Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.

org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.19, 2015

Bullying in Elementary Schools: Its Causes and Effects on

Students
MS.Afroz Jan

M.Phil Scholar, Faculty of Education, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Dr. Shafqat Husain

Assistant Professor, University of Sargodha, Sub Campus Mianwali, Pakistan
Abstract:
Bullying is an everlasting problem in the lives of school kids. It is a problem that affects all students, the person
who bully, those who are victims, and the persons who witnesses to interpersonal violence. Bullying may include
verbal and physical assaults, threats, ‘jokes’ or language, mockery and criticizing , insulting behavior and facial
expressions. These factors work individually, or collectively, to contribute to a child’s likelihood of bullying.
Bullying is difficult to eradicate in schools because it is so often effectively used by students. Teachers as
professionals have to deal with the consequences of pupil-on-pupil bullying. The impact of prejudice-related
bullying should not be underestimated. Bullying must be recognized, understood and taken seriously.
The major objectives of this study were (i)To understand the nature of bullying(ii)To find out the causes of
bullying(iii)To find out impact of pupil-on-pupil bullying on students ‘learning.10 teachers and 40 students were
constituted as sample of the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select respondents. Restricted
response questionnaire was used as research tool for the collection of data about prejudice based bullying in
schools. Collected data were analyzed through SPSS by running frequencies, mean score, percentage and
standard deviation. The findings of study highlights the nature and various causes of bullying which will help
in the formulation and implementation of various strategies to reduce the bullying behavior of students for
better learning.
Key words: Bullying, Students learning, Bully, pupil-on-pupil bullying

1. Introduction

Bullying is redundant, monotonous, and destructive, power based behavior of students. There are multiple forms
of bullying such as name calling, hitting or threatening others and spreading false rumors. According to National
Association of School Psychologists (2012), social networking and text sending is consider major form of
bullying. Those who are directly or indirectly involved in bullying are at increased risk of misbehavior, abuse,
and absenteeism from school. Thus, bullying creates barrier to learning with negative outcomes on part of both
students and institutions. Students may be burlier and some time act as bully according to the situations.

Bullying among students not only decreases their academic performance but also causes mental health problems
and physical injury. The bullying may refer to the situation of “getting picked on” by others. It happens to
different types of repeatedly occurring threats, harassments, abuse, ill –treatments and victimization.

The phenomenon of “getting picked on” may extend from few pupils in the class, who are chronically and
frequently targeted by friends to a wide range of social context. Previous research studies of Hoover et al.,
(1992) has established bullying as peer harassment or peer victimization in this social context of bully and
bullied. Consequently, an individual may play the role of bully in one instant and may as victim in another
situation depending on power displayed. By standers, may experience substantial abuse, anxiety, and depression.
In order to ensure school safety and promoting positive attitude in school scenario, anti –bullying policies may
be introduced to prevent bullying of any kind. School has ethical and legal responsibility to create safe and
supportive school environment by justifying the effects of aggression, bullying and ensuring healthy teaching
learning environment.

1.1 Forms of Bullying

Whitney & Smith (1993) and Owens et al., (2000) worked independently from each other and discussed various
forms of bullying. The most common and frequent forms of bullying according to these researchers are; insults,
name-calling and nicknames, hitting, direct aggression, theft, threats, and social exclusion or isolation. The

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.19, 2015

research findings of Crick & Grotpeter (1995) also confirm that hitting, direct and indirect aggression in the form
of verbal abuse, gestures threats, and destruction of property are considered as major forms of bullying. Owens
et al., (2005) and Smith et al. (2002), are also of same view about bulling form and they added rumors, exclusion
from play, name calling, and putting down, as major forms of verbal bullying.

Moreover, Berger (2007) concluded from his research work that verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and
dating violence are the form of bullying, which include bullying behavior in the form of relational and physical
bullying(Tapper & Bolton, 2005; Pepler et al., 2008; National Association of School Psychologists, 2012) in the
school. The levels of cyber bullying appear to be increasing day by day, as it is very difficult to measure among
individuals because image or message displayed on screen have different meaning to the viewer every time
(Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009).

