Bullying Across the Lifespan

Paper Summary:

This paper takes an in-depth look at how and to what extent bullying can negatively impact the bully, the victim, and the social structure in which bullying occurs. The paper reviews literature on bullying that addresses its effects on psychosocial development as well as its long-term effects over the course of a lifetime. The paper also focuses on bullying in school and a curriculum that may help to reduce bullying. The paper concludes by presenting an experimental model, already proven effective in the field, which involved a conflict resolution training program for students, teachers, staff, and community members.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Understanding Bullying
Bullying and Appropriate Psychosocial Development
Curriculum Design and Bullying
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Bullying has historically been recognized as a common outcome when children are allowed to interact in social settings. In 1987, Besag noted that "one of the major difficulties in considering bullying is that it is not a phenomenon which is easily defined and measured" (p. 9). Attempts to define bullying become "cumbersome" and the efforts taken to summarize all forms of behavior that are linked to bullying are so diverse that attaching a specific term to these reduces the applicability of effective measurement (Besag, 1987). Instead, it is best to approach bullying as a "problem to be considered within the context of normal social behavior, where often both the bully and the victim have become enmeshed in a process of maladaptive social functioning" (Besag, 1987). If this maladaptive social functioning is not curtailed through external intervention or through internal resolution, it may "suddenly escalate into crisis" (Besag, 1987). This requires that bullying be identified and responded to as representative of issues found within problematic social interaction between two or more persons."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bagwell, C. L., Schmitdt, M. E., Newcomb, A. F., & Bukowski, W. M. (2001). Friendship and peer rejection as predictors of adult adjustment. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development. 2001 (108). 25 - 51.
• Besag, V. E. (1987). Bullies and Victims in Schools: A guide to understanding and management. New York: Open University Press. Retrieved 16 November 2006 from http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/26/ee/d9.pdf
• Bulach, C., Fulbright, J. P., & Williams, R. (2003). Bullying behavior: what is the potential for violence at your school? Journal of Instructional Psychology. 30.
• Cicchetti, D. & Toth, S. L. (1998). The development of depression in children and adolescents. American Psychologist. 53(2). 221 - 241.
• Farrington, D. P. (1993). Understanding and preventing bullying. Crime and Justice. 17(3). 381 - 458.

More papers on Bullying Across the Lifespan:

• Analytical Essay # 130843 : "Bullying over the Lifespan in Human Development"
• Research Paper # 100650 : "Bullying"
• Term Paper # 98997 : "Bullying and the Labeling Theory"

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