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Bullying: a new field for social educators

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 Bullying: a new field for social educators.
Martínez Suárez, P.C.
E.U. P. ENRIQUE DE OSSÓ.
UNIVERSITY OF OVIEDO – SPAIN
[email protected] – www.eupo.es

Bullying is not a question any longer; in fact, it has become an objection. For the last
years several authors have emphasized the relevance of school community methods to stop
the phenomenon. Results are not encouraging as we could hope. On the other hand,
psychologists involvement as seems not to be enough to solve the problem. In this sense,
shared concern programs have been implemented (Smith y Sharp, 1994). That kind of
programs show us this is a matter which requires multiprofessional teams, bully/victim
approach and significant people implication. There’s no doubt that talking about shared
concern is talking about the ways of action in Social Education. However, the role of social
educators has to do with community development, family orientation, social needs detection
(not only victim but bullies too) and shared concern projects design specially, evaluation
(ASEDES, 2007).
Bullying is mainly connected to early secondary school and sometimes to juvenile
violence. First studies come from Scandinavian countries in Educational Psychology field
(Björkqvist, Ekman and Lagerspetz, 1982; Heinemann, 1969,1972; Lagerspetz et al., 1982).
Olweus (1973) laid the foundations of research methodology, even though it referred to
“mobbing between peers” instead of to the current term “bullying”. Although there is great
controversy about bullying conceptualization Olweus concept is universally accepted as a
transcultural view, in his full version describes a bullied person as:

"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." (Olweus, 2006).

This definition includes three important components:

1. Bullying is aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions.
2. Bullying involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time.
3. Bullying involves an imbalance of power or strength.
APA (2004) defines it as “aggressive behaviour that a) is intended to cause distress or
harm b) involves an imbalance of power or strength between the aggressor and the victim and
c) commonly occurs repeatedly over time.
In spite of these definitions, the “bullying” concept continues being a challenge
(Smith, 2004). Zins, Elías and Maher (2007) define bullying like an asymmetric relationship,
intention of damaging, use of violence (cyber violence included) with a time repeated
aggressive pattern and a perfect circle of victimization (Lecannelier, 2008). Prevalence of
bullying depends on its concept, but a recent study from Nansel et al. (2004) in 25 countries
indicates it varies from 7-8% (Sweden) to 40-50% (Lithuania).
Nowadays, a certain number of quantitative studies pointed out the sociodemographic
and psychological profile of bullies and victims. Ten to fifteen-year-old children constitute
the likely range to be bullied. Bullies are often boys, boys bullying boys and girls, and girls
bullying girls but not boys. This could be explained in terms of personality or sociological
patterns of aggressiveness or simply strenght. Bullies are frequently older than bullied kids
and 50% act supported by others who observe the aggressions and even take part in them.
Urban school context is preferred by bullies. Although race, social class and ethnic traits are
studied there are no strong correlations with these variables. Bullies suffer from affective
deprivation and probably have witnessed violent behaviours at home, after having harmed
others in a few cases they experience depression and suicidal ideas (Paredes, Álvarez, Lega y
Vernon, 2008). Some researchers found correlations between being bullied and become a
bully in the future. Perhaps both facts are two faces of a same phenomenom, this could be
dangerous. Victims experience anxiety, post-traumatic disorder, depression, low self-steem,
suicidal tendencies, avoiding behavior, drug abuse, anger and psychosomatic troubles
(Lecannelier, 2008).
Roots of bullying are perfectly developed by Rigby (2003) who says there are at least
five theories that can explain bullying: developmental theory; individual differences;
sociocultural phenomenon (feminist theories); peer pressures theory and restorative justice.
All of them have part of veracity so the author urges to find a global theory that casts a light
for future interventions.
This issue presents a part of the story only, because we focus on victim perspective.
The aim of this paper is to set the basis for a new line of research, in order to relieve the
possible imbalance in shared concern models (Rigby, 2003). It is frequently found in
literature criticism to those models of intervention when taking into consideration the victims’
feelings (Olweus, 2006). Smith (2007) suggests more “emic” perspective studies for knowing
the social needs of victims in depth. Stemming from Garaigordóbil and Oñederra (2009)
solutions should take into account social and educative perspective and present social
educators’ competences like a new approach to the bullying phenomenon, always trying to
solve the problem.
Method
Individuals
Case 1-Victim.
16-year-old male, first year at high school. Lower-middle class. Good school
adjustment. Bullied by peer group. Non-verbal learning disorder diagnostic (NLD). (Two
years since the beginning of aggression).
Case 2-Victim.
 12-year-old male, first year at secondary school. Middle class. Good school
adjustment. Bullied by 2 older male aggressors (Five months since the beginning of
aggression).
Case 3-Victim.
12-year-old male, first year at secondary school. Middle class. Good school
adjustment. Bullied by teacher. (Six months since the beginning of aggression).
Case 4-Victim.
17-year-old female, second year at high school. Middle class. Bad school adjustment.
Bullied by female group (5 peers; 2 aggressors and 3 observers) (Five months since the
beginning of aggression).
Procedure
A methodology based on distinctive signs was followed. The aim is to incorporate a
simple form of detection in cases of bullying starting from the evidence given by the victims
and their families. Thus, the documents chosen are valid as documents by themselves
although all evidence is, in a way, a lie.
Three standard cases were chosen among all the queries received in the electronic and
telephonic attention service of the Association against bullying in Asturias (ACAE).
Permission was asked via e-mail to carry out personal interviews, explaining the
reasons to the interviewees and guaranteeing data confidentiality. The four interviews were
made by the same interviewer (a psychologist and social educator) in Gijon Youth Council, a
centre dependent on the Town Council.
In case 1, the parents were interviewed; in case 2 only the mother and the victim; in
case 3, the parents and the victim (the father was interviewed on the phone) and in case 4,
both mother and victim were interviewed by phone. Cases 1 and 3 belonged to Asturias and
case 4 to Galicia. Eight families were offered to be called for interview: Four of them refused
or did not answer.
Instruments

