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Journal of
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A National School Social Work monthly dedicated to networking of parents and teachers.
Volume VII Issue 07 Contents December 2010
Page
Editorial 02
Curbing Cyber Bullying Rekha N Mistry 03
Steps to Reduce Peer Bullying Raja P
Dr Saraswathi L 09
Therapies for Bullies and Bullied Uma L 13
Bullying – An Overview Lucy Josephine A
Dr Kalamathi A 16
Behaviourism and Bullying Radha Vallury 19
Bullying : A Psycho-social Disorder Kalaiarasi M 22
Bullying: A Social Evil Padmini M 26
Anti-bullying: Role of Parents Rani Manda 29
Can Bullying be Eradicated? Sripriya P
Dr Kalaimathi A 31

Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK
Focus: Bullying
Hony. Special Editor: Ramesh K S,
Head and Student Consellor, P G Department of Social Work
Mar Gregorios College, Mogappair, Chennai
Journal of School Social W ork,
8 (New 14), Sridevi Colony, Seventh Avenue,
Ashok Nagar, Chennai 600 083
Mobile: 98406 02325 E-mail: jssw.india@gmail.com
Note: Views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily the official view of the Journal.
December 2010 Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010 01
Editorial Can Bullies Go Scot-free?
Earth is considered as Mother in teachers between 2002 and 2005
Hindu Mythology and meant to across Dehra Dun, Mussoorie and
provide equal space and opportunity Chandigarh found that students had
to all organisms that are inter bullying experiences both on the
dependent on each other to live playground and in the classrooms.
peacefully. The human race, being The report also says, even in the age
unique has taken control over all the group of 14 to 18 years, 58.7% boys
other species and edged them out and 65.09% girls reported bullying.
with the so called sixth sense. And Forms of bullying may vary among
now, through bullying, some of us boys and girls but the news that more
want to edge out the weak, deprived than 2,300 children committed
and voiceless ones amongst us. suicide last year many of which
According to Dan Olweus, the directly attributed to bullying at
Swedish researcher, bullying can be schools, is shocking to say the least.
physical, psychological, emotional, That ‘bullying’ happens at every
social or economic independently or stage of life, at all the times and in all
in any combination. Modernity has parts of the world is not an excuse.
added a new menace in the form of But, if it happens in India with its
cyber bullying. culture of demonstrated tolerance
The largest research on violence even towards the aggressors, it is to
against children (of both sexes) be considered seriously and every
conducted in 2007 by the Ministry of effort made to nip it in the bud.
Women and Child Development, So, school social workers have to be
Government of India revealed that appointed to make schools safe for
two out of three children were children. Correcting bullies without
physically abused and every other compromising the bullied, is the real
child faced one or more forms of challenge for School Social Work.
sexual abuse. But, is bullying restricted to children
The Bullying Research Initiative in and commoners? Not so anymore.
Training and Education (BRITE) in its if WikiLeaks is to be believed, even
survey of school students and diplomats are bullies!
02 Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010
Focus Behaviourism and Bullying
Radha Vallury*
*Radha Vallury, MSW, MPhil scholar in social work, Vijayawada, AP.
Introduction to some variables mentioned
Growth is an all encompassing develops the personality of the
phenomenon right from the creation individual in the process of growing
of the first cell to ultimate death of up. The personality of an individual
human beings. It involves physical, is determined by the attitude a person
mental and psychic phenomena develops. Attitude manifests through
which metamorphose an individual behaviour. One needs to understand
from an innocent, ignorant being- that every attitude of an individual is
with only perception to guide him/ her only a predisposition and of innate
-into an intelligent adaptive being. nature.
