Many students who witness bullying believe they do not have the means or power to stop it. While they might not have been directly harmed, it still contributes to the mounting sense of fear and powerlessness in our schools. Bullying and cyber-bullying are some of the most prevalent issues throughout schools in the United States1. Although bullying does not discriminate by gender or race, it however certainly affects students with disabilities at a much higher rate than those without2. Moreover, whether a student is being bullied, participating in bullying, or is simply a bystander to a bullying occurrence, the devastating effects it causes nonetheless disrupts the overall learning environment from remaining as a place of safety and respect for all.
Despite the disproportionality in bullying towards students with disabilities, research has shown that this effect could be moderated by several factors3. Specifically, the combination of personal, school, and community factors all play a role in influencing bullying behavior and victimization rates. For example, educators who are more cognizant of disability characteristics and encourage social awareness are one of the prime influencers in reducing bullying prevalence within the classroom setting4. Furthermore, it is important for stakeholders involved with a student’s education to collaborate in fostering a culturally and socially competent environment that is inclusive of all students. Finally, professionals and caregivers can initiate this by providing children with the understanding the impact they can have on their peers and encouraging them to make a difference.
Below are some additional tips you can impart to students to prevent bullying:
· Say “Hi” or smile at someone in the hallway.
· Talk to someone in your class that you have never spoken with before.
· Join your school’s anti-bullying club, if you don’t have one, start one!
· Invite the person who is usually alone to play together or sit with your group.
To learn more about behaviors, signs, and strategies on bullying, visit the following resources:
· PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
· National Education Association
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
October is the National Bullying Prevention month which unites communities
nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention.
Rex Li, M.A.
Doctoral Student, Department of Special Education
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
References
1Raskauskas, J., & Modell, S. (2011). Modifying anti-bullying programs to include students with disabilities. Teaching exceptional children, 44(1), 60-67.
2Rose, C. A., Swearer, S. M., & Espelage, D. L. (2012). Bullying and students with disabilities: The untold narrative. Focus on Exceptional Children, 45(2), 1-10.
3Rose, C. A., Monda-Amaya, L. E., & Espelage, D. L. (2011). Bullying perpetration and victimization in special education: A review of the literature. Remedial and special education, 32(2), 114-130.
4Swearer, S. M., Espelage, D. L., Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2010). What can be done about school bullying? Linking research to educational practice. Educational researcher, 39(1), 38-47.
5Pellegrini, A. D., & Long, J. D. (2002). A longitudinal study of bullying, dominance, and victimization during the transition from primary school through secondary school. British journal of developmental psychology, 20(2), 259-280.
6Pellegrini, A. D., Bartini, M., & Brooks, F. (1999). School bullies, victims, and aggressive victims: Factors relating to group affiliation and victimization in early adolescence. Journal of educational psychology, 91(2), 216.
7Nansel, T. R., Overpeck, M. D., Haynie, D. L., Ruan, W. J., & Scheidt, P. C. (2003). Relationships between bullying and violence among US youth. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 157(4), 348-353.
8Van der Wal, M. F., De Wit, C. A., & Hirasing, R. A. (2003). Psychosocial health among young victims and offenders of direct and indirect bullying. Pediatrics, 111(6), 1312-1317.
9Olweus, D. (2013). Victimization by peers: Antecedents and long-term outcomes. In Social withdrawal, inhibition, and shyness in childhood (pp. 325-352). Psychology Press.
10Juvonen, J., Graham, S., & Schuster, M. A. (2003). Bullying among young adolescents: The strong, the weak, and the troubled. Pediatrics, 112(6), 1231-1237.
11Oliver, R., Hoover, J. H., & Hazler, R. (1994). The perceived roles of bullying in small‐town midwestern schools. Journal of Counseling & Development, 72(4), 416-420.