EDIN - INFORMANT INTERVIEW

Based on Principality of Asturias Anti-Bullying Guide
PERSONAL DETAILS

Date:
Time:
Place:

Start: End:

Interviewees:

Address and telephone of contact:

Victim:

Full name:
Age:
Sex:
Schooling:

Accompanying Persons:

Full name:
Age:
Sex:
Schooling:
Marytal Status:

Cause of the lawsuit:

Centre and Situation of bullying situation:

IDENTIFICATION

1.-Does the bullie intend to harm? Examples and evidence.

2.-Is the bullie able to control himself/herself? Examples and evidence.

3.-Bullying actions – List of bullying behaviours (A1)

note: underline in red ink when any of the following behaviours happen

(A1)

VERBAL BULLYING:

Insulting, name calling, telling lies, slandering or spreading rumours

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTIMIDATION:

Threats to scare, to get money or some object and also to make victims do things against their will; blackmail
and public mockery, graffiti, threatening letters, notes, messages to cell phones and e-mails.

PHYSICAL BULLYING:

Direct: Poking, pushing, hitting, kicking, beating up

Indirect: Theft and damage of school material, clothing and other personal items.

SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL AND ISOLATION

Ignoring, excluding, coercing the victim’s friends so that they do not interact with him/her, refusing to sit next to
him/her in class.

4. - Damage done / Victim’s vulnerability factors. Examples and evidence.

RISK FACTORS (Victim’s vulnerability)

Tick in red ink the circumstances given BEFORE the bullying situation:

- Psycho and biologic vulnerability

- Former negative experiences
- Low-popularity at school
- Difficulty to speak about themselves
- Inappropriate coping strategies: isolation and resignation

WARNING SIGNS
(Tick in red ink the circumstances given BEFORE the bullying situation):

- Usually lonely, shut out of the group

- Repeatedly teased, humiliated, nicknamed
- Lack of ability for games and sports
- Difficulty to speak in class, insecure
- Usually sad, moody, distressed, anxious
- Loss of interest in school
- Negative self-concept
- Bruises, scratches, wounds

5. - Does the bully seek protection in his/her superiority? (Justify). Examples and evidence

6. - Possible justification for harassment. Evidence.

7. - Have you felt that this situation will never end? Explain this feeling (thoughts, sensations, actions the victim
carries out or the relatives who are aware of such a situation
8. - Brief record of the bullying situation and repetition of the situation.

- Background
- How long has it happened?
- Where does it happen?
- Who participates?
- Which are the consequences?
- Bystanders (tolerate, keep silent, encourage)

9. – Do you think the bully enjoys inflicting pain on others?

10. – Brief description of the bully

(Put a cross according to the degree of fulfilment of each characteristic) If there are more
than one bully, copy the boxes below as many times as necessary.

- Physically strong

Completely agree Agree Quite agree Disagree

- Desire to dominate, have power and feel superior

- Hot tempered, easily furious
- Impulsive
- Low tolerance to frustration
- Defiant and aggressive towards grownups
- Do not show anxiety or insecurity
- Early anti-social behaviours
- Low popularity among peers, only supported by a few
- Negative attitude towards school
- His/her attitude and behaviour is the prelude of future offenses. Threatens and
physical aggressions can in fact be considered as such and reported
- He/she firmly believes that power and leadership can be achieved by means of
violence, arrogance and submission of others
- It is likely that the person who was a bully in his/her childhood/youth perpetuates
violent, aggressive behaviours in adult relationships

11. - Related to SCHOOL COMMUNITY

- Bystanders will eventually value violence and aggressiveness as a form of social

success.
- Bystanders are insensitive to the continuous suffering they are watching
- The whole social environment has a feeling of helplessness and inability to react
similar to the victim.