The first perception about the Definition
changed environment is traumatic. Bullying student is defined as a
Gradually the perception gives way student who tends to control the
to learning about comfort zones and classroom with disruptive behaviour
adapting to them. that implies contempt for the teacher
Process of growing and who uses coercive tactics to
Perception and learning are the two deskill the teacher. Bullying can be
aspects which form the core of the 1. the sadistic bully type or
process of growing, which includes 2. the bully-victim type.
awareness about the environment. Bully-victim interaction among
Environment comprises of variables students derives from overt violence
like atmosphere, situations, norms, of a verbal, ostracizing, and a
unconditional relationships, physical nature, frequently what
conditioned responses, all perpetuates power struggles in the
accommodating themselves to school system is the bystanding
shape into experiences to be used observer (Twemlow 2000). Bullying
later on. The learning from does not happen because of the
perceptions about environment is victim, but because of the trait of the
experience. The extent of exposure bully. The latest and modern way of
Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010 19
bullying using technology has been
termed as cyber bullying.
Attention seeking
A bully adjusts his personality and
adapts it to suit a selected aspect of
his environment. From the social
work point of view, one understands
that initial successes from attention
seeking behaviour, as in strutting and
loud mouthedness, slowly morph into
more demanding personalities with
destructive attitudes. Throwing of
tantrums, sulking, giving up on food,
messing up of rooms, purposefully
tearing up toys, laxity in school work
by children are all indicators for a
social worker that there is a possible
mal adjustment to the environment.
The immediate reaction to such
behaviour would be punishment
which would lead to negative
reinforcement of established
perceptions. Sometimes, the
classroom clown gradually becomes
a bully when his peaceful antics do
not get the laughs he so desires.
Hence he finds pleasure in pulling at
the ties of classmates, especially the
ones who don’t know how to knot a
tie. The innocent pranks gradually
become harmful and injurious not
only physically but also
20 Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK
psychologically. More and more
giggles and ripples he creates in the
class, more rewarded he feels and
the negativism, defiance and
determined opposition get reinforced.
Rebellion
The problem faced by parents in our
society is that most schools do not
have social workers, teachers
complain about the behaviour of the
child and give the impression that the
child is the reason for class
indiscipline and victimize the student
for the teacher’s own inability to
conduct the class interestingly. For
the child, both the parent and teacher
are authority figures. The teacher
very easily labels the child as ‘rowdy
element’ and since there is no
positive reinforcement which can
counter this, the child is bent upon
proving the label right. The parent is
caught in a vicious ‘conflict trap’
cycle. Both parents need to put in
loads of love along with discipline and
make the child see, acknowledge
and learn that his perception needs
to change positively.
Triggers
Unluckily for the bully, if the home
environment espouses the cause of
abusive behaviour (example, mother-
December 2010
in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts) corporate profit making enterprises,
and dysfunctional relationships this is an additional burden and on
(example, dominating grandparents the other hand, the government run
living with them), his personality schools cannot afford to have social
adapts to this abuser-victim workers. Parents too see themselves
relationship and leads to exacting as omnipotent and decide what is
behaviour. Human tendency is to win best for the child and perform
at any cost for the success, prestige accordingly.
and superiority that it brings along. The Indian joint family system had
So if the child is ‘losing’ favour at the many advantages one of which
school from the teacher, he or she (conspicuous by its absence) is the
tries to make up for it in other known availability of an aunt or uncle to pour
environments such as among your feelings. A garandfather or a
classmates, juniors, friends and grandmother who would offer comfort
family members so that he or she when chastised by parents and had
‘wins’. lots of tales to imbibe values. There
Conclusion were no latchkey childen in good
The role of a school social worker is olden days. Nuclear families and
clearly defined as a mediator, mentor accompanying ills of working
and interlocutor between the teacher, mothers, modern gadgets, influence
parents and school administration. In of media and real love replaced by
India the need for a social worker is guilt-ridden material comfort have
yet to be realized and practice is yet taken a heavy toll resulting in the
to be established. In these days of making of today’s bully.
References:
Dr Chowdary T H (2006): In True Conscience, Centre for Telecom Management
and Studies, May 2006,
Twemlow S W, Fonagy P, Sacco FC (2004): The Role of the Bystander in the
Social Architecture of Bullying and Violence in Schools and Communities. Annals
New York Academy of Sciences.
Guidance to write quality articles is offered free through e-mail to all those
who send an e-mail mentioning GUIDANCE in the subject bar.
Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010 21
Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010 Journal of S C H O O L SOCIAL WORK December 2010