Analysis of problem of bullying and its prevention at comprehensive school

Giedrius Girdvainis, Rasa Pocevičienė

Public institution Šiauliai university publishing house

Lithuanian

English

bullying, victim, bullying initiator, offender, bullying prevention, bullying prevention programmes.

Research

Parents, Policy Makers, Teachers, Researchers, Young People, School Directors.

1 - 20 pages

According to data of World Health Organization there are approximately 70 percent of children in Lithuania who have experienced bullying from their coevals at least once, and almost one third of them are being bullied at school often (2-3 times a month or even more frequently). Bullying at school is a big problem, which is related to pupils' health disorders, negative aspects of way of living and etc. Organizing bullying prevention at school could protect children from somatic and psychological problems of health and risky behaviour. Main determinant factors of successful prevention of bullying are emphasized in this article. The view is also focused on the possibilities to use preventive measures on different levels of comprehensive school. The aim of the research in aspects of education and management is to clear up possibilities of organizing bullying prevention at comprehensive school. The research has showed that bullying at school takes place in many countries. There is a problem of bullying definition today. Scientists from different countries provide different definitions of bullying. There are some characteristic features of bullying such as recurrence; unequal power relations between victim and offender and conscious infliction of pain and fering for the weaker person. It is possible to distinguish direct, indirect, verbal, written, physical, sexual bullying and bullying because of personal features.
Bullying has long-term or short-term consequences for the initiator of bullying and for the victim too. The main factors which are the basis for bullying prevention success are organizing bullying prevention at school (to carry out researches into bullying manifestation; to prepare bullying prevention strategy; to form groups for bullying prevention; to develop adults' competencies and etc.), in the class (to integrate bullying prevention into curriculum; to encourage communication among pupils; to create class rules; to develop social skills and etc.) and on the individual level (help for the victim and for the offender and etc.). Active cooperation of entire school community, recognition of bullying problem from adults, following rules of prevention programmes, paying considerable attention to formulated aims of preventive programmes, looking for the problem solving aids, social skills development, careful coordination of prevention, implementation of these programmes in early childhood, variety of prevention forms, development of adults' competencies are important factors for success ofbullying prevention.

The document highlights the key success factors leading to the prevention of bullying, discusses the possibility of preventive measures in the different schools of general education system level. The article highlights the main reason for rise in bullying - a negative lifestyle. The authors examine bullying in Lithuanian schools in comparison with the experience of foreign countries.

http://hu.su.lt/old.su/bylos/mokslo_leidiniai/jmd/09_04_25/girdvainis1.pdf

7 Analysis of problem of bullying and its prevention at comprehensive school.pdf

Kaunas University of Technology