ACTIONS

The first step was to report the bullying situation in the school centre:

- A reliable teacher. Yes or No

- The class teacher
- The guidance department
- The Management Team

FIRST PHASE:

(Circle the affirmative answers)

The head-director or person in charge wrote in the “Information Sheet” the following:

1. Give an appointment to the bullied student and his/her family for an individual
interview in order to know the scope of the problem
2. Give an appointment to the bully and his/her family as well as the rest of the
persons involved in order to know the scope of the problem
3. To summon the Educational Team, the Guidance Department and/or the Students
affairs commission to examine the case or ask for advice by general consent
about the measures to adopt in each case.
 4. Apply for technical support to the school centre adviser to mediate in some cases
in possible co-operation with the Team of behavioural alterations, supposing that
the actions already taken did not have satisfactory results and it was considered
convenient a more specific and specialised mediation.
5. Report the Supervising Service according to the supplied form.
6. The Management Team reported the Authorities or agents about the risky
situations that could damage a youngster, giving him/her immediate help if
needed (13th Article Organic Law 1/1996, 15th January Children’s protection act).
To this effect, a repeated bullying situation is considered a risky situation and
must be reported to the Children’s Prosecutor’s Office.
7. Report the families:

When there are visible signs of alleged offense, the families involved will be
reported about the communication sent to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Victim family:
It will be reported about the steps to follow. When there are visible signs of
alleged offense, the family will be informed about the legal possibility of reporting
the facts if these were considered an offense

Bully/ Bullies family:

It will also be reported about the steps to follow; Commitment to solve the
problem will be asked.
When there are visible signs of alleged offense, the family will be reported about
the legal actions taken by the Educational Centre.

SECOND PHASE:

Tick the affirmative ones

INFORMATION ANALYSIS AND MEASURES TO ADOPT

1. – The teaching Team, the Guidance Department and/or the Students

Affairs Commission, summoned by the Head Master or by a delegate will
decide with the help of the information form in order to keep a well-arranged
analysis of each case, the possible measures to adopt according to the
Educational Centre Rules

MEASURES:

2. – Protection for the victim: Suggestions:

- Specific surveillance of the bully/bullies and victim

- Individual tutorial of the people involved
- Ask for family co-operation to watch and control their children
- Change of group
- Self-protection guidelines for the victim

Put a cross in the affirmative answers

Corrective measures for the bully/bullies

The Educational Centre may choose among others taking into account the seriousness of
the facts:

- Oral and/or written excuses

 - Taking part in a mediation process
- Specific jobs related to the damage caused, with family permission and out of
teaching hours
- Ask for family co-operation to watch and control their children
- Tasks to improve living together at school
- Involvement in socio- educational tasks
- Proposal of participation in specific courses or programmes about social skills, with
family permission and out of teaching hours.
- Private warning by Tutor
- Private warning by Dean of Students
- To appear periodically at the Dean of Students office
- Change the bully or bullies of class group
- Suspension of the right to take part in extra-curricular activities
- Suspension of the right to attend classes during three days maximum
- Bring a disciplinary action against him/her: Date, instructor and involved student
personal data.

THIRD PHASE:

(Tick the answers)

WRITTEN RECORD OF AGREEMENTS ABOUT THE ADOPTED MEASURES. PLAN OF

ACTION.

- Individual actions with involved students YES or NO

- Victim
- Bully/Bullies
- Bystanders
- Class group
- All the students
- Actions with the families
- Actions with Educational Teams
- External co-operation (specified in the following point)
- Means used
- Timing
- Monitoring and Evaluation

FOURTH PHASE: SPECIFIC MEDIATION OF THE GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

 Cause of the Bullying Repetition Prosecution Behavioural Consequences Vulnerability Discourse Protection Corrective
Lawsuit Justification of behaviour setting Background victim/relative Measures Measures
bullying
behaviour by
aggressors

Case 1 NLD Name calling Yes No School None None

Insults
Frightened,
Stereotypes
distrustful.
and strange When 9-
Anxiety,
Consultation a behaviour depression. 10:Irritability,
year after related to NLD negativism,
Low school
harassment. achievement impulsiveness.
Consultation Signs of
related to aggressivity Relatives: "we
psychologic and are fed up with
disorder rather hyperactivity. wandering
than to Evolution around.
bullying towards Nobody gives
situation. hypoactivity a solution"
Unknown and "The bullying
protocol introversion problem
solved itself"
"This is the
smallest of our
problems"
 Cause of the Bullying Repetition Prosecution Behavioural Consequences Vulnerability Discourse Protection Corrective
Lawsuit Justification of behaviour setting Background victim/relative Measures Measures
bullying
behaviour by
aggressors

