Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-38)

This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of peer mediation programmes in 3 primary schools in Birmingham. It investigates whether the ‘Iceberg’ system of peer mediation training, and the setting up of a peer mediation service, can reduce bullying, and have an effect on the self- concept of Year 5 pupils. The literature review section of the study reviews existing literature concerning peer mediation, humanism in education (humanistic values underpin the mediation process) behaviour management in schools and bullying. These are all areas that are revisited as part of the empirical research. The empirical research has a quasi-experimental research design which uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The experiment was set up to answer the main research questions as objectively as possible, given the author’s existing wider involvement in this area of work. Pre-test and post-test measures include pupil questionnaires and interviews with teachers and headteachers. The positivist framework of the main experiment, however, proved to be somewhat restrictive in answering some interesting new questions which emerged as a result of the programme not being implemented as planned in 2 of the experimental schools. The findings suggest that peer mediation can be used as a strategy to reduce bullying and improve pupil feelings of empowerment and self-esteem provided it forms part of a wider strategy to empower pupils and improve their personal and social skills. The difficulties of carrying out an experiment in a school setting, however, make the results inconclusive and more research is recommended in order to understand the links between peer mediation, humanistic practices in the classroom, and the apparently central role of the headteacher

The current study aimed at exploring the potential benefits of integrating process drama, an interactive teaching methodology, into Life Education curriculum on anti-school bullying. The program effectiveness was evaluated through the enhancement in students’ empathy, including both cognitive and affective empathy, helping behavior and tendency as well as their knowledge on the basic concepts of bullying. Data was collected through self-reports. 141 S.2 students were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups, experiencing an anti-bullying intervention program through process drama (experimental) or conventional teaching methods (control). The study found that students in both groups showed enhancement in all three aspects, while the increase in affective empathy and helping tendency of the experimental group was significantly larger than the control group. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Bullying incorporates a range of behaviours such as name-calling, physical assaults, social exclusion and verbal and physical intimidation. Engaging in and being the target of bullying is a significant risk factor for future criminal behaviour and poor mental health, making bullying a significant threat to an individual’s long-term psychological and personal development. The present investigation had three aims: (1) to create robust psychometric instruments to reliably measure bullying, bystander roles, and related constructs in adolescents: (2) to explicate the psychosocial determinants of bullying, identify characteristics which differentiate bullies and their targets, and investigate the role of other motivators in the incidence/maintenance of bullying and being bullied: and (3) to assess the effectiveness of a new whole-school anti-bullying intervention on reducing bullying incidents and enhancing pro-social attitudes and behaviour. Participants were a total of 5204 secondary school students (2277 males and 2929 females) in Years 7 to 11 and 256 teachers from six secondary non-government schools in NSW, Australia. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), reliability analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) of factorial invariance were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the instruments used in this study. Results demonstrated that the measures developed had sound psychometric properties. Boys were found to bully and be bullied more than girls across verbal, social and physical forms of bullying. The findings have important implications for theory, research and practice. This study has yielded several measures to further advance theory and research in bullying: the identification of a reciprocal effects model that explains the relation between psychological traits such as self-concept, bullying and being bullied advanced understandings about the casual effect of bullying on negative psychological outcomes, thus highlighting the importance of intervention: and an effective anti-bullying intervention for secondary school students. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Sociology

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Southern California, 2007. / Adviser: David Schwartz. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Julie A. Hubbard, Dept. of Psychology. Includes bibliographical references.

ABSTRACT Although extensive research has been conducted on bullying, few studies have explored factors that elicit, impact, and maintain the dynamics of bullying from the perspectives of teachers and principals. The purpose of this study was to understand the complex nature of bullying through exploring the ecological risk factors that allow this alarming phenomenon to flourish. The influence of factors at the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem on the dynamic interaction between the bully and the victim is explained. Another goal of this research was to capture the complexity and multidimensionality of the teacher’s role in bullying prevention and intervention. The study offers the first comprehensive analysis of the ecological and contextual variables that interact to provide fertile grounds for bullying. Detailed information about principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of bullying experiences was gathered through 8 in-depth focus groups for teachers and 10 interviews with principals. Qualitative analyses of the data led to the emergence of overarching themes and related subthemes. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model (1979 ) was used to provide a conceptual and comprehensive framework that addressed the multifaceted variables. The finding indicated that a complex interrelation of variables was found to be central to victimization. The incidence of bullying was found to be directly influenced by individual traits as well as all the other ecological systems. Among the most salient findings was the influence of the peer ecology on bullying as a group phenomenon. The etiology of bullying as a manifestation of much deeper problems at the bully level was among the new findings. The impact of video games and television reality shows on bullying behaviour was also identified. The findings emphasized the significance of the teacher personality, positive teacher-student relationship, empathy, and training in classroom management for efficacy in addressing bullying prevention and intervention. Finally, the study offers recommendations for teacher training institutions.

