Cyber/e/online whatever, it’s the same thing and some new research out of the US suggests that there are a few things that can be done to help cope with the problem. Looking at cognitive and behavioral measures, the research identified:
- self-efficacy for avoiding self-blame
- victim-role disengagement self-efficacy
- self-efficacy for proactive behavior
- self-efficacy for avoiding aggressive behavior
Essentially, one can boil it down into a nutshell, kids should learn not to:
- blame one’s self for being victimized
- understand that it is not their “lot in life” to be a victim
- be assertive of your their rights and look to others for help
- stay on their toes and try not to get into vulnerable situations
A great list to be sure (common sense thrown in there for good measure as well – as most good research seems to be once published), but remembering my own childhood, many of these things are easier said than done on the part of the child. However, these are things that kids might be trying and that teachers/parents/family should be looking out for as well as they may indicate bullying.
Leave a Reply