and around school and on playgrounds, although the internet lends itself to particularly distressing forms of bullying. Approximately 20 percent of students report being bullied at school, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Boys and girls are equally likely to be bullied.

  • Why People Bully
  • Who Bullies Target
  • Why Bullying Is So Harmful
  • Cyberbullying
  • How to Handle a Bully

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People bully because it can be an effective way of getting what they want, at least in the short term, and because they lack the social skills to do so without harming others. Bullying also is a way of establishing social dominance, although over time, as children’s behavioral repertoires generally broaden, it becomes an increasingly dysfunctional way.

Bullies are made, not born, and i t happens at an early age; if the normal aggression of 2-year-olds is not handled with consistency, children fail to acquire internal restraints against such behavior. Bullying remains a very durable behavioral style, largely because bullies get what they want—at least at first.

Research finds that bullies have a distinct psychological makeup . They lack prosocial behavior, are untroubled by anxiety , and do not understand others' feelings. They exhibit a distinctive cognitive feature, a kind of paranoia : They misread the intentions of others, often imputing hostility in neutral situations. Others may not like them, but they typically see themselves quite positively. Those who chronically bully tend to have strained relationships with parents and peers.

Girls are just as likely as boys to be bullies, but they are far less likely to engage in overt aggression. Instead, they tend to hurt others by damaging or manipulating their relationships . They may spread false rumors about someone, tell others to stop liking someone in order to get even with him or her, engage in social exclusion, threaten to withdraw friendship to get their way, or give someone the silent treatment.

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Bullies couldn't exist without victims, and they don’t pick on just anyone. Research shows that those singled out for bullying lack assertiveness even in nonthreatening situations and radiate fear long before they ever encounter a bully. These are children who don’t stand up for themselves.

Up to about age 7, bullies pick on almost anyone. After that, they single out kids to prey on. engaging in a "shopping process" to determine which other children would make suitably submissive victims . Bullies like victims who become visibly upset when they are picked on and who do not have friends or allies. Researchers find that those chosen as victims evince insecurity and apprehension.

Studies of children show that victims easily acquiesce to bullies’ demands, handing over bikes, toys, and other playthings. They cry and assume a defensive posture; their highly visible displays of pain and suffering are rewarding to bullies and serve as an important signal of the bully’s dominance. Children who become victims offer no deterrent to aggression, which can make them disliked even by their non-bullying peers.

Bullying causes a great deal of misery to others, and its effects on victims can last for decades, perhaps even a lifetime. The pain of bullying may be felt most acutely around adolescence , a developmental stage where sensitivity to rejection heightens greatly. Victimization is a common source of school avoidance , leads to feelings of shame and self-worthlessness, and may lead to chronic depression and anxiety .

Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock

Bullying carries the implicit message that aggression and violence are acceptable solutions to problems when they are not. Cooperation and the peaceful resolution of differences support an increasingly interconnected world. Bullying not only harms its victims but it harms the perpetrators themselves. Most bullies have a downwardly spiraling course through life, as their aggressive behavior interferes with learning, holding a job, and establishing and maintaining intimate relationships.

Some bullies do leave the behavior behind. But many do not; aggression is a very stable social interaction style . Many who were bullies as children turn into antisocial adults, who are far more likely than nonaggressive kids to commit crimes, batter their wives, abuse their children—and produce another generation of bullies.

Bullies frequently carry out their aggression before an audience of peers, and the presence of an audience can boost a bully’s sense of power. But bystanders seldom stop the aggression ; they may in fact enjoy the spectacle. Even if they don’t approve of the situation, they may dislike the victim or fear retaliation by the bully.

Bullying causes a great deal of emotional harm to individuals, and being a victim of bullying is a major reason why many young people drop out of school. Bullying also harms society at large by creating a source of aggression and violence; those who bully are at increased risk of engaging in criminal behavior as adults.

SpeedKingz/Shutterstock

As the social life of young people has moved onto the internet, so has bullying, with electronic bullying becoming a significant new problem in the past decade. Whereas bullying was once largely confined to school, the ubiquity of handheld devices affords bullies constant access to their prey. Cyber harassment can be especially disturbing because it can often be carried out anonymously; victims may have no idea who the perpetrators are.

The anonymity of cyberbullying removes many restraints on meanness and amplifies the ferocity of aggression . It’s easier to inflict pain and suffering on others when you don’t have to look them in the eye. Constantly evolving digital technologies enable new ways of spreading false information about targets.

Both direct harassment and relational aggression thrive on the internet. Cyberbullies can spread false rumors with viral speed on social media . They can falsely impersonate someone and conduct all manner of mischief in someone else’s name. Sexual harassment and cyberstalking particularly target women. And long after the active bullying has stopped, malicious information can linger on the internet and continue to harm.

Cyberbullying is particularly unsettling and extremely difficult to combat because victims often do not know who is behind it. Further there is no opportunity for bystanders to witness incidents and to potentially intervene. But perhaps most distressing of all, it can be inescapable and relentless, affording victims no safe haven.

Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock

The best defense against bullying is being socially skilled—teaching all children social skills and allowing them to develop confidence in their own abilities. As social engineers for young children, parents are especially important in bully-proofing their children: They can regularly inquire about social challenges their children face and role-play possible solutions. The second-best defense against bullying is to walk away and not fight back.

