Bullying is... Definition of the term, causes, methods of overcoming

September 11, 2018
Psychological terms
Raisa Bogacheva

According to Wikipedia, bullying is a socio-psychological phenomenon that has existed since ancient times, and in today's society its scale is increasing. Many believe that bullying by women, unlike men, is psychologically more difficult for the victim to accept, since women are more sophisticated in their bullying methods, which leaves an indelible mark on the nervous system of the victims. What bullying is (in other words, bullying), how to deal with it and how to prevent it will be discussed further.

What is bullying in psychology?

Bullying comes from the English word bulling - bullying, and involves an act of coercion, an aggressive attack in the form of insult, humiliation, or causing physical harm to one or more people, children for the purpose of obedience. It is performed at the initial stage by 1-2 organizers or bullers, with the gradual involvement of the entire class, group or team. Mobbing and bullying are similar actions. Mobbing involves “herd” bullying, for example, if a newcomer appears in a school or group, and, unlike bullying, only mental bullying is used.

Who is more likely to be a victim of bullying at school?

Anyone can be harassed, but there is one thing that all victims have in common - a strong emotional reaction to insults and harassment. As soon as the offender feels anger, fear or resentment, he realizes that he has achieved his goal, he fed on the emotions of the victim. If the reaction to harassment is adequately strong or indifferent, then the target of harassment will quickly change, and hurting him will become neither interesting nor profitable for the offender.

Traditionally, the targets of bullying are:

Losers, or vice versa, excellent students.
Teachers' favorites or rejected by them.
Children with physical disabilities or disabilities.
Guys with special, creative thinking, non-standard behavior.
Students from low-income families.
Children who have their own view of things, the world in general.
The most beautiful or, conversely, unattractive girls.
Representatives of national and sexual minorities.
Students with low or low self-esteem.

Children who are modest, overly impressionable, and timid are subject to bullying. Boys are more often persecuted physically, and girls emotionally (gossip, rumors).

Verbal

What is it - verbal school bullying? This is verbal bullying or threat using harsh words that contain consistent insults, intimidation and disrespectful comments about someone (appearance, faith, ethnicity, disability, specific clothing style, etc.). Example: one declares to another: “You are fat and fat, just like your mother.”

Characteristic features: guys who have been subjected to verbal bullying often withdraw into themselves, become capricious, or have problems with appetite. They may tell their parents about some unfortunate thing someone said to them and wonder if it was true.

What should I do? Teach your own children self-respect. Using your model of action, reinforce the idea that everyone deserves to be treated with respect - thank teachers, praise your friends, express good attitude towards store employees. Develop your child's self-esteem and teach him to value his own strengths. The best protection a father and mother can provide is to strengthen the child's self-esteem, independence and willingness to take action if necessary. Discuss and practice harmless, helpful ways for your child to respond to the bully’s phrases and actions. Together, come up with key words that the child can say to his offender in a harsh, but not unkind tone, for example: “Your words are unpleasant,” “Leave me alone,” or “Get off.”

Practical part

Friends, this is the ability to properly build communications with people. If you want to work in this direction, I recommend you the online intensive “Effective Communication” - How to understand the hidden emotions of others and build effective communication. This course will teach you:

Manage your emotions and control impulses
Overcome difficult emotional situations
Understand the other person's feelings and thoughts on a deeper level
Communicate more effectively with your surroundings
Manage conflicts
Build harmonious relationships

The author of the course is Oleg Kalinichev. Expert in nonverbal behavior, emotional intelligence and lie detection. Accredited trainer Paul Ekman International. Managing Director of Paul Ekman International in Russia (PEI Russia).

The online intensive “Effective Communication” will be especially useful:

Entrepreneurs, executives, top managers.
For those who work with clients, middle managers, and freelancers.
To everyone who is involved in raising children.
Anyone who wants to improve their communication with others.

The training consists of 4 blocks:

Emotions. Basics.
Emotional stability and emotional flexibility.
Social efficiency.
Building harmonious relationships.

This training will not only help you learn a lot about effective communication, but will also help you learn how to apply the acquired knowledge in practice.

Physical

What is physical school bullying? This threat or harassment through hostile physical intimidation consists of repeated and persistent hitting, kicking, tripping, blocking, pushing, and touching in an unwanted and indecent manner. Example: a child is publicly pulled down his pants on the playground.

Characteristic features: if a child is under pressure, he does not always tell his own parents about the conflict. For this reason, you should watch for possible warning signs and indirect signs, such as strange cuts, scrapes, contusions, bruises, missing or torn clothing, and frequent complaints of headaches and abdominal pain.

