Bullying is any form of psychological, verbal, physical, social or sexual abuse that is repeated among pupils. Cyberbullying is the term used when it occurs over the Internet. According to UNESCO, almost one in three students between the ages of 11 and 15 has been bullied at school. There are geographical differences, with Africa (48%) and the Middle East (41%) reporting the highest rates of bullying, and Europe (25%), Central America (22%) and the Caribbean (25%) reporting the lowest. These are alarming figures, as they seriously affect young people’s mental health and increase the risk of suicide by 2.5 times.
Causes and Prevention
The victim(s) of harassment are usually in a disadvantaged position that prevents them from defending themselves effectively. There are many reasons for this, but the common denominator is usually a lack of empathy and an inability on the part of the harasser to feel the suffering of the victim.
In most cases, the origin of this violence lies in frequent conflicts and a lack of love in the family environment, which the child or adolescent reflects in his or her behaviour in the school environment. It is in the family that the security, protection and self-esteem of our children must be strengthened. A conflictive environment causes a lack of self-esteem in the child, with a tendency to depression, which makes them more vulnerable to bullying. On the other hand, too permissive an upbringing or too rigid a discipline encourages aggressive behaviour.
Another key factor is the school environment. A culture that prevents bullying is key to promoting healthy relationships among young people. A meta-analysis of 69 randomised clinical trials (111,659 participants aged 4-17 years) showed that anti-bullying interventions were significantly effective in reducing bullying and improving associated mental health problems. Importantly, the effectiveness of these programs did not diminish over time.
Consequences
The mental and physical health of young people who are or have been bullied appears to be severely affected. The risk of suicide is 23% and the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs increases significantly. Similarly, academic performance is lower in young people who have been bullied.
Work Hypothesis
The aim of this research project is to analyse the positive impact of Inner Management or Conscious Coaching on young people’s behaviour in both school and family environments, as well as on their academic performance. The principle of this method is to teach how to manage negative emotions and to identify false beliefs that contribute significantly to the creation of negative thinking habits and conflictual behaviour.
- (1) UNESCO (2018). Out in the Open: School violence and bullying: Global status and trends, drivers, and consequences. Paris, France.
- (2) Fraguas, D. (2021) Assessment of School Anti-Bullying Interventions. JAMA Pediatr. Jan; 175(1): 1–12 source
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