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The roles children play in bullying - Coggle Diagram
The roles children play in bullying
Importance of not labeling kids
When children are labeled as "bullies" or "victims" it may:
Send the message that their behavior can't change
Fail to recognize the multiple roles children might play in different bullying situations
Instead of labeling the children involved, focus on the behavior:
Instead of calling a child a "bully," refer to them as "the child who bullied"
Instead of calling a child a "victim," refer to them as "the child who was bullied"
Instead of calling a child a "bully/victim," refer to them as "the child who was both bullied and bullied others."
disregard other factors contributing to the behavior such as peer influence or school climate
Kids involved in bullying
Some researchers talk about the "circle of bullying" to explain both those directly involved in bullying and those who actively or passively assist the behavior or defend against it.
Direct roles:
Kids who bully:
These children engage in bullying behavior towards their peers.
There are many risk factors that may contribute to a child's involvement in the behavior
Often require support to change their behavior and to address the challenges influencing the behavior.
Kids who are bullied:
These are the targets of the bullying behavior.
Some factors put children at more risk of being bullied.
May need help with how to respond to bullying
Even if a child is not directly involved in bullying, they may be contributing to the behavior.
Witnessing the behavior may also affect the child, so it is important for them to learn what they should do when they see bullying happen.
Roles kids play when they witness bullying include:
Kids who assist
May not start or lead the bullying, but serve as an 'assistant" to the child who is bullying
May encourage the bullying and even join in.
Kids who reinforce
Not directly involved, but give the bullying an audience
May laugh, provide support the children engaging in the bullying, or encourage the behavior to continue
Outsiders
Remain separate from the bullying situation
They neither encourage the bullying or depend the child being bullied
Some may watch the bullying happen, but they don't provide feedback on the situation
By providing an audience they can be encouraging the behavior.
Many of these children want to help, but don't know how
Kids who defend
Actively comfort the child who is being bullied
May come to the child's defense when the bullying occurs