Analyzing sub-population profiles and risk factors for school bullying

Drawing from a local sample of 1822 7th and 8th grade students, this study used Latent Class Analysis (LCA) and Latent Class Regression Analysis (LCRA) to identify sub-population profiles and risk factors for school bullying. Four sub-population profiles of school bullying risk were yielded from this approach. These profiles included students who presented little need for formal services as well as students who manifested needs for wrap-around support. Importantly, additional regression analyses related student membership in particular risk profile groups to the support they receive from peers, teachers, and parents. Several significant practice implications for bullying prevention and Response-to-Intervention (RTI) frameworks accompany the findings. Above all, school bullying interventions should be implemented with prudence because even the best intended ones carry the potential for harm.     

Bullying and 'Theory of Mind': A Critique of the 'Social Skills Deficit' View of Anti-Social Behaviour

Bullying in schools has been found to be widespread. The popular stereotype of a bully, supported by theories based on the social skills deficit model, is of a powerful but 'oafish' person with little understanding of others. In this article, we trace the origin of this view, and present an alternative view: that some bullies, at least, will need good social cognition and theory of mind skills in order to manipulate and organise others, inflicting suffering in subtle and damaging ways while avoiding detection themselves. Such skills, although likely to be utilised in all bullying, may be particularly useful for ringleader bullies and in the indirect forms of bullying which are more common between girls. Suggestions for further research in this area are made, and implications for anti-bullying work briefly discussed.     

The Path through Bullying—A Process Model from the Inside Story of Bullies in Hong Kong Secondary Schools

The process of how youngsters become bullies and slowly withdraw the behavior was explored through in-depth interviews of eight bullies in a secondary school in Hong Kong. Most respondents sympathized with the victims initially. They started to bully others for various reasons. Gains of security, power, material benefit, fun, and emotional release reinforced the behavior. Inhibition was influenced by school discipline and family response. The relative forces of the encouraging and inhibiting factors in the process determined the perpetuation or termination of the behavior. A four-phase model is developed to explain the dynamics. The implications of the findings are discussed.