1.2 Theories about different form of Bullying

1.2.1 Group Dynamics Perspective.

Murkowski et al., (2001) viewed bullying from a group dynamics perspective i.e. integrity, homogeneity, and
other evolutionary changes are viewed in group as goals in group dynamic perspective. The attainment of these
goals is given utmost value by all members of a group. Those children who are considered as hindrance or those
who are supposed to be unable to achieve these goals are victimized and excluded from the specific group by
other members of that particular group. As a result these children are observed to be anxious and they become
socially isolated because of their inability to accept ecological changes and adaptability to meet the desired
requirements to stay along the group. Thus such children are victimized and rejected because these threaten
consciously or unconsciously, group integrity, and other ecological changes through different ways

1.2.2 Bullying as Socialization Practice (Social order Theory)

Hawker & Bolton (2001) using the concept from social order theory presented a different explanations about
bullying. Within the society individuals have different roles and power within the society. This power is
exhibited in the form of aggression. Terasahjo & Salmivalli (2003) proposed individuals in two forms on the
basis of aggression (a) physically aggressive (b) verbally aggressive. Aggressive behavior is reinforced and
power within the group is valued (Cardigan, 2003; Terasahjo & Salmivalli, 2003). Cardigan (2003) also
observed bullying as a socialization process and gender policing in many qualitative studies .According to these
researchers, in socialization process power is valued, so victim is observed to show deviation both in behavior
and appearance.

1.2.3 Bullying as Group Process

School students being members of social group occupy different roles to foster feelings of
belongingness and to establish themselves in social hierarchy and to reinforce the occurring of bullying. The
research findings emphasize bullying as a group process in which all group members are assigned different roles
(Salmivalli, 2001; Salmivalli, Huttunen, & Lagerspetz, 1997). Some of these are related to bully side of
interaction and it initiates the bullying to occur. Some of these roles are as: a). Ringleader Bully; b). Assistant;
c). Rein forcer; d). Defender; e). Victim; and f). outsider-bystander. The ringleaders are responsible for prompt
the aggression against the target, assistants are considered followers who help the bully and engage in aggression
against friends, rein forcers are those group members who provide attention to then bully and provide feedback
about the bully’s destructive behavior (Salmivalli et al., 1996). While two roles are associated with victim in two
different ways a) Targets of peer aggression are referred to as victim and, b) Those individuals who help victim
to feel better. Thus as a result of interaction of all these roles of individuals, bonds are likely to form among
bullies, assistants and reinforce and may be between victim and defenders. In that bond if bullier is reinforced,
bullying may result in negative due to social reinforcement which lead out by school personnel. Thus other
members of group may assume a new role. Thus aggression is not a fundamental source to this hierarchy.

1.2.4 Cognitive View of Bullying

Cognitivists are of view that due to developmental changes it is very difficult to catch or reduce
bullying behavior among individuals ,as cognition develops individuals gain skills of where ,when and how to
show aggression against others. Developmental changes bring about challenges of interaction and prevention can
be explained with two examples; a). The individuals may become more confident about who they target, where
to show aggression and in which way, b). Adults may be less aware of negative social interaction those

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ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.6, No.19, 2015

individuals who are involved in indirect physical harm providing activities, instead of directly hitting others
(Nishina et al., 2001). The individual may learn that in case of showing physical or verbal aggression he or she
may be at increased risk for revenge from victim or defender, as a result of it adults may be punished. But if he
spread rumors about others, then his purpose will be fulfilled with less or no risk of punishment or revenge.

1.3. Bullying Cycle and its Different Factors

Research work of Glover et al. (2000) identified different behavior pattern among individuals. These
behavior patterns may be; a).Bullies, b).Bully-victims, c).Victims, and d).Nonparticipants. Haynie et al. (2001),
introduced victim bully cycle in which bully and victim change their role, some time bully may be victim and
often the victim may act as bully at the other instance. According to Ma (2001), bullying cycle was evident in
different aspects of social life as well as school life. Researchers identified those persons who are constantly
bullied by others; they call these persons as victims. According to Haynie et al. (2001), victims also show bully
role sometime. These are referred to as important and distinct group members. School enrollment size and
disciplinary climate contribute a lot to victim bully cycle. Parental involvement was found to contribute greater
in victim bully cycle at elementary level whereas academic expectations from peer and teachers was considered
major factor for bullying at secondary level.

