Verbal Bullying: Signs Of Onset, Consequences, And What To Do
Bullying, or bullying, is a phenomenon that occurs in educational environments and occurs very frequently among adolescents. In an analysis of the profile of aggressor and victim, Serra-Negra, et al (2015) recognize four main types of bullying: physical, verbal, relational and indirect (which includes rumor). Other authors, such as McGuinness (2007) add “cyberbullying” as a category that deserves to be reviewed separately.
In this article we will focus specifically on describing the manifestations, consequences and interventions of verbal bullying starting with a definition of bullying and its main characteristics.
The term “bullying” is the neologism that refers to bullying. Its meaning translated into Spanish is “personal intimidation” and comes from the English “bully,” which means “overwhelm with threats.” Likewise, “bully” can refer to a person who is cruel or intentionally aggressive towards others.
While present and recurring phenomenon in the educational context bullying has been especially studied since the 1970s, initially in the Nordic countries after cases of adolescent suicide related to bullying were reported.
The most classic definition of bullying in this context includes the repetition of aggressive and intentional actions carried out by one or more students towards a member of the group ; to which is added a systematic abuse of power that involves the repetition of damage and a series of inequitable relationships between members (McGuinness, 2007).
However, bullying has typically been defined and analyzed around the relationship and psychological profiles of the victim and the perpetrator, as if the violent behavior had its roots and functioning only in these two individuals. Although the above has been very relevant, there are also other elements that activate and reproduce harassment in adolescent relationships.
Causes of bullying and its social components
Salmivalli, Lagerspetz, Björkqvist, et al (1995) tell us that, in its nature, bullying is a social phenomenon, as it takes place within groups that are relatively permanent. One of its main characteristics is that the victim has little chance of avoiding the perpetrators not only because the phenomenon frequently remains invisible, but because the attacks are generally supported by the other members of the group.
Therefore, bullying is also a category of aggressive behavior where there is an ambivalence of power that allows said act to be repeated as a group and periodically. It is not only a violent relationship that is established between an aggressor and a victim, but it is a type of violence that occurs in the group context, where, through certain roles, some members can reinforce the violent behavior of other members
For the same reason, it is possible to distinguish between a relationship where there is bullying and another where there is simply a conflict, by evaluating whether the power relations between those involved are equitable or not. In other words, it is not bullying when the conflict occurs between two people who have the same positions of power.
What is verbal bullying and how does it manifest itself?
According to McGuiness (2007), different research has shown that verbal bullying is the most frequent method of bullying. It occurs at similar rates between boys and girls, and insults are mainly characterized by racial and gender components. In addition, The most common methods of verbal bullying are slander that is, false and malicious statements, mockery and calling the person derogatory or violent nicknames.
For their part, Serra-Negra, Martins, Baccin, et al (2015) tell us that the main trigger of verbal bullying is the dynamics of acceptance of some members of the group to other members, which is influenced by factors such as physical characteristics and the socioeconomic status of all of them.
In other words, in addition to the channel through which violence is exercised (verbal, physical, etc.), the various types of intimidation can take on multiple foci. For example, offensive behavior may target gender, race, disability, or social class among other categories.
When these characteristics do not correspond to the group’s expectations, the individual is rejected and harassed. Thus, the same authors tell us that verbal bullying is mainly motivated by the following issues:
Thus, the detection of verbal bullying begins with giving relevance to any statement whose content is focused on the previous issues. This can be detected both at school and at home. In fact, even though bullying occurs by definition at school, It is in the comments made within the family where it often becomes more evident Once this is detected, it can be related to individual and emotional manifestations such as those we will see below.
Emotional consequences of these attacks
According to Elipe, Ortega, Hunter, et al (2012), bullying can generate significant emotional imbalances, which if maintained in the medium and term, can have very negative and differential consequences for the victim and the aggressors. In this sense, emotional expression and regulation It is one of the possible predictors of the bullying situation.
Likewise, other consequences of bullying in the person who is a victim, and which are in turn indicators of victimization, are the following:
Prevention and intervention strategies
Considering bullying as a phenomenon that is not only psychological but also social is important because it allows us to analyze dynamics and components that sometimes go unnoticed, and that nevertheless they lay the foundations on which violent interaction is generated and reproduced
Taking the above into consideration is an essential element in planning intervention and prevention strategies for bullying, both at the family level and in the educational environment.
While the latter, the family and educational environment, are the two main support systems of adolescents, any alteration in both can significantly affect the course of their development (negatively and positively). We will broadly see some strategies that can be carried out in both contexts.
Different studies indicate that there is less psychosocial adjustment and a low level of empathy in group members who attack others (Elipe, Ortega, Hunter, et al, 2012). In this sense, it is important that the educational environment reinforces empathy, and for this, it is necessary to know and work on the recognition schemes that exist between the different members. From there, it is necessary facilitate coexistence environments free of stereotypes and harassment
2. In the family environment
Prevention and intervention strategies in the family environment depend largely on the dynamics generated by adults.
In this sense, it is important start with a detection of the bullying indicators that are present at a verbal level, and then explore what are the background schemes that are causing the adolescent to have a derogatory perception about the characteristics of the peer he attacks. Intervening by modifying these schemes is important to counteract the tendency towards aggression.
Likewise, both in the family and at school, it is important to have detailed and reliable information on the subject, which makes it possible to carry out educational strategies based on empathy and respectful recognition of others.
3. Victim empowerment
It is also important to work with the coping styles of bullying victims. For this, it is essential to begin by recognizing the bullying situation and knowing that you are a victim of it. However, what follows is to reinforce the recognition of herself as a person who also can generate resources to counteract the violent relationship
This recognition begins with the way the person feels treated by adults and their reference contexts, as well as by their peers. The interaction that the victim establishes with her closest surroundings can reinforce the situation of vulnerability, far from counteracting it, so this is an element that must also be analyzed.