Studies show that the most effective way of stopping a bully is to activate bystanders; after all, bystanders reward bullies with attention . Since most children are witnesses to bullying at some point, teaching all children that they have an important role to play in stopping bullying is essential. A bully may make an effort to retaliate against one person who speaks up but is not likely to target several.

During the past decade or so, schools have widely adopted anti-bullying programs. The report card on their effectiveness , however, is mixed. Experts explain that schools are where most bullying takes place but they are not where attitudes about power and aggression, skills of emotion regulation , or social skills—the key influences on bullying—are learned.

Children are deeply ashamed of being bullied and may not let anyone know when they are being victimized. Therefore parents have an obligation to know something about their children’s general competence with peers and how peers treat them—by asking teachers during school conferences and by gently asking their children about their social life. Teaching children to fight back is not effective; helping them gain social skills is.

essay definition of bullying

Family members often press for connection with dysfunctional phrases and rationalizations that encourage and even force siblings and others to sustain dysfunctional relationships.

essay definition of bullying

How much does the cruel behavior of a child define their later potential to be an authentically caring adult?

essay definition of bullying

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Bullying: Problems and Solutions, Essay Example

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In recent years bullying has received greater attention in America’s schools, though the issue of bullying is hardly a new one. While many people might consider bullying to be a matter involving physical intimidation and even physical violence, the range of behaviors that comprise bullying are much broader, and include psychological as well as physical intimidation and actions. According to Long and Alexander (2010), bullying “has been defined as hostile actions, recurring over time that is deliberately destructive and occurs without provocation.” Long and Alexander go on to describe bullying as “a subtype of violent behavior,” driving home the point that the emotional impact of bullying is a form of violence even if no actual physical contact is involved. Bullying behaviors are not restricted to schools; they’re also found ion homes and other social settings, and even in the workplace among adults. From a statistical standpoint, however, bullying is especially pervasive among students of middle-school age (Long & Alexander), and as such it is of significant concern to administrators, teachers, and parents. The following paper examines some of the issues and problems associated with school bullying, as well as several possible solutions.

While bullying is associated with a number of problems for victims and those whose role it is to protect them, perhaps the most significant problem involving bullying is simply recognizing it. There are a number of reasons why bullying often goes unnoticed; among these is that many of the behaviors that constitute bullying often take place less overtly than some of the most blatant acts of physical intimidation or violence. Identifying is inherently subjective, and those who are tasked with identifying it and reporting it will not always see bullying when it occurs (Brank, Hoetger& Hazen, 2012). What might look like harmless teasing to one person might appear to be a clear case of bullying to another. Many forms of bullying fall under the heading of indirect or “relational” bullying, including gossip and rumor, social exclusion, and other social behaviors that can be difficult to identify as bullying (Long & Alexander). Another related problem is that even when some teachers or administrators are aware of bullying, they choose not to intervene. According to one study, 71% of teachers simply ignore most instances of bullying (Schroeder, 1999). Before any effective solutions can be found to bullying it is first necessary for teachers, administrators and parents to know how to identify it and to take it seriously.

Another set of problems associated with bullying are the risk factors that correlate to becoming a potential victim of bullying.Being the victim of bullying is known to be associated with a number of serious risk factors. Studies have determined that there are some cognitive and emotional factors that are commonly seen in victims, which seems to indicate a causal relationship between the two (Brank et al.) These include such conditions as Asperger’s syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum that undermines an individual’s capacity to understand social norms and respond with socially appropriate behaviors. Children with stronger peer and friend relationships are less likely to be targeted for bullying, though there may be an inverse relationship at work, with victims of bullying retreating from social relationships, thereby affirming the conditions of victim status (Brank et al.). External factors such as socioeconomic background and race are also correlated with bullying, especially when these factors place victims in a social minority at school.

The most serious problems associated with bullying are, of course, the effects on victims. Bullying victims suffer from a range of problems, including higher rates of emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety (Long & Alexander). Victims of bullying are at a greater risk of committing suicide, using drugs and alcohol, and becoming detached from social settings such as school and family (Brank et al). Victims may develop overt physical symptoms predicated by the stress of victimization, and often report headaches, stomachaches, and other ailments (Collier, 2013). Bullying has clear and often serious effects on victims.

Solving the problem of bullying has no one-size-fits-all solution, and typically requires a multi-pronged approach. The first step towards addressing the issue of bullying is simply raising awareness among responsible adults about the seriousness of the problem. Teachers, administrators, and parents must be given the tools and information to identify bullying behaviors and to understand their negative consequences in order to be able to intervene appropriately. This requires more than just informal conversations, and must include appropriate programs that are provided in an adequate and complete fashion. Settings fort this might include seminars and forums for school officials and teachers, as well as parent-teacher conferences and other settings where parents can be given educational materials and information about available resources.

This educational information must be backed up by practical structures and interventions in schools, with clearly-defined anti-bullying policies and clearly-defined consequences for students who victimize other students (Long & Alexander). Students must also be properly informed about the seriousness of bullying and about the consequences for bullies who engage in inappropriate behavior.  Many states have passed anti-bullying legislation which makes bullying a legal matter, and such legislation generally includes significant punitive measures for bullies, including suspension, expulsion, and even incarceration (Duncan, 2011). While such rules and laws are helpful and appropriate, the best way to protect potential victims is for those responsible for supervising students to intervene as early as possible to minimize the damage of bullying.

