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Reasons
According to Dr. Raymond
H. Hamden, a clinical
and forensic psychologist,
bullying can emerge as
a result of the following
factors: a lack of warmth or
attention at home, modeling
of aggressive behavior at
home, unsupportive peer
networks, poor supervision at
school/home, poor academic
performance, or anxiety about
physical appearance. Other
individual factors include
an active and impulsive
personality, lack of empathy
for others, and someone who
craves attention and approval
from others.
Home Environment
It is important to remember
patterns of verbal and physical
aggression are learned within
the context of everyday
social exchanges between
family members, tells Dr.
Hamden. “This learning
occurs through parental
modeling of overly
harsh, coercive,
and
inconsistent discipline tactics,
including the use of physical
punishment,” he says. This is
illustrated by the development of a
‘coercive family process’ whereby a
child’s initial non-compliance with
parental demands may be met by
more and more ‘extreme’ measures
to achieve compliance. As the
child’s resistance increases, there
is a tendency for parents to use
even more coercive strategies in an
effort to gain compliance or just
give in. Then the child brings these
maladaptive behaviors to school
and often there begins a trajectory
of school failure and teacher/peer
rejection. Therefore, the child
perceives aggression as an effective
tactic for controlling others and
reducing aversive events.
Who a Bully Targets
Dr. Hamden explains
bullying occurs
repeatedly over time
and bullies target those
people whom they
perceive an
imbalance of power or strength.
Bullying can also be related to
hostile acts against racial and
ethnic minorities and persons
with disabilities. Bullies frequently
target people who are different-
overweight children, for example.
Children labeled as behavior
or emotionally disordered and
students possessing apparent low
self-esteem are also likely victims
of bullying -these conditions may
be viewed by bullies as signs of
weakness and precipitate verbal or
physical abuse.
Treatment for Children
Exhibiting Bullying
Behaviors
Research has found Family
Therapy is effective for treating
boys with bullying behaviors, says
Dr. Hamden. “Cognitive Behavior
therapy (CBT) is also used with
children exhibiting bullying
behavior-it involves teaching
youth about the thought-emotion-
behavior link and working with
them to modify their thinking
patterns,” he says. This will lead
to better, more adaptive behavior,
especially in stressful situations.
Using CBT, the therapist works to
identify the underlying thinking
that is causing unwanted or
painful feelings and then helps
the child replace this distorted
thinking with thoughts that
enable healthier, more appropriate
behavior.
“Play therapy is ideal for younger
children and those
unable to verbalize
their feelings
and thoughts,”
says Dr.
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