Ma (2001) extended the knowledge about victim bully cycle and argued that gender, effective
socioeconomic status, physical health all contributed to victim bully cycle. Though parental care, their
socioeconomic status, number of siblings, family system and academic conditions were considered to contribute
to a great extent in the victim bully cycle, but researchers showed that these factors have no notify able effect on
students of any grade. Affective home conditions were also considered the main characteristics of bullies, then
victims in the school. The students with well established affective conditions show no bullying behavior. But
students with poor affective conditions are considered at risk of bullying others than to be bullied by others.
Among all factors and variables researchers found school climate as major factor to contribute in victim bully
cycle. School location, its disciplinary actions are associated with bullying behavior of individuals, school
climate can be changed through the implementation of various policies, practices whereas school context is
unchangeable. Parents, administration teaching staff and local bodies can control school climate through their
active participation and may be considered helpful in reducing bullying in the early stages of middle school.

1.4. Distinctiveness of Bullies and Victims

Merrell, 2001;argues bullies to be considered more aggressive and violent than other individuals, he
declared that aggressive behavior of bullies might be due to his poor social skills that act as barrier in managing
positive relationship with kith and kilns(peer ,siblings ,family members and in other settings. However,
Vaillancourt et al. (2003) concluded that poor social skills of individuals might not be the reason of bullying;
some individuals with advanced social skills also try to influence others. Carney and Merrell (2001) proposed
characteristics of victims and variables associated with their behavior.

Parental monitoring and involvement count a lot in predicting individual behavior. So, according to
them, individuals of family with low parental care, unpredictable and harsh discipline over controlling families
in which individuals experience bullying from siblings are at more risk of becoming victim rather than becoming
bullies (Pepler et al, 2008). An individual with poor physical conditions will be more likely to be victim and
being victimized by others than to bully others. Research work of Smith (2004) and Schafer et al. (2005),
suggested that only school students and outsiders are not the major source of bullying that count an individual to
become bully or victim.

1.5 Bullying in School

Interest in occurrence of bullying behavior and its impact on witness person are as bystanders or
onlookers. The behavior of individual being bully or victim along with other factors also depends on school.
According to Hoover & Olson (2000), bullying also impact school and communities. They suggested some
characteristics of schools which promote bullying. The students studying in such schools feel: a) unsafe; b) overt
behavior; c) Mistrust; d) gang formation either formal or informal. They do all these to promote bullying or to
protect the group from bullying. Actions are taken against such schools by parents and community to reduce
poor educational climate.

More over bullying is not a result of large or small class sizes or academic competition. Underlying
violent conduct are the behaviors, beliefs and attitudes of all the persons involved, be they affection, regard,

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Vol.6, No.19, 2015

satisfaction, friendship, teamwork or tolerance, as well as dislike, discrimination, favoritism, omission and
intolerance (Belaya and others, 2006; Gazelle,2006; Ortega, 2000; Kuperminc, Lead beater and Blat, 2001;
Lukas and Robinson, 2004). Bullying and its various forms are an integral part of the school and classroom life
and climate which pupils live and breathe. Hoover, Oliver, & Hazler (1992) believed that bullying has severe
impact on the lives of individuals. They affect and impose not only upon the well-being of every member of the
educational community, but also upon their practices and performance. The universal presence and extent of
school bullying and, above all, its consequences for the socio affective and cognitive growth of students make it
a priority in the analysis of school climate and coexistence, which are keys to students’ learning and
development (Ortega & Lera, 2000; Orpinas & Horne, 2006)

1.6. Effects of Bullying on learning and School Achievement

Skrzypiec (2008) administer a survey by involving almost 1400 seventh-, eighth- and ninth graders in
Australian primary schools and examined the effects of bullying on students’ learning and their social and
emotional wellbeing and mental health status. The analysis found that a third of students who had been seriously
bullied also reported having serious difficulties in concentrating and paying attention in class because of bullying
and the fear associated with it. The report (Plan International, 2008) finds that bullying is common in schools
throughout the world and that bullied students often develop concentration problems and learning difficulties.
Bullying is a form of social interaction that many school children experience. Among all methods of bullying
assessment ,self-reports are valued more ,in which individuals are asked to indicate frequently experienced forms
of harassment with a specified time frame or they are asked to express their subjective feelings of being a victim
(Nansel et al., 2001).

Nishina & Juvonen (2003) compared the relative frequencies of different bullying behavior experienced
by students and concluded verbal aggression to occur more than frequently than physical or indirect aggression.
Konishi et al. (2010) studied the links between school bullying and student-teacher relationships and academic
achievement in Canadian schools. The study worked with data for almost 28 thousands 15-year-old students
participating in the Program for International Student Assessment conducted by Organization for Economic Co-
operation and Development in 2006. Results of multilevel analyses showed that academic achievement was
negatively related to school bullying and positively related to student-teacher connectedness. In other words,
students who reported being bullied or suffering some other form of peer mistreatment showed lower academic
achievements than their non-bullied peers. Students who reported a better rapport with their teachers also
showed higher academic achievements.