Parents of bullying victims can also take steps to minimize the effects of bullying. This can include providing “insulating or protective factors” (Brank et al) to help the victim avoid contact with the bully and to provide positive emotional support. For victims who do not have strong social bonds, parents can help by involving their children in activities of interest or, in some cases, switching schools or finding alternatives to typical education. Victims of bullying may be helped by counseling, and schools should help provide information about the resources available to victims and their families.

While bullying is clearly a serious problem for many victims, it is also clear that bullying behaviors often go unnoticed or ignored by those who are in a position to intervene. Teachers and school officials must learn to identify the range of bullying behaviors and to take these behaviors seriously, while school officials must provide appropriate information for teachers and establish guidelines and policies for students related to anti-bullying measures. Parents must learn to spot the signs that indicate their child is being bullied, and take advantage of the resources and information available to protect and help their children. There is no single solution to stopping bullying, but by working together, parents and schools can help to reduce the problem.

Brank,, E., Hoetger, L., & Hazen, K. (2012). Bullying.  Annual Review Of Law And Social Science I , 8 (2132).

Long, T., Alexander, K. (2010). Bullying: Dilemmas, Definitions, And Solutions. (2010).  Contemporary Issues In Education Research ,  3 (2).

Collier, R. (2013). Bullying Symptoms.  CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal ,  85 (16).

Duncan, S. (2011). Restorative Justice and Bullying: A Missing Solution in the Anti-Bullying Laws.  New England Journal On Criminal & Civil Confinement ,  327 (267).

Schroeder, K. (1999). Bullying.  The Education Digest ,  65 (4).

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Students Experiencing Bullying

Young student holding her head

This information is designed to help teachers respond to students who may need support. It is not intended to be used as a diagnostic tool or to replace the use of formal assessments employed by mental health professionals. Additionally, it is important to consider the context of the situation, individual differences, and cultural and linguistic considerations.

Teachers are an important part of establishing and maintaining healthy environments for children to learn and grow. Teachers are critical contributors to promoting safe school interactions and facilitating positive relationships.

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What is Bullying?

  • Bullying, including cyberbullying, involves repeated actions intended to cause harm in relationships where there is a real or perceived power imbalance.
  • Bullying can be verbal (e.g., purposeful humiliation, teasing, threatening), physical (e.g., hitting, kicking, shoving) or relational (e.g., social exclusion, spreading hurtful rumors).
  • Bullying can occur in many contexts on school campus or off campus (e.g., in the virtual learning environment [VLE] or cyberbullying) Cyberbullying, for example, is not limited to either physical academic spaces or even the hours spent in them, but in fact, often occurs outside of both.
  • Bullying and cyberbullying includes the interactions among students who bully, targets of bullying, and, at times, bystanders. Students may fall into one or more of these groups, depending on the social situation.
  • Bias-based bullying is bullying that specifically targets a person because of characteristics of their identity (e.g., race, language, sexual orientation, ability, body size, gender identity, religion and/or practices).
  • Cyberbullying is distinct from in-person bullying. It is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.
  • Cyberbullying content can be very public and pervasive, and can exist permanently in a digital archive, such as via social media. It can also be targeted directly to a single student, such as via text or direct messaging.

How Does Bullying Affect Students?

There is the potential for long-term negative mental health outcomes (e.g., anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression) for youth whoare the targets of bullying as well as those who bully.  Schools with healthy climates that discourage bullying have better academic outcomes.

  • Bullying may serve a function for students who instigate it (e.g., help them to achieve popularity, attention). Understanding the function that bullying serves can help teachers and professionals at school to identify other, more positive ways for students to succeed.
  • Students who initiate bullying may have been in a situation where they themselves were bullied.
  • Students who bully others are at a high risk for conduct problems (e.g., domestic violence, substance abuse).
  • Students who bully others need support from teachers and professionals in the school.
  • Students who engage in cyberbullying may feel more emboldened about doing so online than they would in person because of the actual physical separation, lack of school staff oversight, and/or anonymity offered by online communication.
  • Students who are targeted for bullying are often members of historically marginalized groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ community, and children with different abilities.
  • Students who are bullied can disengage from school, which can, in turn, negatively impacts their relationships and academic achievement. They may even engage in self-harm.
  • Students who are bullied may seek self-protection behaviors such as avoiding recess, defending themselves, or, in cases of cyberbullying, attempting to retaliate in kind.
  • Via device delivery, cyberbullying threatens the student with notifications, which can make them feel like the instigator is always near.
  • Students who are bullied need support from teachers and professionals in the school.
  • Students who are bullied should be encouraged to report bullying to trusted adults: a neighbor, mentor, parent, friend’s parent, teacher, coach, etc.
  • Bystanders are students who observe bullying but are not directly involved in bullying. These witnesses often fear being victimized themselves.
  • Bystanders can play four roles when they witness bullying:
  • Assistant: these children may not lead in the bullying behavior, but serve as an “assistant” to the children who are bullying by encouraging the behavior or occasionally joining in.
  • Reinforcer: these children are not directly involved in bullying, but they provide an audience. They will often laugh or provide other support for the children who are engaged in bullying, which may encourage the bullying to continue.
  • Outsider: these children remain separate from the bullying situation – they do not reinforce the bullying behavior, but neither do they defend the child being bullied. They may not show that they are on anyone’s side. However, just providing an audience can encourage bullying behavior.
  • Defenders: these children may intervene when bullying occurs, actively coming to the defense of or comforting the child being bullied.
  • Bystanders can play an important part in calling out and reporting bullying, and stopping it from occurring.
  • When bullying is ignored, bystanders may conclude these actions are condoned by the adults.
  • Student witnesses who fail to intervene can experience guilt that they did not stop the incident.

