What is Bullying, how to describe and identify it, and what to do about harassment and aggressive behaviors.

1. Jan Perry Evenstad, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor Secondary Education
Metropolitan State University of Denver
University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras
June 16-20, 2014

2. What is your definition of bullying?
What examples of bullying have you seen,
witnessed, experienced, or heard about in
school or workplace?

3. “Bullying is when someone repeatedly
and on purpose says or does mean or
hurtful things to another person who
has a hard time defending himself or
herself.”
Olweus Definition of Bullying:

4.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUJlB7OSzBw

5. Federal Civil Rights Laws
Title VI (Race, Color, and National Origin)
Title IX (Sex/ Gender)
504 (Conditions of Disabilities)
Dear Colleague Letters found on USDOE Office for Civil
Rights website
State Laws
State Board Policies

6. Harassment is unwelcomed, unwanted, and
unsolicited conduct that is based on race,
color, religion, sex (including pregnancy),
national origin (including language), age
(40 or older), or disability. Harassment
becomes unlawful (quid pro quo and
hostile environment),

7. 1. Involves an aggressive behavior
2. Typically involves a pattern of
behavior repeated over time
3. Imbalance of power or strength
OBBP 2012

8. OBBP 2012
Who
Bullies?
What?
When/
Where?
Why?
How?
Who is
Bullied?

9. OBBP 2012

10. Direct--Hitting, taunting, name calling
Indirect—Rumors, exclusion, cyber
bullying
OBPP 2012

11. © 2012 The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, US
Bullying
Rough-and-
Tumble Play
Real Fighting
11

12. Rough Play Real Fighting Bullying
Usually friends;
often repeated
(same players)
Usually not
friends; typically
not repeated
Typically not
friends; generally
repeated
Balance of
power
Power relatively
equal
Unequal power
No intent to
harm
Intentional harm
doing
Intentional harm
doing
Affect is
friendly;
positive, mutual
Affect negative;
aggressive,
tense, hostile
affect
Affect negative;
aggressive & differs
for victim and
aggressor
Adapted from Teacher Handbook – Chapter 4; Pages 14-15.
OBPP 2010

13. © 2012 The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, US
1. For students and their futures
2. For a healthy school /work
climate
3. For the larger community
4. For the purposes of risk
management for schools
5. It’s a wise investment

14. Lower self-esteem
Depression & anxiety
Absenteeism & lowered
school achievement
Thoughts of suicide
Illness
OBPP 2012

15. Bullied Not Bullied
Headache 16% 6%
Sleep problems 42% 23%
Abdominal pain 17% 9%
Feeling tense 20% 9%
Anxiety 28% 10%
Feeling unhappy 23% 5%
Depression scale
moderate indication 49% 16%
strong indication 16% 2%
15

16. © 2012 The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, US
Children who bully are more likely to:
• Get into frequent fights
• Be injured in a fight
• Steal, vandalize property
• Drink alcohol, smoke
• Be truant, drop out of school
• Report poorer academic achievement
• Perceive a negative climate at school
• Carry a weapon
16

17. Bullying may be part of a conduct-
disordered behavior pattern
This pattern may continue
into young adulthood
Olweus study: Bullies were 4 times as
likely to have 3 or more convictions by
age 24
OBPP 2013

18.  Bystanders may feel:
• Afraid
• Powerless to change the situation
• Guilty for not acting
• Diminished empathy for victims over time
•

19. © 2012 The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, US
Creates a climate of fear and
disrespect
Interferes with student
learning
Students may feel insecurity
and not like school as well
Students may perceive lack of
control/caring
19

20. It’s a question of rights.

21. Research suggests two categories of bullied
children:
“submissive” or “passive
victims”
“provocative victims” or
“bully-victims”

22. Cautious, sensitive, quiet, & withdrawn
Anxious, insecure, have low self-esteem
Physically weaker than peers (boys)
Physically mature earlier (girls)
Have few friends--find it easier to associate
with adults

23. Share characteristics with bullied children
Share characteristics with students who
bully
Be less effective in bullying than other
Students who bully
Behave in ways that cause irritation and
attract negative attention

24. Students with disabilities, special needs,
and health problems
Students who are obese
Students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, or who are questioning their
identities

25. Have positive attitudes toward violence
Be impulsive and have quick tempers
Show little empathy for victims
Be aggressive to adults
Be involved in other antisocial or rule-
breaking activities
Be physically stronger than peers (boys)

26. “Students and adults who bully are loners.”
“Student and adults who bully have low
self-esteem.”

