Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting, kicking, threatening others, teasing, name-calling, excluding from a group, or sending mean notes or e-mails. A child who is being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself. Often, children are bullied not just once or twice but over and over. Unfortunately, bullying is very common during the elementary and middle school years. In one study of fourth through sixth graders, 25 percent of students admitted to bullying another student several times or more often during the school term. Another study found that 80 percent of middle school students reported engaging in some form of bullying during the past 30 days.

Most bullying happens at school and when large groups of students are supervised by a small number of adults, including during lunchtime, recess, physical education, and when kids change classes. Students who are often bullied by other students may have serious levels of depression and anxiety, and they are more likely than other students to think about suicide. Victims of bullying also are more likely than other students to report that they do not want to go to school because of fear of being bullied.

Both boys and girls bully, but there are some interesting differences in how they bully. The most common form of bullying for both boys and girls is verbal bullying. Boys are more likely to say that they are physically bullied. Girls are more likely to report being targets of rumor-spreading and sexual comments. Both boys and girls engage in what is called relational aggression by excluding students from a group activity (e.g., a game on the playground or a party) or threatening to not be someone's friend unless he or she does what they say. Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to bully each other through social isolation.

There is no one single cause of bullying among children and youth, and any child can be bullied. It is important not to blame or look for faults in children who are bullied, because nobody deserves to be abused by their peers. However, understanding some common characteristics of children who are bullied may help adults identify children who are likely targets of bullying and help protect them from abuse. These children may be shy, sensitive, or insecure and may have few friends to protect them. Children and youth are often reluctant to try to stop bullying because they are afraid of being bullied themselves, because they want to be part of a popular group, or because they simply are not sure how to help.

Students who bully are more likely to witness violence in their home, have little parental supervision, and lack warmth and involvement from their parents. Children who bully also are likely to hang out with others who bully and feel that they gain their popularity or coolness by teasing other students. Bullying thrives in schools where faculty and staff do not address bullying, where there is no policy against bullying, and where there is little supervision of students, especially during lunch, bathroom breaks, and recess. Negative models of bullying behavior are also prevalent throughout society, especially in television, movies, and video games.

The good news is that much can be done to stop bullying. A single school assembly, PTA meeting, or social studies lesson on bullying won�t solve the problem, however. A team effort by students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other staff is necessary to change the culture or climate of schools and children�s programs. To learn more about bullying and what your school or community can do to address bullying, visit www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov.

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