Schools failing to confront serious problem of bullying, conference hears
A national survey has shown that almost half of primary school children are either bullying, or the victims of bullying, with a quarter of post-primary pupils being involved in bullying in either way.
Prof Ken Rigby said poor mental health in children was significantly associated with involvement in bullying at school. Children who were bullies, or victims, were more prone to depression and thoughts of suicide.
Speaking at the annual conference in Tralee of the Irish Association of Suicidology and the National Suicide Review Group, he said despite efforts to publicise the gravity of the problem, there is still difficulty getting the message across to schools.
“Bullying is a serious problem that needs to be attacked and there needs to be consensus of opinion within schools,” Australia-based Prof Rigby told 250 delegates.
Where efforts were made to deal with the problem, there were improvements, he said. Irish research showed reductions of up to 25% and a reduction of 80%, according to a study in Finland.
“But there’s a long way to go and there’s still a lot of denial and lethargy.” The two-day conference examined links between bullying and suicide in schools. Delegates, including teachers, guidance counsellors, psychiatrists and health board personnel, heard 10% of teenagers suffer from serious depression, but only 50% were identified by their parents as having depression.
Dr Mona O’Moore, coordinator of the anti-bullying centre, TCD, has carried out extensive research into bullying among primary and post-primary pupils.
A nationwide survey of 20,000 pupils found that 43% at primary level were involved in bullying - 12% were pure bullies, 17% were victims and 14% were both bullies and victims.
At second level, 26% were involved in bullying - 11% were bullies, 11% were victims and 4% were both bullies and victims.
Dr O’Moore criticised a culture which still believed that bullying was a normal phase of development in children who should be expected to cope with it.
“Bullying is not normal behaviour and it does tremendous harm to people,” she stressed.
John Lahiff, coordinator of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme which is due to be implemented at primary and post-primary level from next September, said prevention was the first priority. He said the aim was to create a school ethos which encouraged children to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying.