In-person Bullying on School Grounds

  • Name calling, fighting, humiliation, and public shaming in class or at school.
  • Excluding someone from a group or event, such as from the lunch table.
  • Gossiping or spreading rumors.
  • Physical acts such as shoving, pushing, punching, stealing, or even attempting to intimidate a peer to help them cheat in class or on homework.
  • Stalking and following.

Cyberbullying Via Classroom Chat, Social Media, or Gaming Platforms

  • Name calling, fighting, humiliation, and public shaming online.
  • Excluding someone from a chat or other online event.
  • Gossiping or spreading rumors, sometimes through a false impersonation/avatar/online personality.
  • Sharing incriminating or embarrassing pictures or texts.
  • Cyberstalking, inauthentically responding to a post or message, trolling, and “catfishing” or false online personality.

What Can Teachers Do?

1

Do : Address the inappropriate behavior early and often.

Don’t ignore problematic behavior. Inconsistent responses increase the likelihood of the behavior recurring.

2

Do : Separately engage students who bully, targets of bullying, and bystanders in resolving the incident.

Don’t focus only on a single individual in the situation or meet with all parties at the same time.

3

Do : Use consequences that repair the harm and help the perpetrator understand the impact of their actions. Express belief in the bullying student’s ability to engage in positive behaviors and offer praise.

Don’t address the instigator with punitive, humiliating, and exclusionary disciplinary practices (e.g., suspension, public admission of guilt, zero tolerance policies).

4

Do : Empower bystanders to intervene and report incidents of bullying and affirm their integrity and courage.

Don’t assume that witnesses are uninvolved, even in the VLE.

5

Do : Be consistent. Set expectations for student behavior and remind students of the expectations frequently. Specific expectations will likely differ between in-person classes and the VLE. Take the time to address microaggressions at the time of the incident.

Specific expectations will likely differ between in-person classes and the VLE. Take the time to address microaggressions at the time of the incident. 

Don’t wait for a major event or a designated initiative (e.g., AntiBullying Week) to address behaviors.

6

Do : Accurately label the inappropriate behavior as bullying.

Don’t minimize or downplay an incident based on assumptions about student characteristics or relationships.

Recommended Practices

  • Schools with safe and positive school climates often use an explicit social and emotional learning curriculum. Seek training on adopting a comprehensive social emotional learning curriculum to promote safe, positive school environments. Select a social emotional learning curriculum that specifically addresses bullying, cyberbullying, and bias-based bullying (bullying based on identity characteristics, such as race, language, gender). Consider the comfort of each student when planning meetings. Having the target of bullying and the instigator in the same room can be intimidating and embarrassing. Bystanders often wish to remain anonymous.
  • With your students, develop a class contract that specifies mutual respect, inclusion, and anti-bullying. Refer to the contract throughout the year.
  • Conduct classroom activities around bullying. Discuss its short-term and long-term impacts on health and personality. Have discussions to promote better peer relations.
  • Discuss bullying in the context of students’ sociopolitical contexts, including the possibility of bullying targeting students because of their identity, and the importance of addressing bias-based bullying and hate speech.
  • Be the adult your students need. Treat students with warmth and respect: Let students know that you are available to listen and help them.

Refer Students to Further Help if Needed

  • Be familiar with your state’s antibullying legislation and your school’s and district’s policies regarding bullying.
  • Encourage parents to report bullying to school staff, rather than attempting to resolve bullying incidents among themselves.
  • Review your school policy for seeking student supports.
  • Contact school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other personnel.
  • Stop Bullying
  • BullyBusters Help & Advice
  • Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence
  • APA Bullying Resource
  • Cyberbullying resources: Cyberbullying Research Center Common Sense KidsHealth Child Mind Institute Cyberbully411
  • Institute of Education Sciences Research-Based Strategies for Effective Remote Learning 

Related Mental Health Primers

Trauma exposure , depression , stress , low self-esteem

Empirical Research

Acker, M.M. & O’Leary, S.G. (1987). Effects of reprimands and praise on behavior in the classroom. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 549-557.

DuPaul, G.J., Eckert, T.L., & Vilardo, B.A. (2012).  The effects of school-based interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis, 1996-2010. School Psychology Review, 41, 387-412. 

Fabiano, G.A., Pelham, W.E. Jr., Coles, E.K., Gnagy, E.M., Chronis-Tuscano, A., & O’Connor, B.C. (2009).  A meta-analysis of behavioral treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 29-140.

Pfiffner, L.J., Villodas, M., Kaiser, N., Rooney, M., & McBurnett, K. (2013). Educational outcomes of a collaborative school-home behavioral intervention for ADHD. School Psychology Quarterly, 28, 25-36.

Sarver, D.E., Rapport, M.D., Kofler, M.J., Raiker, J. S., & Friedman, L. M. (2015). Hyperactivity in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Impairing deficit or compensatory behavior? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43, 1219–1232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-015-0011-1

The Mental Health Primers are developed by the Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education . This resource was updated in October 2021 with support from cooperative agreement NU87PS004366 funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views or endorsement of the CDC or the Department of Health and Human Services.