27. Like to dominate others in a negative way
Gain satisfaction from inflicting injury and
suffering
Receive “rewards” by bullying others
(prestige, attention, possessions)

28. What Roles Do Students/Adults Play In
Bullying Situations?
B
C
D
H
G
E
F
A
Start the bullying
and take an
active
part
Take an active
part, but do
not start the
bullying
Support the
bullying, but do
not take an
active part
Like the bullying,
but do not display
open support
Dislike the
bullying and
think they
ought to help,
but don’t do it
Dislike the
bullying, help or
try to help the
bullied student
The one who is
being bullied
Student
Who Is
Bullied
Students Who Bully
Followers
Supporters
Passive
Supporters
Disengaged
Onlookers
Possible
Defenders
Defenders
TG, p. 24

29. Social contagion
Weakening inhibitions against aggression
Decreased sense of individual
responsibility
Gradual changes in the view of bullied
student(s)

30. Lack of parental warmth and involvement
Lack of parental supervision
Harsh discipline/physical punishment
Overly-permissive parenting

31. Lack of supervision during breaks
Students have indifferent or accepting
attitudes
Staff have indifferent or
accepting attitudes towards
bullying

32. 32
A Word About ….
Adults Who Bully

33. A malicious attempt to force a person out of the
workplace through unjustified accusations,
humiliation, general harassment, emotional abuse,
and/or terror. It is a “ganging up” by the leader(s)-
--organization, superior, co-worker, or subordinate
who rallies others into systematic and frequent
“mob-like” behavior. Because the organization
ignores, condones, or even instigates the behavior,
it can be said that the victim , seemingly helpless
against the powerful and many, is indeed “mobbed.”
(Davenport, et al., 1999, p. 40)

34.  Vicarious bullying was coined by Leah Hollis.
Often a leader or manager empowers a secretary,
assistant, or fellow staffer to wield his or her
power. While this manager is not directly showing
aggression, his/her power is extended through an
appointed subordinate. (Hollis, 2012, p. 5)

35.  Hollis Workplace Bullying in the Academy Survey
(WBAS) 2012
 62% of respondents reported having been bullied
 53% were actively trying to leave their position
 45% were the target or witness of vicarious bullying
 African Americans, women, and members of the
LGBT community experience more frequent
occurrences of bullying than other groups

36. Olweus Bully Prevention Program 2012
Program Components
School
Classroom
Individual
Community
Parents

37. © 2012 The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, US
Simple, short-term solutions
“Program du jour approaches”
Group treatment for children who bully
Anger management or self-esteem enhancement
for children who bully
Zero tolerance policies for bullying
Mediation/conflict resolution to resolve
bullying issues
Selecting inappropriate supplemental
materials
37

38. OBPP 2012
1. Stop the bullying
2. Support student who has been bullied
3. Name bullying behavior & refer to school rules or
organizational policies and procedures
4. Engage the bystanders
5. Impose immediate & appropriate consequences
6. Take steps to ensure bullied student will be
protected from future bullying

39.  Rules about bullying (policies & procedures)
 Survey
 Refine Supervisory System
 Partner with Parents K-12
 Partner with Administration, Faculty,
Staff, and Students
 Train and inform everyone on the policies
and procedures
39

40.  The label used to describe an incident (e.g., bullying,
hazing, teasing) does not determine how a school is
obligated to respond. Rather, the nature of the
conduct itself must be assessed for civil rights
implications. So, for example, if the abusive behavior
is on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or
disability, and creates a hostile environment, a school
is obligated to respond in accordance with the
applicable federal civil rights statutes and regulations
enforced by OCR.

41.  When the behavior implicates the civil rights laws,
school administrators should look beyond simply
disciplining the perpetrators. While disciplining
the perpetrators is likely a necessary step, it
often is insufficient. A school’s responsibility is to
eliminate the hostile environment created by the
harassment, address its effects, and take steps
to ensure that harassment does not recur. Put
differently, the unique effects of discriminatory
harassment may demand a different response
than would other types of bullying.

42. Books
• Hollis, L. P.. (2012). Bully in the Ivory Tower.
Patricia Berkly LLC.
• Olweus, D (1993). Bullying at school: What we
know and what we can do. Victoria, AS:
Blackwell Publishing.

43. Other Resources
Dear Colleague Letter Bullying October 26, 2010
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/lette
rs/colleague-201010.pdf
Dear Colleague Letter Bullying and Special
Education August 20, 2013
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/
memosdcltrs/bullyingdcl-8-20-13.pdf

44. Other Resources
• Bullying and Children and Youth with
Disabilities and Special Health Needs
file:///C:/Users/evenstad/Downloads/BullyingTi
pSheet%20For%20Special%20Education%20(1).
pdf
GLSEN: The 2011 National School Climate Survey
http://glsen.org/sites/default/files/2011%20Nat
ional%20School%20Climate%20Survey%20Full%
20Report.pdf

45. Other Resources
Dear Colleague Letter Race
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/gu
idance-ese-201111.pdf
Website Olweus Bully Prevention Program
http://www.clemson.edu/olweus
International Bully Prevention Association
http://www.stopbullyingworld.org