1.7. Evaluation of Bullying and Anti-bullying Intervention

Survey based evaluation techniques in which individual define a single item bullying construct
differently were used to evaluate bullying types such as direct ,indirect ,verbal or physical bullying and
victimization. Physical and verbal aggression are typically measured by using punitive responses targeting
aggressive students is not considered powerful interceptive measure to abolish bullying. Social aggression
sometimes reinforced by peer approval and feelings of possession, and aggressive persons often gain a higher
public status of leadership (Rigby, 1997;Smith & Sharp, 1994).

There are different forms of bullying which are undetectable by teachers because aggression either
verbal, physical appear to upset individual equally. Therefore different systematic school wide approaches for
preventing bullying and coping strategies are formulated to reduce bullying among school individuals. Ma
(2002) emphasized the measurement of school disciplinary rules and reinforced on part of school staff .It help
students to develop, monitor and reinforce an anti-bullying policy .involvement on part of teachers, parents, must
be made compulsory to ensure intensive, supervision of activities in school surrounding.

Barone (2000) argues that anti–bullying will improve and will be a source of initiating a healthy
disciplinary environment. A lot of researches are conducted to know the needs of individuals for guiding the
educators and policy makers (Adcock & White, 2000; Coleman & Warren-Adamson, 1992). Basic physical care
security, guidance, support, love, affection and respect are perceived as basic needs of individuals. According to
Houston et al., (2009) through the introduction of peer support system, many relationship problems such as
rejection, isolation, and social exclusion have become identifiable. The trainings of school heads, staff are
considered essential to understand the functions, duties, responsibilities of peer support system to introduce
preventions and interventions.

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Vol.6, No.19, 2015

There are different types of anti-bullying interventions, which can be helpful in reducing bullying.
Schools need access to get information about interventions, so that they can make decisions about which
approaches may work in their school as schools face different bullying problem. Bullying occurs as part of a
broad group and environmental perspective in which individual, family, community, and school factors are
involved (Swearer, Espelage, Koenig, Berry, Collins, & Lembeck, 2012; National Association of School
Psychologists, 2012).Successful bullying prevention strategies and intervention plans should consider all these
factors to facilitate active involvement of families and the community. Further research is needed to get access to
avail and use different interventions to reduce bullying.

Specific anti-bullying interventions that have been successfully implemented in school locale includes:
a). circle time, b). checkpoints, c). Conflict resolution/mediation, d). the method of shared Concern, e). Drama or
role play, e). Group work, f). Cooperative group work, g).Befriending, h). Peer support, i). Education peer
counseling, and j). Peer support initiatives i.e., train students to offer support to others. Students with a particular
school setting are different from each other on account of acceptance and likeness among peers .Schools can set
good example by creating a sense of responsibility among individuals by motivating them to help their peer’s
distress. In view of above discussion it was found necessary to investigate the causes of bullying exist in the
school through evaluation of students’ perception. This study is designed to evaluate the different causes of
bullying to identify by administering survey. It analyses the perceptions of students of elementary level. It may
also be significant for the Schools teachers to plane strategies to reduce bullying among students even at
secondary level.

2.1. Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are to:

1. Review the nature and causes of bullying from documentary analysis

2. Evaluate the students’ perception about different causes of bullying.

To achieve the above mentioned objectives, three research questions and five null hypotheses were
developed. The research questions and null hypotheses were used to determine the causes of bullying in school
from review literature and to test the significant difference in the perception of male and female students about
the different causes of bullying in the schools.

2.2. Research Questions

1. What are the major causes and types of bullying in the school?

2. How do students perceive about the different causes of bullying in the schools?

3. Is there any difference between the perceptions of male and female students about different causes of bullying
in the schools?

2.3. Null hypotheses

Ho1 There is no significant difference in the perceptions of male and female students about the power fullness
cause of bullying behavior.

Ho2 There is no significant difference in the perceptions of male and female students about revenge seeking
cause of bullying behavior.

Ho3 There is no significant difference in the perceptions of male and female students about aggression cause of
bullying behavior.