What should I do? If you think that the child is being subjected to physical pressure, start an involuntary dialogue - ask how things were at school, what happened during lunch or at recess, on the way home. Based on the answers, find out from the child whether anyone behaved humiliatingly towards him. Try not to show your feelings. Emphasize in your conversation with your child the importance of open, constant communication with parents, teachers, or a school psychologist. Document the dates and period of bullying conflicts, the appropriate responses of those involved, and the interventions that were taken. Do not turn to the bully's parents to solve the problem yourself. If physical abuse of your child continues and auxiliary assistance is needed outside of school, contact local law enforcement. There are anti-bullying and anti-harassment laws in place that require prompt corrective action.

How to help children cope with bullying

According to the results of various surveys, the majority of children and adolescents say that bullying (all kinds of bullying, harassment and intimidation) exists in their schools. One such school bully can turn a child’s trip to the bus stop or his big break at school into a real nightmare. Bullying can leave deep emotional scars that last a lifetime. And in extreme situations, they can result in threats of violence, property damage, or serious bodily injury. If your child is experiencing bullying, there are ways to help him cope with it on a daily basis and reduce its long-term impact. And even if bullying is not a problem in your home right now, it is important to discuss such issues so that your child is prepared for anything. What is bullying? Most children have been teased at one time or another by siblings or friends. If this happens in a playful, friendly and mutual way, when both children are simply playing around, such insults, as a rule, do not cause harm. But when verbal teasing becomes hurtful, angry and constant, it becomes bullying and needs to stop. Bullying (school bullying) is intentional bullying in a physical, verbal or psychological way. It can range from hitting, pushing, swearing, threatening and ridiculing to extorting money and valuable property. Some children bully by avoiding, ignoring others and spreading false rumors about them. Others use email, chat rooms, instant messages, social media, and text messages to ridicule others or hurt their feelings. It's important to take bullying seriously and not just brush it off as something kids have to overcome on their own. The consequences can be severe, affecting the child's self-esteem and future personal relationships. In severe cases, bullying contributes to real tragedies such as school shootings. Why do some children bully others? Children bully each other for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they bully other children because they need a victim—someone who seems emotionally or physically weaker, or who simply acts or looks different—to make them feel more important, authoritative, popular, or confident. Although some bullies are bigger and stronger than their “victims,” this is not always the case. Sometimes children torture others because it has already been done to them. They may think that their behavior is normal because everyone in their family and environment regularly gets angry, yells, or calls people names. Some popular TV shows even seem to promote meanness - people are kicked out, shunned, or ridiculed for their appearance or lack of talent. Signs of Bullying If your child doesn't tell you that they are being bullied or are not showing visible signs of bruising or injury, it can be difficult to know if they are actually being bullied. But there are some signs. Parents may notice a change in the child’s behavior, his anxiety or lack of appetite, sleep, reluctance to do what he previously liked and enjoyed. When a child appears sad, sad, and depressed, or gets upset more quickly than usual, or when he begins to avoid certain situations, such as riding a public (or school) bus, this may also be a sign of ongoing bullying. If you suspect your child is being bullied but they don't want to admit it, find ways to raise the issue in a roundabout way. For example, you can see a certain situation on a TV show and use it as a conversation starter by asking your child, “What do you think about that?” or “What do you think this person should have done?” This can help you move the conversation to questions such as: “Have you ever experienced anything like this?” or “Have you ever experienced this?” You can talk about similar experiences you had as a child. Let your children know that if they are being bullied, bullied, or see this happen to someone else, they should talk to you or another adult (teacher, guidance counselor, or family friend) about it. ), brother and sister. Helping Children If a child tells you about a bully, focus on comfort and support, no matter how upset you are. Children often do not want to tell adults about bullying because they feel insulted and humiliated, or they are worried that their parents will be very worried and worried. Sometimes children feel as if it is their own fault, that if they looked or acted differently, this would not have happened. Sometimes they are afraid that if the bully finds out that they told someone everything, it will be even worse. Others fear that their parents will not believe them or take action in this direction. Or children worry that their parents will force them to fight back against the bully they fear. Praise your child for having the courage to talk about it. Reassure him that he is not alone - many people experience their fair share of bullying at some point. Emphasize that it is the bully who is doing the wrong thing, not the child himself. Convince your child that you will figure out how to act correctly in this situation, and together you will take into account all the subtleties. Sometimes an older sibling or friend can help cope with the situation. Your daughter may benefit from hearing how her older sister, whom she idolizes, was teased about her dental braces and how she dealt with it. An older sibling or friend can also provide some insight into what's going on at school or where bullying occurs and help you come up with a better solution. Take it seriously when your child says that the bullying will be even worse if the bully finds out that your child talked about it. Sometimes it can be helpful to reach out to the bully's parents. In other cases, it is worth contacting the teacher or head teacher first. If you have already tried these methods and still want to talk to the parents of the bully child, do so in a formal setting, for example, in the presence of the head teacher. Many countries have laws and regulations regarding bullying. Find out about similar ones in your local government. In some cases, if you have serious concerns about your child's safety, you may need to contact law enforcement. Advice for Children The key to helping children is to provide strategies that will teach them how to cope with everyday bullying, as well as help restore children's self-esteem and regain their sense of self-worth. It can be tempting to encourage your child to fight back against the bully. After all, you are angry that your child is suffering, and perhaps as a child your parents advised you to “stand up for yourself,” which you successfully did. And you worry that your child is still suffering at the hands of a bully. But it is important to advise children not to respond to bullying by fighting or retaliating with bullying. This can quickly escalate into violence, trouble, and traumatize one of them. Instead, it is best to walk away from the situation, talk to other children, and tell an adult about the situation. Here are some other strategies for children that can help them improve the situation and how they feel about what is happening:

Avoid the bully and be in company. Don't go into the restroom if the bully is there, and don't go into the locker room when no one is around. Always be in the company of a friend so as not to be left alone with the bully. Be in the company of friends on public transport (a school bus), in the corridors or at recess - wherever you can meet a bully. Offer the same to your friend.
Control your anger. It's natural to feel upset about being bullied, but that's exactly what bullies do. It makes them feel stronger. Try not to react by crying, blushing or getting upset. It takes a lot of practice, but it is a useful skill in fighting off a bully. Sometimes it can be helpful to practice strategies to bring yourself back into balance, such as counting to ten, writing down your angry words on a piece of paper, taking a deep breath, or simply walking away. Sometimes you need to teach children to put on a blank face until they get rid of danger (smiling or laughing can provoke a bully).
Act brave, walk away and ignore the bully. Firmly and clearly tell the bully to stop, then turn around and walk away. Try to ignore offensive comments, such as showing indifference or pretending to be deep in conversation on your cell phone. By ignoring a bully, you show that you don't care about him. Eventually, the bully will probably get tired of pestering you.
Tell an adult about bullying. Teachers, school principals, and parents can help stop bullying.
Talk about it. Talk to someone you trust, such as your head teacher, teacher, sibling or friend. They may offer some helpful advice, and even if they can't fix the situation, it will help you feel less alone.
Eliminate provoking factors. If a bully asks you for money for lunch, bring your own lunch. If he tries to take your music player, don't bring it to school.

Lend At home, you can reduce the harm caused by bullying. Teach your children to socialize with friends who help develop their self-confidence. Help them meet other children by attending various clubs or sports clubs. And find activities for children that will help them feel confident and strong. Maybe it will be a self-defense section, karate or a gym. And remember: As upsetting as bullying can be for you and your family, there are many people and ways to solve the problem.

Social

What it is? Social threat or exclusionary harassment involves someone being deliberately excluded from participating in a group activity, whether it be lunch, play, sports, or social work.

Example: A group of girls in a dance class are talking about a weekend party and exchanging pictures, while focusing little or no interest on the girl they decided not to invite, pretending she doesn't exist.

Characteristics: Watch for mood swings, avoidance of socializing with peers, and greater than usual desire for solitude. Girls, more than boys, feel social isolation and nonverbal or emotional threat. The mental pain from this type of bullying can be as powerful as that from physiological violence, and last much longer.

What should I do? Use the evening time to talk with your child about his day. Help him find positive moments in absolutely everything, focus on his good qualities and make sure he understands that there are people who love him very much and are ready to help him in everything. Focus on building your child's abilities and interests in music, art, sports, reading, and extracurricular activities so that he or she has the opportunity to build relationships outside of school.

Bullying Prevention

Most often, bullying is self-affirmation through physical or psychological (emotional) violence. The main reason for such behavior is usually social inequality and the lack of other ways to assert oneself. Accordingly, the more prosperous a society is, the more opportunities a person has for self-realization and the fewer prerequisites for bullying.

