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Transcript of Greek Students’ & Teachers’ Understanding of School Bullying: Results from a Nationwide Research...
Greek Students’ & Teachers’ Understanding
of School Bullying: Results from a
Nationwide Research Study
Anastasia Psalti,Department of Early Childhood Care &
Education
Alexander Technological Educational
Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece
Bullying1
• Not a recent phenomenon that emerged in the 20th century
• Not synonymous with violence or aggression, but a particular form of both
• Essential elements (Olweus, 1993):– The harmful act must be intentional, although it
may be physical, verbal, or psychological– The act must also be repetitive– The act must be directed from a more powerful
(physically, verbally or socially) individual towards one who is weaker
1 From: Bauman & Del Rio (2005)
Bullying in Greek Schools• Bullying – a widespread phenomenon around
the world• Growing interest in Greece over the past
decade– A few localized studies– Participants: elementary-school students
• Project PYTHAGORAS: A large-scale research project co-funded by the European Union-Social Fund and National Resources (EPEAEK II)• Objectives:
– To study the phenomenon of school violence in Greek schools (Pre-school through High School) in relation to the formation of gender and cultural identity
– To look into the process of the social construction of both perpetrators and victims
MethodologySTUDY 1
• 2027 elementary-school students from state schools all over Greece– Gender: 49.7% girls & 50.3% boys– Grade: 52.8% 5th grade (age:11) &
47.2% 6th grade (age: 12)
• 1830 secondary-school students from state schools all over Greece• Gender: 52.4% girls & 47.6% boys
• Grade: 58% 1st of Lyceum (age: 16) & 40% 3rd of Gymnasium (age: 15)
STUDY 2
• 135 preschoolers from kindergartens and pre-schools in the greater Metropolitan Area of Thessaloniki• Gender: 54.8% girls
& 45.2% boys
• Age: 4-6 years
MethodologySTUDY 1• Elementary &
Secondary Education• Questionnaire 'Life at
School' (Elementary Form & Secondary Form)
• developed by the research team
• based on: The Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (1996) & the Pro-Victim Scale (PVS) by Rigby & Slee (1991)
STUDY 2• Pre-School Education
• Individual Interview Protocol
• developed by the research team
• bullying scenarios and matching cartoon cards, modified from the cartoon cards of the intervention program “But is it Bullying?” by Margaret Collins (2004).
STUDY 1 - Results
Elementary School Students
• Victims:– 8-14% of students (boys, high achievers)– Victims of verbal (mockery) & social (rumour
spreading) bullying– Place: playground, corridors & classrooms
(minimal supervision)– Duration: >10% for years– Bullies: same age boys, of Greek decent, low
achievers, with behaviour problems• Bullies:
– 3-4% of students (mostly boys)– Verbal bullying
Secondary School Students
• Victims:– 10-13% of students (boys, high achievers)– Victims of verbal (sexual harassment) &
social (rumour spreading) bullying– Place: places with minimal supervision
(playground)– Duration: >10% for years– Bullies: same age boys, of Greek decent, low
achievers, with behaviour problems
• Bullies:– 1 in 10 students (mostly boys)– Verbal bullying (sexual harassment &
teasing)
Some more results…• Report of victimization
– All grades: friends– Elementary school: parents, teachers, siblings,
other person
• Report of Bullying– All grades: friends– Elementary school: parents, siblings, other
person
• Coping mechanisms– All grades: ignore– Elementary: retaliate, avoid, report to teachers,
protect oneself, ask help from friends, stop, run away
– Secondary: ignore
Some more results…• Usual reaction to bullying
– All grades: help– Elementary: help– Secondary: negative or indifferent reactions
• Feelings toward victims– All grades: sympathy & help– Elementary: sympathy & help– Secondary: some sympathy, not much, s/he
deserved it
• Future bullying– All grades: probably not– Elementary: probably not
Elementary School Teachers• Bullying incidents: 8% (physical)
to 68% (verbal-teasing)– Place: playground, corridors,
classrooms– Duration: short (1 week to 1 month)
• Victims:– High achievers, of non-Greek
decent, same age as bullies• Bullies:
– Boys with behaviour problems who act in groups
• Interventions from family & school
Secondary School Teachers• Bullying incidents: 10% (physical) to
40% (verbal)– Place: playground, during breaks– Duration: short (1 week to 1 month)
• Victims:– Boys, high achievers, of non-Greek
decent, same age as bullies• Bullies:
– Boys, low achievers, of Greek decent who act in groups
• Interventions from family & school• A type of conflict among boys; a
personal matter for those involved
STUDY 2 - Results
Bullying at preschool –peer-reports
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Bullying Verbal Social Physical Rumors
Victim
Bully
Bully/Victim
Non-participant
Bullying at preschool –self-reports
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Bullying Verbal Social Physical Rumors
Victim
Bully
Bully/Victim
Non-participant
Some more results…
– Report of victimization• Teachers: 69.2% - 85%• Parents: 49% - 66.7%
– Coping strategies• Report to an adult• Ask help from a friend• Retaliate• Flee
CONCLUSION
Bullying in Greek Schools
• Peer reports:– High incidence rates at preschool, peak at
middle school & a small decrease at High School– Forms of bullying:
• Physical – peak at middle school• Verbal – main form at preschool, peak at middle school• Social – (a) social exclusion: gradual decrease with age,
(b) rumours: minimal at preschool, peak at middle school
– Participants’ roles:• Victims – highest rates at preschool, gradual decrease
with age• Bullies – lowest rates at preschool, increase with age• Bullies/Victims – peak at middle school
Bullying in Greek Schools
• Victimization– Peak at middle school except for
mockery (gradual decrease with age)– Physical & Social Exclusion: high
rates at preschool– Rumours: lowest rates at preschool
• Bullying– Peak at middle school– Rumours: lowest rates at preschool
Bullying in Greek Schools
• Report– Victimization: family & teachers at younger ages– Bullying: family at younger ages
• Coping mechanisms: more active at younger ages
• Attitudes– Gradual decrease of help with age– Gradual decrease of sympathy toward victims &
willingness to help them with age– Gradual decrease of opposition to the use of
violence at school with age– Gradual increase of probability to engage in
bullying behaviour with age
Bullying in Greek Schools
• Teachers:– Identify most types of bullying, but not all of
them– Underestimate bullying incidents in their own
school– Interventions: only when an incident occurs– Doubt the efficacy of their own intervention– Dealing with bullying: personal responsibility– Need:
• Training• Support from colleagues, parents & specialised
personnel (e.g., school psychologists)
Interventions at school• Prevention & intervention programs at preschool
– Information & sensitisation• Prevention & intervention programs at elementary
school– Focus on social skill development & conflict resolution– Involvement of parents, teachers & school community
• Prevention & intervention programs at middle school– Work at individual, class & school level– Focus on social skill development & conflict resolution– Peer networks
• Prevention & intervention programs at high school– Sensitisation– Skill development & conflict resolution– Peer networks
Thank you!