Ho4 There is no significant difference in the perceptions of male and female students about jealousy cause of
bullying behavior.

Ho5 There is no significant difference in the perceptions of male and female students about physical weakness
cause of bullying behavior.

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3. Methodology

3.1. Population and Sample

The population of the study was all the students of elementary schools of district Mianwali. It was
carried out a randomly selected sample of N=234 boys and girls students (grade 8th) of government and private
schools in the district of Mianwali. After preparing sampling frame, two stage stratified cluster sampling
technique was used to select the final sample from four stratified clusters i.e. boys government school, female
government schools, boys private schools, and girls private schools. At Stage I, 8 elementary schools were
randomly selected from a list of government and privates secondary schools of district Mianwali. At Stage II, all
students, i.e. a complete school cluster, including only 8th grade students were taken as sample for the study
purpose.

3.2. Instrumentation

The self-developed questionnaire for study was comprised after adequate literature review because it is
cost-effective and efficient way to collect data from participants of study. The questionnaire was validated
through experts’ opinions and pilot study at start of 2014. After improving the instrument in terms of language,
style, format, and content, it was administered on the 20 students from Iskanderabad for the try-out. Each item
was independently analyzed during the field-testing. Unclear or ambiguous items were either modified or
discarded. A Cronbach’s Alpha was also used to measure the internal consistency and reliability of the
questionnaire. The overall reliability of the questionnaire was 0.747 which was acceptable to launch the study at
large scale (Gay, 2000). The respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement corresponding to each
item and were rated at five point Likert Scale: Never=1, rarely=2, 1Sometimes =3, Most of the Time =4, Always
=5. The instrument of the study comprised of 30 items with the breakup of biographical information (6 items)
and items at five-point rating scale (24 items). The items were developed on following causes of bullying in
school: power fullness (9 items), Revenge Seeking (2 items), Aggression (3 items), Jealousy (5 item), and
Physically weak (4 items).

3.3. Data Collection and Analysis

The questionnaires were administered with the help of four research associates and personal visits of the
researchers. All research associates were trained in one hour briefing, how to administer the questionnaire and
collect the filled instrument. All research associates were M Phil scholars. After it ,the collected data, it was
analyzed through SPSS 20.0. The demographic profile of the sample of students was analyzed by using the
simple frequency and percentage technique whereas the responses of the students about the causes of bulling
were analyzed in terms of percentages and mean scores. Moreover, independent sample t-test was used to find
out the difference in the responses of the male and female students with regard to causes of bullying.

4. Results

4.1. Response rate and analysis of biographical information

The analysis revealed that the response rate of participants was 100% because all the questionnaires
were administered face to face. The first part of the instrument contained the biographical information. Table 1
indicates demographic profile of respondents, both male and female students of rural and urban schools of age
12 to 15 years participated in the survey to share their experience about bullying causes in their schools.

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Table 1. Demographic profile of Students

Variable Category Frequency Percentage

Gender Male 153 65

Female 81 35
Age 12 -15 years 234 100
Residence Rural 138 59
Urban 96 41
Total 234 100

4.2. Students’ Perceptions about Causes of Bullying

Table .2 Item-wise analysis of students’ perception about causes of bullying

Statements Mean S.D

Powerful
I depend on myself rather than others 3.24 1.91
I rarely rely on others. 2.45 1.54
I like to rule on my school fellows 1.65 1.31
I snatch money/other things from children or waste their things 1.203 1.01
I bully my school fellows by nick names and rude gestures 1.43 0.90
I prefer bullying others rather than doing nothing 1.50 1.22
I encouraged those students who fight with each others 2.33 1.65
I feel pleasure to tease weaker students 1.58 1.212
I feel pleasure by bully activity in the school 1.53 1.16

Revenge Seeking
I fight back when someone hits me first 1.50 1.021
If anyone tease me than I take its revenge from my younger school fellows 2.50 1.65
Aggression
It is very easy for me to show an aggression on very light issue and create fight 1.90 1.38

Many of the problems are important to solve through aggression instead of agreement 2.16 1.42
I tease students by calling them with bad names in aggression 1.56 1.19
Jealousy

My school fellows made fun of me due to my success. 2.17 1.26

My school fellows ignored me during playing 1.74 1.11

My class fellows do not include me in their group work 1.199 1.32

My school fellows spread false gossip about me and made my friends hate me 2.05 1.59

