Bullying is defined as the intentional desire by one or more individuals to threaten, frighten or hurt a person with actions, behavior, or words. Typically, bullying can be physical, verbal, psychological, or social and is one of the main problems experienced by young people (Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization et al., 2016). It occurs in the workplace, at school, and online in form of cyberbullying. This behavior can have detrimental impacts on everyone involved including the bully, the bullied, and the bystander. However, it can be prevented by implementing selective preventive programs.
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For years, bullying has been accepted as a rite of passage among adolescents and children. Characteristically, there has been general tolerance when it comes to an adolescent or a child with greater power or social capital intimidating a peer perceived as subordinate (Smith, 2016). However, this social problem is not a common part of childhood and is currently considered to be a serious population health issue. In America, numerous reports on bullying indicate a high prevalence of the issue in school settings. According to a 2019 survey by the National Center for Educational Statistics, one in every five students (20.2%) report being bullied (Pacer’s National Bullying and Prevention Center, 2019). Moreover, 41% of students who testified having faced bullying indicated that they fear the incident would occur again (Pacer’s National Bullying and Prevention Center, 2019). These statistics indicate that bullying is an issue that requires urgent preventive measures.
Bullying was first contextualized as part of childhood experience over a century ago. Frederic Burk was the first author to characterize the term bullying in scientific literature through his journal, “Teasing and Bullying”, published in 1897 (Smith, 2016). A century later, a Swedish professor, Dan Olweus, conducted a rigorous study on bullying, bringing awareness of the problem and inspiring other professionals to execute their research (Smith, 2016). Since Olweus’s study, research on bullying has gradually increased, leading to the expansion of evidence-based knowledge of the issue. Historically, bullying has happened at school, which serves as the physical environment in which children congregate or play, frequently being the basic source for the formation of a peer group. Recently, the advancement of technology has ushered in a new form of bullying commonly referred to as cyberbullying, which is conducted through social media, instant messaging, chat rooms, and other platforms of electronic communication (Al-Raqqad et al., 2017). Thus, shifting societal norms and modern technology are contextual factors that should be considered to understand and deal with bullying.
Bullying has been associated with numerous causes which have greatly contributed to the understanding of why some individuals torment others. Research suggests that some children who become bullies are motivated by the need for dominant status in a peer group (Smith, 2016). Ringleader bullies may particularly feel rewarded, especially when reinforcers and followers support their oppressive actions, and bystanders remain inactive. The desire for status escalates as a person approaches adolescence. The motivation to bully others and to help or reinforce the act is known to peak immediately after puberty (Smith, 2016). Moreover, having disruptive, aggressive, and defiant behaviors can make someone become a bully. Research indicates that such people have less empathy and are likely to derive pleasure from hurting others (Smith, 2016). In addition, various family factors have been linked to bullying. Children who are brought up by overprotective, authoritative, and warm parents are highly likely to fall victim to bullying as they lack assertive coping capabilities (Smith, 2016). These risk factors greatly contribute to the existence of bullying in society.
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