CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. School Bullying: What It Is and Why It Hurts
2. The Role of Bullies, Victims, and Witnesses
3. Factors Contributing to Bullying and Violence
4. Screening and Assessment
5. Treatment For Children and Adolescents
6. Prevention and Intervention
7. Legal and Ethical Issues

Supplements
Case Studies
Fact Sheets
References
Resources

The ABCs of Bullying
Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression

Impact on Learning

Bullying can distract bullies, victims, and witnesses from learning. Bullies who are plotting their next attack or victims who are consumed with anxiety and fear about their next encounter with a bully will have difficulty focusing on the lesson at hand. Witnesses may:ref

• Be afraid of associating with the victim for fear of lowing their social status among their peers, or fear retribution from the bully and becoming victims themselves;
• Fear reporting bullying incidents because they do not want to be considered a "snitch," "tattler," or "informer";
• Experience guilt or helplessness for not standing up to the bully on behalf of their classmate;
• Be drawn into bullying behavior by peer pressure;
• Feel unsafe, a loss of control, or unable to take action.

Truancy

Truancy has been labeled one of the top ten major problems in schools in the United States and identified as one of the most powerful predictors of delinquency. Many students stay home from school because they are afraid of being bullied.ref Students who are not in schools learning may find other, less acceptable ways to occupy their time. About half of serious violent juvenile victimizations occur between noon and 6 p.m.ref

Decreased school attendance hurts the individual and society. Absence from school affects a student's achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Independent of the lost educational opportunities, truancy comes with other societal costs.