The reason of my annoying behavior is better the performance of my class fellows. 2.03 1.42

Physical weakness
My school fellows pushed, hit, and kicked me 1.82 1.72

Sometime my school fellows spoil my things and snatch my money 1.57 1.23

I am threatened or forced to do that work which I do not like 2.23 2.31

I tease others than everyone will wait to hit me in If response 3.38 1.73

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Item-wise analysis of students’ perceptions about bullying shows that there is little difference in the
bullying behavior students with regard to different statements in all four categories, i.e. Power fullness,
Aggression, Physical weakness and Jealousy (Table 2). However, the statement “I depend on myself rather than
others” in category of ‘Power fullness’ cause of bullying indicate maximum Mean Score (3.24) and SD (1.91)
and in the category of ‘Physical weakness’, the statement “If I tease others, then everyone will keep eye on me”
with Mean Score (3.38) and SD (1.73) then all items, relative to the other items of all four causes of bullying, i.e.
Power fullness, Aggression, Physical weakness, Jealousy (Table 2). Moreover, these results make an attention-
grabbing comparison with Smith and Shu's (2000) findings in which it was found that instead of seeking revenge
from younger students, students emphasize to telling others to stop'(26%). In the present study, bullied pupils
reported that they tried to take revenge from younger students

Table 3. Difference in male and female students’ perceptions about Causes of Bullying

Statement Male Female

Mean S.D Mean S.D

Powerful
I depend on myself rather than others 3.69 1.34 2.38 1.44
I rarely rely on others. 2.41 1.56 2.56 1.53
I like to rule on my school fellows 1.75 1.39 1.46 1.09
I snatch money/other things from children or waste their things 1.26 1.13 1.08 .31
I bully my school fellows by nick names and rude gestures 1.43 0 .95 1.40 .78
I prefer bullying others rather than doing nothing 1.58 1.36 1.32 1.32
I encouraged those students who fight with each others 2.41 1.73 2.12 1.46
I feel pleasure to tease weaker students 1.60 1.25 1.54 1.04
I feel pleasure by bully activity in the school 1.54 1.18 .51 1.10
Revenge Seeking
I fight back when someone hits me first 2.54 1.70 2.25 1.53
If anyone tease me than I take its revenge from my younger 1.43 .95 1.61 1.12
school fellows
Aggression

It is very easy for me to show an aggression on very light issue 2.01 1.48 1.65 1.13
and create fight

Many of the problems are important to solve through 2.36 1.45 1.79 1.30
aggression instead of agreement
I tease students by calling them with bad names in aggression 1.58 1.27 1.54 1.04
Jealousy

My school fellows made fun of me due to my success 2.48 1.40 1.56 0 .59

My school fellows ignored me during playing 1.86 1.19 1.48 0 .85

My class fellows do not include me in their group work 2.17 1.47 1.78 1.75
My school fellows spread false gossip about me and made my 2.15 1.39 1.65 1.11
friends hate me
The reason of my annoying behavior is better the performance 2.09 1.45 1.92 1.33
of my class fellows.

Physical weakness
My school fellows pushed, hit, and kicked me 1.96 1.97 1.58 1.11
Sometime my school fellows spoil my things and snatch my 1.72 1.38 1.28 0 .77
money
I am threatened or forced to do that work which I do not like 2.41 2.70 1.82 1.11
i tease others than everyone will wait to hit me in If response .366 1.70 2.86 1.67

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Item-wise analysis of students’ perceptions about bullying shows that there is little difference in the
bullying behavior of girls and boys. However, the reported bullying rate for boys is greater than girls in almost
all items. The mean score and SD on all almost items of power fullness, Revenge Seeking, Aggression, Jealousy
and Physical Weakness is higher than girls’ students (Table 3).

The Group wise analysis of Items was done in order to find the difference in the perceptions of male and female
students about causes of bullying. The null hypothesis derived for it was ‘‘there is no significant difference in the
perceptions of male and female students about causes of bullying. Independent samples t-test was applied to
investigate the significant differences in the perceptions of male and female students about different causes of
bullying (Table 3).