Unknown Yes No School Introversion None

Case 2 Male Street
by two Train Station

Introversion. Low
school Change
Consultation achievement aggressors of
10 months class group.
after Report the
harassment. Family: "School teaching team
Unknown has done nothing
Protocol. at all" Victim:
Addresses the Family: Only fills a form.
association Insulting, Receptive but
because name-calling, reactive and
school did not hitting, reactionary when
solve the degrading, facing questions
problem mocking,
rejection,
isolation,
humiliation,
rumours.
Victim: Insults,
threatens,
exclusion,
cruelty, lies,
attempt to
hurt, shouting,
mocking,
breaking
personal
items, physical
aggression
attempt
 Cause of the Justification of Repetition Prosecution Behavioural Consequences Vulnerability Discourse Protection Corrective
Lawsuit bullying setting Background victim/relative Measures Measures
behaviour by Bullying
aggressors behaviour

Family: "School
has always tried
to relativize the
Family: name- problem" "The
Consultation 6 calling, teacher's
months after mocking, authority is
first isolation, above
aggressions. humiliation. everything""We
Unknown Victim: name- only ask for "Talk to the
Protocol. calling, common sense" teacher". "Talk to
Asking for mocking, Victim: "When the Students
advice isolation the teacher Affairs
because of Somatization ( Normal social called the role Commission".
Case 3 Male victim's Authority anxiety crisis) adaptation. he/she did not "Create a profile"
by teacher somatization questionning Yes No School TEP High popularity say my name" None "Keep statistics"
 Cause of the Bullying Repetition Prosecution Behavioural Consequences Vulnerability Discourse Protection Corrective
Lawsuit Justification of behaviour setting Background victim/relative Measures Measures
bullying
behaviour by
aggressors
Yes Yes School Introversion None
Case 4 Physical Street
Depression.
Female appearance Twenty Suicidal
Mobile thoughts
Consultation 6
months after
first Family: name-
aggressions. "Talk to the
calling, aggressors".
Unknown mocking,
Protocol. "Report the
slandering. problem to the
Asking for Victim: name-
advice because Guidance
calling, Department
of phobia about mocking,
school slandering,
Family and
criticizing.
Victim: "School
has not done
anything to
stop or prevent
it" Victim:
"Humiliating
sentences
when sitting
next to me;
trying to isolate
me from my
colleagues
leaving gaps
between chairs
to make me sit
alone" "They
use their high
popularity and
superiority in
number to
protect
themselves"
CONCLUSIONS:

1. - There is an obvious difficulty to establish typologies of situations considered as

bullying. A protocol of classification should be urgently established.
2. After an ordeal of ineffective proceedings the families contact with the Association
against bullying but never before 5 months since the problem origin.
3. The bullies are supported either by other bullies or bystanders.
4. Bullying occurs in many different forms. It may involve: Repeatedly and
deliberately teasing, poking, pushing, hitting, kicking, beating up, name-calling,
insulting – with intention of hurting the victim. There is consistency between what
the family and the victim report.
5. Except for the cases which need special teaching (considered more important than
the bullying problem) the rest of the families consider bullying top priority, even
having recourse to law (two out of every four of the examined cases)
6. School is the main behavioural setting for bullying.
7. Anxiety (with somatic symptomatology), depression and low school achievement
are the main consequences of being bullied.
8. Victims find difficult to speak. Families not only co-operate but also demand
psychological treatment.
9. Families feel that Civil Service “does not intervene”. It is convenient to make clear
that there is a protocol in our region unknown by all of them and also that centres
do take corrective measures. Likewise it is necessary to highlight that none of the
centres involved took measures to protect the victim (a group change is not
considered a measure of protection, rather a punishment if the bullied person is
the one changed.
10. Failure to comply with mediation protocols, the silence of teachers and head
masters placing the bully at the same level as the victim, pathologize the victim
and not taking measures for his/her psychological protection only leads to
perpetuate an imbalance situation that begins with aggression
11. The appearance of phenomena such as cyberbullying through the virtual social
nets involves a specific teaching on the influence of new technologies on social
behaviour.
12. In this context, the figure of the social educator is essential at least when acting
as counselor, mediator, adviser and informant.

Supported by ACAE – Association against bullying of Asturias

Acknowledgements:
Govern of Principality of Asturias
Gijon City Council
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