9781422270141

are most often the ones experiencing bullying and perhaps more preventative efforts should be put forth for this age group. In the United States, 22.7% of children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17 reported being bullied, while 6.4% reported having bullied others 6 . Similar to what was discussed above, there was a higher percentage of those who were bullied between the ages of 6 and 11 (24.1%) compared to those who were between 12 and 17 years old (21.1%). As for the perpetrators, between 6 and 11 years old, 7.2% admitted to bullying, which falls to 5.6% for kids between 12 and 17 years old. This evidence shows that bullying is clearly a bigger issue among middle schoolers than among high schoolers, though it is significant for both groups. It can also indicate that those who bully may have multiple targets. So, where does it begin? It’s important to look at why these There are four main types of factors that can make a child more likely to bully another person than others: peer, family, emotional, and school factors 7 . Let’s begin with how peers and one’s status can influence someone to bully another person. Peer factors include the desire to have a higher social status, which means to be more popular 7 . Bullies may believe that if they pick on someone, they will feel like they are better than them. This can also happen between social groups. For example, one group of students may believe that their status as student-athletes makes them superior to those who are not, so they bully others to establish themselves as the dominant social group. Similarly, a child may want to feel more powerful at school when their family hurts them at home. Family factors include how the bullies are treated at home 7 . They may be experiencing abuse or violence from their parents or other family members or may not receive any emotional support from their perpetrators start bullying in the first place. Why Does Bullying Happen?

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You Are Not Alone: Bullying