Table 4.Comparison of students’ perception about causes of bullying

Male Female t-test

Statement N=153 N=81
Mean SD Mean SD t-value Sig.(two-
tail)

Powerful
I depend on myself rather than others 3.69 1.34 2.38 1.44 6.947 0.00
I rarely rely on others. 2.41 1.56 2.56 1.53 -.674 .501
I like to rule on my school fellows 1.75 1.39 1.46 1.09 1.622 .106
I snatch money/other things from children or waste their 1.26 1.13 1.08 0 .31 1.473 .142
things
I bully my school fellows by nick names and rude 1.43 .95 1.40 0 .78 .247 .805
gestures
I prefer bullying others rather than doing nothing 1.58 1.36 1.32 0 .83 1.57 0.118
I encouraged students who fight with each others 2.41 1.73 2.12 1.46 1.31 0.193
I feel pleasure to tease weaker students 1.60 1.25 1.54 1.04 0.538 .591
I feel pleasure by bully activity in the school 1.54 1.18 1.51 1.10 .192 .848
Revenge Seeking
I fight back when someone hits me first 2.54 1.70 2.25 1.53 1.3 .0201
If anyone tease me than I take its revenge from my 1.43 0.95. 1.61 1.12 1.334 .184
younger school fellows

Aggression
It is very easy for me to show an aggression on very light 2.01 1.48 1.65 1.1 1.941 .053
issue and create fight 3
Many of the problems are important to solve through 2.36 1.45 1.79 1.3 3.01 .003
aggression instead of agreement 0
I tease students by calling them with bad names in 1.58 1.27 1.54 1.0 .234 . 815
aggression 4

Jealousy
My school fellows made fun of me due to my success 2.48 1.40 1.56 0 .59 5.696 .000

My school fellows ignored me during playing 2.15 1.39 1.65 1.11 2.812 .005
My class fellows do not include me in their group work 2.17 1.47 1.78 1.75 1.849 .066
My school fellows spread false gossip about me and made 2.09 1.45 1.92 1.33 .850 .396
my friends hate me
The reason of my annoying behavior is better the 1.86 1.19 1.48 0.85 2.542 .012
performance of my class fellows.

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Physical weakness
My school fellows pushed, hit, and kicked me 1.96 1.97 1.58 1.1 1.61 .109
Sometime my school fellows spoil my things and snatch 1.72 1.38 1.28 0.77 2.65 .008
my money
I am threatened or forced to do that work which I do not 2.41 2.70 1.82 1.11 1.880 .061
like
I tease others than everyone will wait to hit me back 3.66 1.70 2.86 1.67 3.43 .001

The first cause of bullying was power fullness. The mean score of male students on all items was higher
than that of female students except item number two which shows difference in the opinions of male and female
students about the causes of bullying in school. The Cronbach Alpha for that factor was 0.767. Two-tailed t-test
demonstrated significant difference in the perceptions of the male and female students on item ‘I depend on
myself rather than other’ with 0.00 significance level. Therefore, null hypothesis was rejected which indicate
difference in the perception of male and female students.

The second cause of bullying was ‘Revenge Seeking’ The difference between mean score in the
perceptions of male and female students was 0.19 (male 2.54 and female2.25) for item “I fight back when
someone hit me first” with 0.02 level of significance, which result in the rejection of null hypothesis. It shows
greater difference in the perception of male and female students about bullying.

The third cause of bullying behavior was ‘Aggression’. The difference between mean scores in the
perceptions of male and female students was different for different items; mean score of male students was
higher on all items than their female counterparts. For items “it is very easy for me to show aggression on very
light issues and create fight “and “Many of the problems are important to solve through aggression instead of
agreement” significant level was 0.05 and 0.00 respectively which result in the rejection of null hypothesis about
aggression cause of bullying behavior. Thus there exists significant difference in the perception of male and
female students about aggression as a cause of bullying behavior.

The fourth cause of bullying behavior was ‘Jealousy. The level of significance 0.00 for item “My
school fellows made fun of me due to my success shows greater difference in male and female students
perception and results in rejection of null hypothesis. Mean value of 2.48 for males and 1.56 for female indicate
that jealousy on account of high academic success is higher in males than females. Item” My school fellows
ignored me during playing “shows maximum mean value (2.15) for male students’ response than female students
(1.65) with 0.01 level of significance. It results in the rejection of hypothesis and show that there is difference in
perception of male and female students about jealousy cause of bullying. While bullying activity on account of
physical weakness for items “Sometime my school fellows spoil my things and snatch my money” with mean
value of 1.72 for males and 1.28 for females and “If I tease weaker students then others students will hit me”
with mean value of 3.66 for males and 2.86 for females shows differences in perception of male and female
students with significance level of 0.01 and .00 respectively. So, null hypothesis for this cause of bullying
behavior was rejected. The coping strategies of all of the pupils in the present study were also compared gender
wise for those who show some reaction to those who do not. These data have been investigated by taking
difference in mean of male and female students’ responses against each strategy mentioned and by using t-test .

