Perceptions vs. Reality: Student Experiences with Bullying

I conducted a significant amount of research this year on bullying and the impact it has on the lives and educations of students. Bullying is a prevalent issue across all educational contexts, but most research agrees that the impact is most strongly felt in middle school.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services website www.stopbullying.gov, between 1 in 4 and 1 in 3 students in the United States say that they have been bullied at school. Approximately 30% of students actually admit to bullying others, and 70.6% of students say that they have witnessed bullying in their schools. 

Bullying involves more than just the victims and the bullies, it involves everyone in a school community.

When bullying goes unchecked and unaddressed, it can have a severe negative impact on children’s quality of life. Consequences of bullying- for victims, perpetrators, and witnesses- “include poor physical health, anxiety, depression, increased risk for suicide, poor school performance, and future delinquent and aggressive behavior” (Flannery et al, 2016). 

General Resources on Bullying:

www.stopbullying.gov

Bully Free World- Resources for people to confront bullying of children with special needs from all angles.

Bullying: What Schools, Parents, and Students Can Do (from The Huffington Post)

PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center

 
 
 
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