These primers by the Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) help teachers identify behaviors in the classroom that are symptomatic of mental health and other psychological issues.

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Bullying: Everything You Need to Know

  • Why It Happens

Frequently Asked Questions

Bullying is any unwanted or aggressive behavior from someone who is intentionally trying to upset, harm, or have power over you. Bullying occurs among children, adolescents, and teens, either in person, online, or through social media. Adults can also be bullied, both in social groups and in the workplace.

Read on to learn more about the main types of bullying, signs someone is being bullied, and how to deal with a bully.

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6 Types of Bullying

In the United States in 2019, 1 out of 5 children ages 12–18 reported being bullied at school. Bullying included being:

  • Made fun of or called names
  • Pressured into doing things
  • Excluded from activities
  • Pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on
  • The subject of rumors

There are six main types of bullying, as discussed below.

Verbal Bullying

Verbal bullying is when someone is saying or writing harmful things or making threats. It includes:

  • Name-calling
  • Threatening to cause harm
  • Making inappropriate comments

Social Bullying

Social bullying is also called relational bullying, relational aggression, or emotional bullying. It involves threatening someone's reputation or relationships.

Social bullying can include:

  • Excluding someone on purpose
  • Spreading rumors and gossip about someone
  • Shunning, or telling others not to interact or be friends with someone
  • Publicly embarrassing someone

Physical Bullying

Physical bullying includes bodily harm or damage to possessions. Any form of aggressive physical contact constitutes physical bullying.

This type of bullying can include:

  • Hitting, kicking, or spitting on someone
  • Tripping or pushing someone
  • Taking or breaking someone’s things
  • Making mean or inappropriate gestures

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying involves bullying or harassing someone online or through social media. This harassment can occur on a computer, telephone, cell, or text messaging device.

Cyberbullying can include:

  • Sending mean texts
  • Posting insults about someone on social media
  • Making rude comments about someone's posts
  • Posting or sending personal information about someone to others in order to hurt or embarrass that person
  • Threatening someone or bullying them through online chats or groups

In a 2018 survey, 59% of U.S. teens reported being cyberbullied.

Racist Bullying

Racist or racial bullying can include all other types of bullying, even physical attacks. It includes:

  • Belittling, mocking, or intimidating someone because of their race
  • Devaluing someone's racial background
  • Discrediting someone's religious or cultural practices
  • Insulting or shaming a person's speech, the way they dress, or their customs

Sexual Bullying

Sexual bullying includes any unwanted sexual physical contact, inappropriate comments, or online harassment. It includes:

  • Sending or posting sexually explicit photos, messages, or videos
  • Making inappropriate sexual comments, jokes, or hand gestures
  • Spreading sexual rumors
  • Groping, grabbing, or touching in a sexual manner
  • Pressuring someone for sex or sexually explicit photos

Help Is Available for Bullying

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm because of bullying, you can contact the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  at  988  for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If they are in immediate danger, call 911 .

Signs of Bullying

Bullying occurs intentionally out of the sight of adults. When there are warning signs, they usually involve behavioral and emotional changes.

Signs someone you know is being bullied include:

  • They have physical signs like cuts, bruises, or scratches that are not easily explained.
  • They try to get out of going to school.
  • They suddenly start doing poorly in school.
  • They come home moody, sad, teary, depressed, or overly fatigued.
  • They have a loss of appetite or develop an eating disorder.
  • They appear more stressed or anxious than usual.
  • Their belongings come home torn or damaged, or they are missing altogether.
  • They experience headaches , nausea , stomach aches , or other physical symptoms.
  • They have nightmares , sleep disorders , insomnia , or trouble sleeping.

If You Think Your Child Is Being Bullied

If you think your child is being bullied, it's important to talk to them. They may not ask for help out of fear that it will make things worse. Instead of putting them on the spot, start a general conversation to lead into the topic. Let them know you want to help them. Some suggestions include:

  • “There's been a lot of discussion about bullying on the news. Do you know if that happens at your school?"
  • “Is there anyone at school you don't like to be around?"
  • "Are there any kids at school who are mean to you or other kids?"

Why Do People Bully?

One study indicates that bullies tend to be bullied by their own family, so they may observe and mimic aggressive or angry behavior.

Other reasons may include that they are:

  • Lashing out for attention due to lack of attention at home or elsewhere
  • Being bullied by their older siblings or adults in their lives (parent, teacher, coach, etc.)
  • Elevating their own social status among their peers
  • Trying to fit in with others who are bullying
  • Insecure, feeling incompetent, or experiencing poor self-esteem

Bullies may feel emotional relief from their own insecurity by dominating others.

Bullies often blame others and don't accept the consequences of their actions.

How to Deal With a Bully

Bullies gain power and control by getting a reaction out of others. They get this reaction by aggravating, frightening, angering, or threatening others.

Some ways to deal with a bully include:

  • Get help : Seek help if you're being bullied. This is especially important if it is escalating toward physical threats or actual assaults.
  • Respond, don't react : You may feel upset on the inside, but if you can respond calmly instead of reacting emotionally, you maintain control of your emotions. Getting a reaction out of other people is how bullies try to gain power and control.
  • Walk away : If safe to do so, walk away from the situation.
  • Take a screenshot : If you are cyberbullied, take a screenshot as evidence.
  • Strength in numbers : Effective bullying intervention programs assign students into roles of peer supporters, peer mediators, and peer educators.