Bullying at schools is a problem that has recently gained much media exposure highlighting its increasing occurrence and violent nature. It has also gained attention in the educational field with an increasing number of pertinent studies. The link between school bullying and school violence has been drawn by educators and researchers alike. Of great importance is the positioning of school bullying in the sphere of Peace Education in the school. Despite bullying being mentioned in many relevant educational policies and documents pertaining to school governance, incidents are on the increase. The severity of bullying incidents is also worsening. This context led to the interest of addressing bullying amongst the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) at my school. As the Teacher Liaison Officer (TLO) to the RLC, I decided to initiate an Action Research project with the RCL of this school. The study explores and acts on the RLC perspectives on bullying at their school and their perspectives on suitable interventions. The methodology of action research suited an intervention goal. Learners need to be involved in processes of creating a peaceful learning environment for all. As stated by McNiff and Whitehead, “Working out ideas is the learning, working out how to live with one another is the peace process” (McNiff & Whitehead, 2002, p.13). The study is framed by Freire’s theory on pedagogy and Butler’s theory of gender. It involves several data collection methods, including questionnaires, focus group interviews, creative writing responses, posters, workshops and observations. My findings are presented as discussions based on various generative themes which emerged from the data. The findings of the study revealed that learners had difficulty formulating a comprehensive definition of bullying. Many initially felt that few incidents of bullying occurred at their school and were unaware of the full range of incidents of bullying. Boys and girls experienced bullying differently while different age groups had similar experiences of bullying. Features such as power, aggression and abuse were commonly raised in learners understanding of bullying. While a broader knowledge on bullying was generated through the action research process, many silences still emerged. Learners failed to draw the link between bullying and violence. They also did not mention any incident related to new age bullying or incidents involving the educator as a victim or as the bully. The study acknowledges that in order for bullying at this school to be reduced, a second and possibly a third cycle of the action research process is needed. The study indicates that bullying is not a simple problem that can be dealt with in a short period of time. It needs to be incorporated annually in the school programme dealing with pertinent societal dynamics which affect teaching and learning. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

The opening chapter states the problem, purpose of study and also provides background to the problem as well as preliminary literature of the study. The other chapter that has substantially enriched the project is chapter two, which provided all the literature, related to the research. The third chapter explains the methodology used in this research study. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires from learners in Gaborone Junior Secondary Schools. All in all, a sample of sixty (60) (n=60) subjects were used to collect data. Chapter four is about data presentation, analysis and interpretation and lastly the recommendations, which are provided to help the authorities as well as the school administrators. The study sought to find out the causes and effects of peer harassment in Gaborone Junior Secondary Schools, as well as the prevalent forms of bullying and the effort undertaken by school administrators and other stakeholders to support victims of peer harassment in the educational system. The researchers' hypotheses were that home background, peer pressure, and popularity are some of the major causes of school bullying, physical and verbal abuse are the prevalent forms of bullying in secondary school, there is . a significant positive relationship between school bullying and learners' low academic achievement and that school administrators and teachers are not supportive to learners who are victims of peer harassment. The findings revealed that indeed, children who come from violent homes, homes faced with divorce, alcoholism, lack of maternal affection and poverty, become bullies. The other ,causes of bullying behaviour according to the study, is negative peer pressure as well as the desire to be popular. The study also revealed that learners who are victims of bullying academically perform poorly, fear going to school, riding a school bus and develop low self-esteem and are depressed. Furthermore, the study found that the school administration and teachers do not make an effort to attend to victims of peer harassment. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education through the work of curriculum developers should provide , policies and programs that address unacceptable behaviour. These polices can include expansion of the school curriculum to cater for guidance and counselling. During the study, the researcher's schedule was affected especially during administration of questionnaires as . a lot of schools were engaged in the Performance Management System exercise (P.M.S), thus some were reluctant to help. / (M.Ed.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005