4.4 Coping Strategies adopted by Students to get rid of Bullying

The coping strategies of all of the pupils in the present study were also compared gender wise for those
who show some reaction to those who do not. These data have been investigated by taking difference in mean of
male and female students’ responses against each strategy

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Table 5.Coping strategies used by students

Coping strategie Male Female t-test

Mean Mean t-value Sig. (two-tail)

I try to help the bullied students in one 3.71 3.24 1.398 0.163
Way or the other.
I have seen children bullying each other 3.11 3.5 1.883 .061
in the classrooms but I ignored.
The fear of being criticized 1.4 1.7 2.173 0.03
by others keep me absent from school.

Ignoring: The most commonly used strategy by those who observed bullying but who told no one was
`ignoring it '. Also, girls are more likely than boys to report using this strategy. However, significant differences
in mean of male and female students ‘responses have been found.

Helping in one or the other way to bullied: Although this reaction is more frequently reported by boys as
compared with their counterparts. These findings are significant as there is great difference in mean of
responses’ of both genders.

Fear of being criticizing: Although this reaction is more frequently reported by girls as compared with their
counterparts .These findings are significant as there is great difference in mean of responses of both genders
(Table 5).

5. Discussion and Conclusions

The most commonly mentioned cause of bullying behavior in this study was power fullness (for
example, I depend on myself rather than other.) and physical (for example, hitting and punching) abuse. As we
might expect of children, few mentioned the more subtle and indirect cause of bullying such as social
exclusion(not including in play, group work), a finding that lends support to the suggestion of O'Connell et al.
(1999), that pupils may not know that they are being bullied. Regarding the reported causes of bullying, the
results indicate that those pupils who were being bullied in one side tried to act as bullier at other instant, as
indicated by mean value of 2.54 for male students and 1.70 for female students on items of revenge seeking
cause of bullying, where individual will be bullied but whenever get chance he/she will play dominant role by
acting as bullies(Table.3, category ‘revenge seeking’) either by involving himself or herself in bullying activity
,mean values of male students for it is1.54 and for female students is 1.51). The results also suggest that gender
differences (Table.3) also play important role between pupils. Girls were more likely to show absentees from
school than boys (Table.3, item 3 of category physical weakness). These difficulties of acting as bullier and
bullies may arise because of students' socialization, relationship experiences and their perception about different
causes of bullying (Naylor & Cowie, 1999).

From above discussion it can be concluded that different causes of the bullying exist in elementary
schools of Mianwali. The comparison of intensity of causes of bullying in boys and girls school show that it
exists more in boy’s school than girls. However, the present study highlights only the male and female students’
perception about the causes of bullying. The guardians of respondents in the present study were not involved to
explain why their wards show interest in aggressive, power fullness and jealousy cause of bullying, and what
behavior they exhibit at home. So, there is an urgent need to develop anti bullying policies in schools to identify
and find ways of enabling pupils to seek out the help that they needed. These findings may be helpful to shed
some light on this issue by generating pupils' and teachers' awareness about different causes of bullying and
finally plan to resolve this important issue.

Recommendations

Finally, we suggest some recommendations of the findings of this study for professionals who work with
children in school surroundings. It is highly recommended that:

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• Training should be managed by Directorate of Staff Development for all school personnel’s, i.e.
teachers, administrators, and other school staff in order to know, how to recognize bullying , to
intervene effectively and reinforce the importance of bullying prevention and reaction efforts in and out
door settings (e.g., canteen, playground, , bus stops).
• The district school administration encouraged regularly to school heads to monitor bullying rates
and identify vulnerable pupils by some sort of survey questionnaire.
• Teachers should remain in contact through parent-teacher meetings with pupils Parents/guardians and
monitor students’ friendship patterns and probe why certain children do not have or seem not to have at
least one friend, they might be suffering from being bullied.
• All schools should be encouraged to establish some kind of peer support systems, possibly with the help
of educationists, parents or school psychologists and other professionals.
• Teachers, professionals and concerning authorities should develop a system of regularly monitor the
causes of students frequently absent from school.

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