When You Are the Bully

If you think you may be a bully—or others have accused you of being a bully—consider these questions:

  • Have you repeatedly called other people names?
  • Have you used your size or tone of voice to intimidate or threaten others?
  • Have you made fun of others or said mean things to people about their weight or appearance?
  • Have you spread rumors, posted comments, or shared something negative about someone on social media?

If you are mistreating others, you may have been mistreated yourself. It may be helpful to talk to a school counselor, trusted adult, or mental health professional.

The Effects of Bullying

Adults bullied as children are likely to have mental health conditions, including depression , anxiety disorder , and antisocial personality disorder .

Bullying affects bullies negatively as well. In one study, men who bullied and men who were bullied had increased risks of suicide .

Other effects in children and teenagers may include:

  • Low self-esteem
  • Loss of interest in social activities
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
  • Development of eating disorders
  • Loss of interest in school
  • Difficulty focusing on learning
  • Poor school attendance
  • Lower testing scores and lower grades
  • Higher dropout rates

Bullying is any unwanted and aggressive behavior that is intentionally done to hurt another person. It often occurs among children, adolescents, and teens, but it can happen to adults as well. Bullying creates a power imbalance, and it usually occurs repeatedly.

Types of bullying include physical, verbal, social, cyber, racist, and sexual. People who have been bullied may experience effects like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

A Word From Verywell 

Being bullied can make you feel helpless, anxious, and depressed. Support is available to help you address any bullying you are facing. To find resources in your area, contact the  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline  at  1-800-662-4357  for information.

Studies show bullies often do have depression. Researchers wonder if the bullying behavior is a way of acting out the depression.

In the United States in 2019, 22% of students ages 12–18 experienced bullying. In another study from 2019, 19.5% of students in grades 9–12 indicated they were bullied at school.

A few ways to handle a bully include:

  • Try to avoid the bully, and walk or run away from them if it's safe to do so.
  • Alert nearby people or an authority figure.
  • Try to remain calm.

U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics. Bullying .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Stop Bullying Initiative. What is bullying? .

U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics. Student reports of bullying: results from the 2017 school crime supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey .

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Stop Bullying Initiative. What is cyberbullying? .

Pew Research Center.  A majority of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying .

Nemours Foundation.  Sexual harassment and sexual bullying .

Stomp Out Bullying Organization. Signs your child is being bullied .

Copeland WE, Wolke D, Angold A, Costello EJ. Adult psychiatric outcomes of bullying and being bullied by peers in childhood and adolescence. JAMA Psychiatry . 2013:70(4):419. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.504

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Stop Bullying Initiative. Why some youth bully .

Stomp Out Bullying Organization. Why do kids bully? .

Stomp Out Bullying Organization. Are you being bullied? How to deal with bullies .

Menesini, E., Salmivalli, C. Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions . Psychology, Health & Medicine.  2017;22(sup1):240-253. doi:10.1080/13548506.2017.1279740

Jormanainen E, Fröjd S, Marttunen M, Kaltiala-Heino R. Is pubertal timing associated with involvement in bullying in middle adolescence? .  Health Psychol Behav Med . 2014;2(1):144-159. doi:10.1080/21642850.2014.881259

By Michelle C. Brooten-Brooks, LMFT Brooten-Brooks is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Georgia. She has been covering health and medical topics as a journalist for over 20 years.

What you need to know about school violence and bullying

essay definition of bullying

Bullying in schools deprives millions of children and young people of their fundamental right to education. A recent UNESCO report revealed that more than 30% of the world's students have been victims of bullying, with devastating consequences on academic achievement, school dropout, and physical and mental health.

The world is marking the first International Day against Violence and Bullying at School Including Cyberbullying , on 5 November. Here is what you need to know about school violence and bullying.

What is school violence?

School violence refers to all forms of violence that takes place in and around schools and is experienced by students and perpetrated by other students, teachers and other school staff. This includes bullying and cyberbullying. Bullying is one of the most pervasive forms of school violence, affecting 1 in 3 young people.

What forms may school violence take?

Based on existing international surveys that collect data on violence in schools, UNESCO recognizes the following forms of school violence:

  • Physical violence, which is any form of physical aggression with intention to hurt perpetrated by peers, teachers or school staff.
  • Psychological violence as verbal and emotional abuse, which includes any forms of isolating, rejecting, ignoring, insults, spreading rumors, making up lies, name-calling, ridicule, humiliation and threats, and psychological punishment.
  • Sexual violence, which includes intimidation of a sexual nature, sexual harassment, unwanted touching, sexual coercion and rape, and it is perpetrated by a teacher, school staff or a schoolmate or classmate.
  • Physical bullying, including hitting, kicking and the destruction of property;
  • Psychological bullying, such as teasing, insulting and threatening; or relational, through the spreading of rumours and exclusion from a group; and
  • Sexual bullying, such as making fun of a victim with sexual jokes, comments or gestures, which may be defined as sexual ‘harassment’ in some countries.
  • Cyberbullying is a form of psychological or sexual bullying that takes place online. Examples of cyberbullying include posting or sending messages, pictures or videos, aimed at harassing, threatening or targeting another person via a variety of media and social media platforms. Cyberbullying may also include spreading rumours, posting false information, hurtful messages, embarrassing comments or photos, or excluding someone from online networks or other communications.

Who perpetrates school violence?

School violence is perpetrated by students, teachers and other school staff. However, available evidence shows that violence perpetrated by peers is the most common.

