In the article “What Do Elementary Kids Believe About Bullying” posted on www.bullyingeducation.org a study was done by MaryAnn Byrne whom is a licensed professional counselor whom specializes in child and adolescent therapy and aggression. The study was done on 141 fourth grade students in the fall of 2011, the students were given the Kids Helping Kids Questionnaire which consisted of eleven questions with the possibility of answers: agree, disagree, or not sure.
Below are the results that were obtained from the study including each question:
(all results bellow were done by a study posted on www.bullyingeducation.org I refuse to take any credit for the results!!)
1. Excluding others, spreading rumors, leaving someone out on purpose are all examples of relational aggression?
Disagree (58) Not Sure (45) Agree (36)
2. It is OK to leave others out of talk about kids behind their backs if they deserve it?
Disagree (124) Not Sure (5) Agree (2)
3. It is important to share my feelings with the person who has hurt me?
Disagree (37) Not Sure (32) Agree (61)
4. Kids who ask adults or older kids to help if someone is hurting them are babies?
Disagree (86) Not Sure (22) Agree (22)
5. It is not my responsibility to help other kids if I am not involved?
Disagree (87) Not Sure (18) Agree (25)
6. If I just ignore someone who is hurting my feelings, he/she will eventually go away?
Disagree (14) Not Sure (29) Agree (87)
7. People act in mean ways because they don’t feel good about themselves?
Disagree (22) Not Sure (60) Agree (47)
8. It is tattling to tell on a kid who is hurting someone else (for example, making fun of them and/or leaving them out)?
Disagree (75) Not Sure (26) Agree (24)
9. If a kid hurts you, it is OK to try and get back at them and hurt them?
Disagree (120) Not Sure (6) Agree (4)
10. People we are often the target (for example, of name calling, exclusion) may hurt for a short time, but they will get over it soon?
Disagree (33) Not Sure (57) Agree (40)
11. When a friend or classmate has done something that you do not like, you should tell them how you feel?
Disagree (17) Not Sure (57) Agree (40)
What I found most surprising by the results of the questionnaire were the responses to questions four and six. According to the results of Byrnes' study the majority of students believe that its okay to help when someone is being bullied, but yet society shows that still so many students still believe that if they tell an adult when bullying takes place then they are “babies” or “tattle-tales”. Responses to question six show that students believe that if they ignore their bully then they will eventually go away, which is generally what all students are taught to do, myself included when I was in elementary/middle school. However, when students were later questioned further about this question by Byrne, unanimously they agreed that “it does not work to ignore a bully”.
Programs that inform students and teachers/administers about how to control and eliminate bullying is key. There have been so many new forms of bullying prevention programs that have came about, but its up to each school and teacher to enforce these programs and express how important it is to put a stop to this problem.
Works Cited
Byrne, MaryAnn. "Bullying Will Never End." Bullying Education. Bullying Education, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2012. <http://www.bullyingeducation.org/bullying-will-never-end/>.
Byrne, MaryAnn. "Bullying Will Never End." Bullying Education. Bullying Education, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2012. <http://www.bullyingeducation.org/bullying-will-never-end/>.
Byrne, MaryAnn. "What Do Elementary Kids Believe About Bullying?." Bullying Education.
Bullying Education, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012.
<http://www.bullyingeducation.org/2012/02/15/what-do-elementary-kids-believe/>.
-Rachel Forrester
