Family Characteristics of Children Involved in Bullying (continued)

Implications for Schools

Knowing that children involved in bullying may come from poorly functioning families also suggests that one way to curb current bullying is to intervene with the family. Perhaps by helping the parents learn more effective parenting skills, their children will learn how to behave in a healthier manner with their peers.

Implications for Parents

Given the research discussed above, it is very important for parents to seek support in changing their parenting style. All parents should strive to avoid over or under protecting their children, to be as consistently warm and loving as possible, and to reduce their own aggressive behaviors

Helpful links for parents:

http://www.hazelden.org/web/go/olweusparent
http://www.nea.org/schoolsafety/bullyingparentsrole.html
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ui368.pdf
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/adult/indexAdult.asp?Area=familycorner
http://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/index.asp
http://www.girlshealth.gov/parents/parentsbullying/index.cfm
http://www.nobully.com/parents.htm
http://www.mwpuab.com/home.html

References

1. Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at school. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell publishers.
2. Olweus, D. (1992). Victimization by peers: Antecedents and long-term consequences. In K. H. Rubin & J. B. Asendorph (Eds.), Social withdrawal, inhibition, and shyness in childhood (pp. 315-341). Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum.
3. Fosse, G. K., & Holen, A. (2002). Childhood environment of adult psychiatric outpatients in Norway having been bullied in school. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26, 129-137.
4. Perry, D. G., Williard, J. C., & Perry, L. C. (1990). Peers’ perceptions of the consequences that victimized children provide aggressors. Child Development, 61, 1310-1325.
5. Rigby, K. (1994). Psychosocial functioning in families of Australian adolescent schoolchildren involved in bully/victim problems. Journal of Family Therapy, 16, 173-187.
6. Finnegan, R. A., Hodges, E. V. E., & Perry, D. G. (1998). Victimization by peers: Associations with children’s reports of mother-child interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1076-1086.
7. Bowers, L., Smith, P. K., & Binney, V. (1994). Perceived family relationships of bullies, victims and bully/victims in middle childhood. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 11, 215-232.
8. East, P. L., & Rook, K. S. (1992). Compensatory patterns of support among children’s peer relationships: A test using school friends, nonschool friends, and siblings. Developmental Psychology, 28, 163-172.
9. Stormshak, E. A., Bellanti, C. J., & Bierman, K. L. (1996). The quality of sibling relationships and the development of social competence and behavioral control in aggressive children. Developmental Psychology, 32 79-89.
10. Olweus, D. (1994). Annotation: Bullying at school: Basic facts and effects of a school based intervention program. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 35, 1171-1190.
11. Strassberg, Z., Dodge, K. A., Pettit, G. S., & Bates, J. E. (1994). Spanking in the home and children’s subsequent aggression toward kindergarten peers. Development and Psychopathology, 6, 445-461.
12. Duncan, R. D. (1999). Peer and sibling aggression: An investigation of intra- and extra-familial bullying. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 14, 871-886.
13. Rigby, K. (1993). School children's perceptions of their families and parents as a function of peer relations. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 154, 501-513.