What are the main reasons why children are bullied?

All children can be bullied, yet evidence shows that children who are perceived to be “different” in any way are more at risk. Key factors include physical appearance, ethnic, linguistic or cultural background, gender, including not conforming to gender norms and stereotypes; social status and disability.

What are the consequences of school violence?

Educational consequences: Being bullied undermines the sense of belonging at school and affects continued engagement in education. Children who are frequently bullied are more likely to feel like an outsider at school, and more likely to want to leave school after finishing secondary education. Children who are bullied have lower academic achievements than those who are not frequently bullied.

Health consequences: Children’s mental health and well-being can be adversely impacted by bullying. Bullying is associated with higher rates of feeling lonely and suicidal, higher rates of smoking, alcohol and cannabis use and lower rates of self-reported life satisfaction and health. School violence can also cause physical injuries and harm.

What are the linkages between school violence and bullying, school-related gender-based violence and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression?

School violence may be perpetrated as a result of gender norms and stereotypes and enforced by unequal power dynamics and is therefore referred to as school-related gender-based violence. It includes, in particular, a specific type of gender-based violence that is linked to the actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity or expression of victims, including homophobic and transphobic bullying. School-related gender-based violence is a significant part of school violence that requires specific efforts to address.

Does school-related gender-based violence refer to sexual violence against girls only?         

No. School-related gender-based violence refers to all forms of school violence that is based on or driven by gender norms and stereotypes, which also includes violence against and between boys.

Is school violence always gender-based?           

There are many factors that drive school violence. Gender is one of the significant drivers of violence but not all school violence is based on gender. Moreover, international surveys do not systematically collect data on the gendered nature of school violence, nor on violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. 

Based on the analysis of global data, there are no major differences in the prevalence of bullying for boys and girls. However, there are some differences between boys and girls in terms of the types of bullying they experience. Boys are much more exposed to physical bullying, and to physical violence in general, than girls. Girls are slightly more exposed to psychological bullying, particularly through cyberbullying. According to the same data, sexual bullying the same proportion of boys and girls. Data coming from different countries, however, shows that girls are increasingly exposed to sexual bullying online.

How does UNESCO help prevent and address school violence and bullying?

The best available evidence shows that responses to school violence and bullying that are effective should be comprehensive and include a combination of policies and interventions. Often this comprehensive response to school violence and bullying is referred to as a whole-school approach. Based on an extensive review of existing conceptual frameworks that describe that whole-school approach, UNESCO has identified nine key components of a response that goes beyond schools and could be better described as a whole-education system or whole-education approach.  These components are the following:

  • Strong political leadership and robust legal and policy framework to address school violence and bullying;
  • Training and support for teachers on school violence and bullying prevention and positive classroom management
  • Curriculum, learning & teaching to promote, a caring (i.e. anti- school violence and bullying) school climate and students’ social and emotional skills
  • A safe psychological and physical school and classroom environment
  • Reporting mechanisms for students affected by school violence and bullying, together with support and referral services
  • Involvement of all stakeholders in the school community including parents
  • Student empowerment and participation
  • Collaboration and partnerships between the education sector and a wide range of partners (other government sectors, NGOs, academia)
  • Evidence: monitoring of school violence and bullying and evaluation of responses

More on UNESCO’s work to prevent and address school violence and bullying

Read UNESCO's publication Behind the numbers: Ending school violence and bullying

Photo: Eakachai Leesin/Shutterstock.com

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Bullying — Bullying: Definition, Types and Its Resolution

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Bullying: Definition, Types and Its Resolution

  • Categories: Bullying Youth Violence

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Words: 1697 |

Published: Jul 17, 2018

Words: 1697 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

Types of Bullying

  • Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things.
  • Verbal bullying includes: Teasing Name-calling Inappropriate sexual comments Taunting Threatening to cause harm

Brief History of Bullying

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Effects of Bullying

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Bullying can affect everyone—those who are bullied, those who bully, and those who witness bullying. Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide. It is important to talk to kids to determine whether bullying—or something else—is a concern.

Kids Who are Bullied

Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:

  • Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
  • Health complaints
  • Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.

A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.

Kids Who Bully Others

Kids who bully others can also engage in violent and other risky behaviors into adulthood. Kids who bully are more likely to:

  • Abuse alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults
  • Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school
  • Engage in early sexual activity
  • Have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults 
  • Be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults

Kids who witness bullying are more likely to:

  • Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
  • Have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety
  • Miss or skip school

The Relationship between Bullying and Suicide

Media reports often link bullying with suicide. However, most youth who are bullied do not have thoughts of suicide or engage in suicidal behaviors. 

Although kids who are bullied are at risk of suicide, bullying alone is not the cause. Many issues contribute to suicide risk, including depression, problems at home, and trauma history. Additionally, specific groups have an increased risk of suicide, including American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asian American, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. This risk can be increased further when these kids are not supported by parents, peers, and schools. Bullying can make an unsupportive situation worse.

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COMMENTS

  1. What Is Bullying

    What Is Bullying. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. In order to be considered bullying, the behavior ...

  2. Essay on Bullying: 150-300 words, 500-1000 words for Students

    Essay on Bullying in 500-1000 words; Essay on Bullying in 150 words. Bullying is a serious issue that affects individuals of all ages, particularly in schools and online platforms. It involves repeated aggressive behavior aimed at causing harm, imbalance of power, and psychological distress to the victim. Bullying can take various forms, such ...