In most cases, the aggressors are witnesses or victims of domestic violence. They usually have deep psychological trauma that makes them anxious, impulsive and aggressive. To maintain self-confidence, they need to feel superior to someone they choose as a victim.

Victims of bullying are usually people with a victimized behavior pattern. They are characterized by such features as:

inferiority complex;
low self-esteem;
lack of self-confidence;
modesty, shyness, reticence;
anxiety, depression;
excessive caution, tendency to doubt.

To avoid bullying in a team, it is necessary to create an environment of equality. No one should look like a “black sheep”, an outcast or a favorite of teachers (bosses). At the same time, it is important to understand that the balance is very fragile, and something can always happen that will force part of the team to unite and begin to bully someone. Therefore, the situation must be closely monitored and any attempts at bullying must be promptly suppressed.

Cyberbullying

What it is? Cyberbullying, or cyberstalking, involves shaming someone using derogatory words, lies, and false rumors through email, text notifications, and social media posts. Sexist, racist and similar messages create an aggressive atmosphere even if they are not directly aimed at children.

Psychologist's advice

If it happens that a child has become a victim of bullying from classmates, psychologists advise the following steps.

For children

Try to understand that you are not to blame for this attitude on the part of the other child. Remember that they most often pester unusual, interesting people who are somehow different from others. If you are bullied, it means that you are an interesting person, better, not worse than others.
Build your character. Don't react too emotionally to an insult. The aggressor will not wait for your tears or screams and will simply fall behind; he will not be interested in pursuing you.
You should never withdraw into yourself and cover for the offender out of a sense of false solidarity. Be sure to share your problems with others. It is important! It's best if it's the parents. If for some reason you don’t want to talk to your parents about this topic, find a person you trust (older brother or sister, grandmother, parents of friends).

Remember

: asking for help is not weakness, but the decision of a mature person in trouble.

FOR TEACHERS

Tips for teaching staff are provided in the section “How to deal with bullying.” The main recommendation is to avoid serious consequences, do not bury your head in the sand and sound the alarm at the slightest suspicion of bullying.

FOR PARENTS

Children rarely admit openly to being bullied at school. Therefore, parents need to pay attention to all changes in the child’s behavior.

The following signs may indicate that your child has become a victim of bullying:

Increased anxiety.
Bad dream.
Reluctance to go to school.
Obvious signs are bruises and abrasions on the body and face.
Tearfulness, or unusual harshness, rudeness.
Depressed state.

If facts of bullying become known, it is necessary to support the child. The biggest mistake is to say: “I’ve played it out” or “It’s my own fault.” The child will no longer trust you. Remain outwardly calm and praise your child for honestly sharing the problem with you.

Make it clear that you are always on his side, no matter what happens now or in the future. Show your willingness to help and resolve the issue, the child will immediately calm down and become more confident. Next, you should begin actions to clarify the situation with teachers, the class teacher, and the parents of your child’s offender. Having clarified the reasons that became the basis for bullying, it is necessary to talk with the child, explaining to him further actions and behavior.

If the case is advanced and cannot be corrected, then the last resort to protect the child and prevent his psychological trauma may be to move to another school. Unfortunately, there are also cases when neither conversations nor registration with the KDN have an impact on the bully and he continues his aggression.

Causes

This phenomenon is preceded by many factors, one of which is domestic violence, so bullies themselves are often considered victims in their family. The desire to insult or mutilate others grows from a sense of personal inferiority; the bully has no control over the environment of violence at home, but in society and school he is able to do this in order to feel power in his own hands.

Other circumstances of bullying:

sexual development – during the period of hormonal “shock” the level of testosterone and adrenaline in the blood increases in schoolchildren, which can be a source of increased aggression;
tendency towards sadism;
desire to be the center of attention;
increased demands on others.

How to deal with the problem?

Parents need to know how to stop bullying (bullying of children or adults):

understand the real root cause of what happened to the child;
make sure that the child has actually become a victim of school bullying;
inform the teacher and school psychology specialist;
jointly find ways out of the current situation;
if the child was very frightened and stunned by what happened, do not send him to school the next day;
if there is enormous stress, try to transfer the children to another class or even to another school;
in the event of the formation of post-traumatic stress syndrome, immediately resort to specialists;
Do not under any circumstances neglect what happened to the child and do not leave everything to chance.

It is very important to reassure the child and help with the words: “Well done for telling me. You did the right thing” or “I trust you. It’s not your fault” or “You’re not the only one who finds yourself in a similar situation, it happens to other guys too” or “I’m sorry that this happened to you.”

Bullying: who is bullied and why?

MZ: Respectful communication is important. We cannot force someone to love you or be friends with us, but everyone must respect each other.

SL: Do I understand correctly that bullying includes psychological and physical violence, and some hybrid forms - poking, insults?

MZ: Physical bullying is also sexualized behavior, unfortunately. Pinning someone in a corner, grabbing someone by the chest, lifting their skirt—this is sexualized bullying.

PM: What if he pulls your pigtail?

MZ: If other children are involved in this, then this is bullying.

OJ: We are now talking mainly about school bullying, but we know for sure that we now have such a hybrid of bullying: cyberbullying is always connected to school bullying. This gives us a very strong spike in suicides. If you can somehow protect yourself from one type of bullying, it is impossible to protect yourself from two. If you transfer to another school, all the links will be sent there, everything will go in a new way, it cannot be erased.

PM: When we talk about a classical school, a child, even if he has a conflict situation with the whole class, still has other social circles: he can go to a club, play Dota with his friends. When we talk about cyberbullying, it gets everywhere.

OJ: Young children have fewer of these circles - socialization in the classroom is very important for them. By the 10th-11th grade, their need for socialization, as a rule, has already been satisfied.

SL: The film “Scarecrow” from 1984 is about the deep Soviet years, tough pedagogy, but even then this theme was present. So they tried to do something about it?

Olga Zhuravskaya and Pasha Merkulov

MZ: This film was very criticized, and everyone said that there really was no such thing.

In fact, a lot has changed now. The position of power in modern society is criticized. We are looking for other ways of interaction and moving away from the use of violence and rigid hierarchies. Children are now more informed, they generally understand their rights. But nevertheless, the problem of bullying remains relevant, it just takes on a slightly different form.

PM: How does this work for adults? Is this a continuation of the models they learned at school?

Talk more

Don’t be discouraged, support if the child finds himself in the role of a victim, and together look for ways to overcome the problem. Remind him that, besides his classmates, there are other people who love and respect him. Also let him know that there are many ways to solve the problem. All this can help your child increase self-esteem. Quite often, the victim shields his own persecutor and blames himself for what is happening. It is necessary to help the child see things correctly. Moreover, you should discuss with the child the motives for the aggressor’s action: affirmation, mental compensation for personally experienced violence, a kind of self-defense from the hostility of the surrounding society. Teach your son or daughter to stand up for themselves so that they can fight back against the offender.

Types of bullying

Violence against a person can take various forms; let’s look at the main types of bullying.

Physical impact

The aggressor physically influences the victim - pushes, kicks, pulls the hair. Physical violence can be either mild or severe, up to and including beating. This kind of bullying is suppressed more often than other forms, since its consequences are obvious, and the corresponding actions are punishable by law.

Emotional bullying

The most common form of bullying, which is expressed in constant humiliation, ridicule and insults. A child may be discriminated against based on national or social characteristics or physical disabilities. “Fat trust”, “kalancha”, “son of drunks” - these are all examples of emotional bullying.

The victim is bullied and often socially isolated, which can lead to a nervous breakdown. Not only students, but also teachers who publicly ridicule a child’s mental abilities or behavioral skills can act as an aggressor.

Economic bullying

Economic bullying is expressed in the fact that money or other valuables or things are extorted or directly taken from the victim. Clothing or other personal items may be damaged.

This type of aggression is dangerous because information about the person being persecuted spreads very quickly and becomes available to a large number of people at once.

Cyberbullying

This form of bullying is relatively new and involves aggression using communication tools. This could be distributing defamatory information on social networks, sending threatening letters by email or SMS messages, or filming the abuse of the victim on a video camera.

What should parents do next?

First of all, the student should complain to the teachers. And if teachers are determined to maintain order and discipline among students, then they can try to help this happen. For example, talk to the oppressors, call their parents to school and encourage them to do educational work with their own child. Teachers can also bring together children (the pressured person and his oppressors) and try to understand their relationship.

Then the father and mother must immediately begin to form a strong personality in their child. Since not everyone is chosen to take the place of the victim: they prefer the one who gives the opportunity to humiliate himself. The oppressors are convinced that this will always last. For this reason, parents should instill in their child the skills of emotional protection and teach him the technique of communicating with other people. It is absolutely necessary to teach children not only to be clearly aware of their dignity and their own position, but also to defend their own opinion and their own individuality. It is also important to have the ability to predict the actions of other people, cut off provocations in their words and attempts at rapprochement, trace all important behavioral circumstances in a team, and so on.

It is absolutely necessary to teach a child how to recognize manipulation and how to identify deception. Every manipulation is a deception, a false communication. This is a method of obtaining a result from a person if he does not want it.

Using movies, it is possible to directly demonstrate the facial expressions and gestures of the manipulator, and using books or fairy tales, you can focus directly on the words and verbal display of the liar’s appearance. And don’t forget that life is the most optimal teacher in the sense that when you go out for a walk, you can see a lot of “educational material.” There are people around, and they are all doing something, explain to your children their actions and explain the secret meaning of each action. Use every minute you spend with your child to provide him with your own experience and protect him.

Almost every violence is directed at someone who is not confident in himself, who cannot protect himself mentally and physically, who doubts his own motives and life values. To help your child become decisive, do this test with him. Have your teen sit down and write a list: “I adore myself for...”. A list of what a child loves himself for will help him assert himself and consider the good sides of himself. Also, if a teenager knows that he has certain attractive qualities, he will be able to better protect himself, protect his thoughts, his worldview.

Reasons for bullying

First of all, bullying is an attempt at self-affirmation. Trying to better understand what bullying is and why it occurs, psychologists have identified several reasons that force people to find a victim for bullying and bully him. Most often, the aggressor, consciously or unconsciously, pursues one of the following goals:

demonstration of one's own superiority, strength and influence;
the desire to attract attention to one’s person;
an attempt to hide one’s own complexes and self-doubt;
satisfaction of the need for dominance.

Unreasonable aggression is most often a consequence of self-doubt. With his aggressive behavior, a person tries to seize the initiative so as not to become a victim of a more proactive aggressor.

Russian psychologist A. Rean identifies the following causes of bullying:

The desire for power
. Some people need a sense of power over others. And making another person uncomfortable allows them to enjoy their own dominance.
Internal aggression
. Some people, usually those with power and status, have internal aggressiveness, which manifests itself through bullying.
Preventive self-defense
. If the aggressor himself is afraid of becoming a victim of bullying, he may begin to bully the other person in order to seize the initiative. For this reason, someone who has been bullied in the past and does not want to repeat this experience can become an aggressor.
Trying to gain authority
. Bullying is often an attempt to demonstrate one's own strength and determination in order to earn authority and recognition in a team.

How to avoid?

The conversation plan with the child must include the main points of bullying prevention:

Directness. We call the problem by its proper name—bullying, oppression. No need to beat around the bush, guys don't like that. Explain that bullying is a class issue, not a specific person issue. Violence is like a contagious disease that affects a group, and absolutely everyone needs to worry about the state of health within their group. Relationships need to be kept clean just like your face and clothes.
Role reversal. This method can be used alone with the aggressor or with teachers, if they do not understand the danger of what is happening. You need to help a child who is bullying another understand that his behavior is negatively affecting his classmate. For example, you can tell the offender: “Imagine for yourself that you enter the class, say hello, and everyone turns away from you, what will you experience?” Explain to him that people are diverse, and each has characteristic features that may make others nervous. There is nothing wrong. We must try to accept others as they are.
Help from a professional. Invite a psychologist to conduct specialized psychological games that will help you feel in the victim’s shoes and understand the unacceptability of bullying.

Using such simple and important activities, you can achieve peace and tranquility in the classroom or work team. Never underestimate the positive impact of talking. Conversations can be conducted with both the aggressor and the victim. And, of course, parents should always support their child and help him adapt to different conditions. Help your child find a common language with others and be able to adapt to different circumstances. And most importantly, teach your son or daughter to stand up for themselves, their own opinions and not be ashamed to differ from others in skin color, social status or financial situation.

Preventive methods

It is better to prevent any phenomenon than to eliminate its consequences, and bullying is no exception.

The main methods for preventing bullying at school are:

Creating a microclimate in the educational institution that excludes the possibility and desire of aggressive behavior. Ability to resolve conflicts, tolerant attitude towards all children.
Focus on family as a source of child upbringing. Study of parental behavior, social and psychological situation in the family. Correction of intra-family relationships.
Forming the stress resistance of a child’s personality by personal example, through extracurricular activities, giving examples of heroism, resilience in life and art.
Training in constructive communication skills and respect for the personality of another person.
Condemnation and suppression of any antisocial behavior of children.

It is worth responding sensitively to manifestations of hostility between individual children, cases of disrespect or insults. At the slightest suspicion of bullying, it is necessary to have a conversation with both the offender and the victim.