Is Your Child Being Bullied?

It is difficult to know if your child is the target of bullying at school or in the community. When parents find out that their child is being bullied by others, it is common for them to ask themselves if there were any signs that could have helped them realize earlier that their child was becoming a victim. In order to help you recognize if your child is being bullied, here are some common characteristics and behaviors:

• Does not like going to school
• Does not have quality friendships at school
• Are less accepted/isolated by peers
• Socially withdrawn and avoid conflict with others
• Have low self-esteem
• Lack adequate social skills
• Have difficulty solving social problems
• Are perceived as different in some way

Understanding the common signs can help you protect your child from becoming the target at school and in the community. If your child has some of these characteristics, make sure that they have a positive support system at home and in other areas of their life.

References

Cook, C. R., Williams, K. R., Guerra, N. G., Kim, T. E., & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 25, 65-83.

Cross, D., Shaw, t., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., Lester, L., & Thomas, L. (2009). Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS). Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth.

Stein, J. A., Dukes, R. L, & Warren, J. I. (2007). Adolescent male bullies, victims, and bully-victims: A comparison of psychosocial and behavioral characteristics. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 32, 273-282.