  3. Bullying

    Bullying. Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions. The bullied individual typically has trouble defending him or herself and does nothing to "cause" the bullying.

  4. Bullying

    Bullying is the use of force, coercion, hurtful teasing or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. ... This essay is an example of how even medium differences, in a hierarchical, zero-sum, or negative environments, can lead to ostracism or persecution.

  5. Bullying

    bullying, intentional harm-doing or harassment that is directed toward vulnerable targets and typically repeated. Bullying encompasses a wide range of malicious aggressive behaviours, including physical violence, verbal mockery, threats, ostracism, and rumours spread either orally or by other means of communication, such as the Internet.One influential definition proposed by Norwegian ...

  6. About Bullying

    Nearly 29% of white high school students experienced bullying at school or electronically in the last year compared to about 19% of Hispanic and 18% of Black high school students. 2. Bullying is a frequent discipline problem. Nearly 14% of public schools report that bullying is a discipline problem occurring daily or at least once a week.

  7. Defining school bullying and its implications on education ...

    The working group presented its proposed revised definition of school bullying at the WABF held in October 2023. The proposed definition reads: School bullying is a damaging social process that is characterized by an imbalance of power driven by social (societal) and institutional norms. It is often repeated and manifests as unwanted ...

  8. Bullying Essay for Students and Children

    500+ Words Essay on Bullying. Bullying refers to aggressive behavior so as to dominate the other person. It refers to the coercion of power over others so that one individual can dominate others. It is an act that is not one time, instead, it keeps on repeating over frequent intervals. The person (s) who bullies others can be termed as bullies ...

  9. Understanding Bullying: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

    Some of the common effects of bullying include: Emotional and Psychological Trauma: Victims may experience anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Academic and Social Consequences: Bullying can lead to decreased academic performance, school avoidance, and social isolation.

  10. Bullying Essay: Definition, Structure, and Examples

    Bullying essay has a rather common structure and contains the following elements: Introduction. Beginning of a bullying essay is always a place, where you catch the attention of the audience, explain the importance of the issue, and give a quick overview of the things you're going to discuss; Thesis. This sentence closes the introductory ...

  11. An Informative Bullying, Its Causes, Effects and Ways to Tackle

    Definition of bullying; Overview of the essay's focus on bullying, its causes, and effects; Effects of Bullying on Victims. Psychological impact on victims; Increased risk of mental health problems; Correlation with smoking and alcoholism; Characteristics of Bullies. Description of typical bully traits;

  12. What Are The Causes and Effects of Bullying

    The essay emphasizes that bullying can have profound and wide-ranging effects on victims. From mental health perspectives, victims often experience anxiety, depression, and various emotional struggles. ... According to NCAB (National Centre Against Bullying), the definition of bullying is when an individual or a group of people with more power ...

  13. Bullying

    Bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully ...

  14. Bullying: Definition, Mental Health Effects, and Prevention

    Bullying can have a significant impact on a person's mental health and lead to anxiety, depression, and persistent low confidence. Bullying can present itself in many types (verbal, physical ...

  15. Bullying: Problems and Solutions, Essay Example

    The most serious problems associated with bullying are, of course, the effects on victims. Bullying victims suffer from a range of problems, including higher rates of emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety (Long & Alexander). Victims of bullying are at a greater risk of committing suicide, using drugs and alcohol, and becoming ...

  16. Bullying: Definition, Health Effects, and How to Stop It

    All About Bullying: Definition, Health Effects, and How to Stop It. Bullying has been part of schools, workplaces, and plenty of other social spheres for a long time — so much so that you may ...

  17. Students Experiencing Bullying

    Students who are targeted for bullying are often members of historically marginalized groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ community, and children with different abilities. Students who are bullied can disengage from school, which can, in turn, negatively impacts their relationships and academic achievement.

  18. Bullying: What It Is, Types, and More

    Bullying is any unwanted or aggressive behavior from someone who is intentionally trying to upset, harm, or have power over you. Bullying occurs among children, adolescents, and teens, either in person, online, or through social media. Adults can also be bullied, both in social groups and in the workplace. Read on to learn more about the main ...

  19. Facts About Bullying

    About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide. Students ages 12-18 who reported being bullied said they thought those who bullied them: Had the ability to influence other students' perception of them (56%). Had more social influence (50%). Were physically stronger or larger (40%). Had more money (31%).

  20. Bullying in schools: the state of knowledge and effective interventions

    What is bullying? Research on bullying started more than 40 years ago (Olweus, Citation 1973, 1978) and defined this behaviour as 'aggressive, intentional acts carried out by a group or an individual repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself' (Olweus, Citation 1993, p. 48).Despite some debate over the definition, most researchers agree that bullying ...

  21. What you need to know about school violence and bullying

    School violence refers to all forms of violence that takes place in and around schools and is experienced by students and perpetrated by other students, teachers and other school staff. This includes bullying and cyberbullying. Bullying is one of the most pervasive forms of school violence, affecting 1 in 3 young people.

  22. Bullying: Definition, Types and Its Resolution

    The essay "Bullying: Definition, Types and Its Resolution" offers a thorough overview of the topic but could benefit from some improvements. While the essay is well-organized, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion, some sections could be better developed. For example, the author states, "One common type of bullying is physical ...

  23. Effects of Bullying

    Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience: Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood. Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation.