Bullying

      No organization, school or educational institution is free of expressions of violence. However, bullying or bullying should not be confused with the ups and downs that normally occur in relations between students and students, especially during pre-adolescence and adolescence.

      When talking about bullying or bullying is not a simple push, or a mockery. The term refers to a situation of violence that can lead to something serious and, if not addressed in time, generate serious emotional harm to the victim as well as the aggressor. Moreover, the behaviour of the aggressor indicates that he is an emotionally affected person, so we must avoid stigmatizing him.

      Bullying can manifest itself in multiple ways, some more striking than others. Therefore it is very important to be aware of any signs of abuse in the classroom. The components of the harassment are:

• Bullying: understood as the habitual abuse that a student experiences due to the behaviour perceived by him as cruel, comes from other students or circumstances related to the school.

• Verbal harassment: generated through verbal and nonverbal language: threats, insults, ridiculing behaviours or ways of being, bothering through the word or gesture …

• Factual harassment: shown through physical aggression, stealing belongings, treating others as inferior beings.

      A statistical study carried out on schoolchildren from 32 countries and endorsed by the World Health Organization revealed that 24.8% of Spanish children between 11 and 18 years old suffered bullying. In Spain, the Cisneros X report on «Harassment and School Violence in Spain. This study revealed that 23.4% of the students enrolled between the second grade of primary school and the first year of high school were victims of bullying (*).

The main consequences of bullying are the following:

• For the victim:

1. 1.  Low self-esteem

   2.  Emotional disorders: depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts

   3.  Post-traumatic stress syndrome

   4.  Behaviour alterations: intrusion, introversion, shyness, social isolation and loneliness

   5.  Guilt

   6.  Problems in social and family relationships

   7.  Rejection of the school, lack of attendance and even quitting school

   8.  In extreme cases, bullying has led to the suicide of some victims and their pernicious effects on the physical, mental and emotional health of the individual can become chronic, accompanying the victim throughout his life

• For the aggressor

  • 1.  Lack of control

    2.  Irritable, impulsive and intolerant violent attitude

    3.  Problematic social and family relationships

    4.  Loss of interest in school and school failure

      The child who is bullied can have low self-esteem and emotional problems. It is therefore necessary to address their situation individually, with intervention by psychologists and teachers. It is important to observe their behaviour and their mood in class and at recess to detect any deterioration. The creative solution of conflicts as well as mediation is also worked on in therapy. It is necessary to work in coordination with the school counsellor and tutors, to work in the most effective way.

Psychotherapy is a great help for your child, do not hesitate to contact

Contact

Diana Faon Psychotherapy – Pscyhologist in Madrid-

* https://www.iidh.ed.cr/IIDH/media/1573/bulling-2014.pdf