Debra J Pepler1. 1. York University and The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario. pepler@yorku.ca
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Bullying is a complex relationship problem associated with many psychosocial difficulties for children who bully, as well as those who are victimized. A recent international volume of school-based bullying programs revealed modest effectiveness, highlighting the need to refine interventions using research on developmental profiles of children who bully and those who are victimized, as well as on their relationships. METHOD: Based on developmental-systemic theory, a research review was conducted on individual and relationship risk factors associated with bullying and being victimized. RESULTS: The review led to the proposal of two organizing principles for interventions: Scaffolding and Social Architecture. Scaffolding focuses on providing tailored and dynamic supports for the needs of individual children who bully or who are victimized. Social architecture requires that adults focus on the social dynamics of children's groups and create social contexts that promote positive peer interactions and dissipate contexts that foster negative interactions. CONCLUSION: Interventions for bullying require a combination of scaffolding and social architecture to provide comprehensive supports and to change the social dynamics that enable bullying. With an empirically derived, comprehensive perspective, we may move closer to reducing the burden of these relationship problems in the lives of children and youth.
INTRODUCTION: Bullying is a complex relationship problem associated with many psychosocial difficulties for children who bully, as well as those who are victimized. A recent international volume of school-based bullying programs revealed modest effectiveness, highlighting the need to refine interventions using research on developmental profiles of children who bully and those who are victimized, as well as on their relationships. METHOD: Based on developmental-systemic theory, a research review was conducted on individual and relationship risk factors associated with bullying and being victimized. RESULTS: The review led to the proposal of two organizing principles for interventions: Scaffolding and Social Architecture. Scaffolding focuses on providing tailored and dynamic supports for the needs of individual children who bully or who are victimized. Social architecture requires that adults focus on the social dynamics of children's groups and create social contexts that promote positive peer interactions and dissipate contexts that foster negative interactions. CONCLUSION: Interventions for bullying require a combination of scaffolding and social architecture to provide comprehensive supports and to change the social dynamics that enable bullying. With an empirically derived, comprehensive perspective, we may move closer to reducing the burden of these relationship problems in the lives of children and youth.
Authors: Pernille Due; Bjørn E Holstein; John Lynch; Finn Diderichsen; Saoirse Nic Gabhain; Peter Scheidt; Candace Currie Journal: Eur J Public Health Date: 2005-03-08 Impact factor: 3.367