Here’s why your school should have an anti-bullying program.

Bullying can cause severe psychological trauma, especially when it happens while a young person is adjusting to the awkward and confusing changes that come with leaving childhood and entering the adolescent and teen years. Studies show that bullying can lead to depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, academic difficulties, and in some cases even suicide. Young people who are constantly bullied may become withdrawn which can result in having fewer friends, less peer support, and more social problems. Existing research suggests that bullying is most prevalent in middle school. These findings are backed up by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which says that reports of bullying are highest in middle schools (28%), followed by high schools (16%), combined schools (12%), and primary schools (9%). Given the common occurrence of bullying in middle school and its harmful effects on adolescents, anti-bullying prevention and intervention programs can play a vital role in helping students find ways to cope with the negative emotions they experience when they are bullied.

Creating a positive school environment is essential.

The key to a successful anti-bullying program is to create a positive school climate. Research shows that when students view teachers and staff as being caring, trustworthy, and respectful, this can give the student the sense that their school climate is positive—one in which they feel comfortable seeking help from teachers and school counselors if they are being bullied. Having a peer support system in place can also contribute to a positive school climate and provide the student with a feeling of belonging. This can better equip the student to handle the adverse effects of bullying.

A lack of resources could diminish the effectiveness of school anti-bullying programs.

A recent study focused on how a group of middle school students, grades 6-8, perceived the environment and level of support at their school in relation to their experiences being bullied. The study showed many students failed to report incidents of being bullied because they felt that the intervention programs which existed at their schools did not have adequate resources. In addition, the students felt that teachers were overwhelmed and would not be able to stop the bullying. Students also expressed fear that by reporting bullying to their teachers or parents, they might be subject to retaliation, and this could exacerbate bullying from the perpetrators.

These findings highlight the need for schools to implement well-resourced anti-bullying programs that are designed to promote a safe and positive school climate where school staff are made aware of incidents of bullying and take timely action upon learning of such transgressions. These interventions could be supplemented with programs on coping strategies that a student could use to better handle the effects of bullying. Finally, researchers say that programs specifically for parents could be beneficial in providing them a better understanding of the types of bullying that can occur and how it can affect their child.

To learn more about the importance of establishing anti-bullying programs in schools, read this article by Anastasia Kitsantas, professor in the Educational Psychology program at George Mason University’s School of Education. Mason’s Educational Psychology program offers degree programs on how people learn with a focus on the theory of learning, cognition, motivation, and the factors that drive student success. For more information, please visit the program website.