April Kabay, Psy. M. is a fourth year doctoral candidate in School Psychology at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP) at Rutgers University. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Penn State University. Prior to coming to GSAPP, April was a Research Coordinator at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the University of Pennsylvania. There, she worked on a NIH-funded study investigating genetic and environmental factors contributing to pediatric obesity. During her time at GSAPP, April has worked on a variety of projects including Project Resilience, the CREATE Clinic, the Foster Care Counseling Project, Project NSTM, and the Bullying Prevention Institute tags: bullying,bullies,parenting,student,suicide,pediatric,DrMDK,child health,Haim Ginott
No single factor puts a child at risk of being bullied or bullying others. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs, or rural towns. Depending on the environment, some groups—such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth—may be at an increased risk of being bullied. Children at Risk of Being Bullied Children More Likely to Bully Others Children at Risk of Being Bullied Generally, children who are bullied have one or more of the following risk factors: Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider “cool” Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem Are less popular than others and have few friends Do not get along well with others, seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that they will be bullied. Back to topChildren More Likely to Bully Others There are two types of kids who are more likely to bully others: Some are well-connected to their peers, have social power, are overly concerned about their popularity, and like to dominate or be in charge of others. Others are more isolated from their peers and may be depressed or anxious, have low self esteem, be less involved in school, be easily pressured by peers, or not identify with the emotions or feelings of others. Children who have these factors are also more likely to bully others; Are aggressive or easily frustrated Have less parental involvement or having issues at home Think badly of others Have difficulty following rules View violence in a positive way Have friends who bully others Remember, those who bully others do not need to be stronger or bigger than those they bully. The power imbalance can come from a number of sources—popularity, strength, cognitive ability—and children who bully may have more than one of these characteristics. Source: stopbullying.gov/