Who is a bully at school? International experiences.

Abstract

Many school children have been subjected to traumatic experiences in school that have significantly effected their social adjustment in the classroom setting, their overall psychological and emotional status and, for some, their social adjustment into adult life. The literature generally considers school victims to be bullied by peers, however, it has been demonstrated that some trauma to students in schools involves teachers and other school personnel (Hyman & Snook, 2000). A cross-national study initiated by Temple University, USA, has to date collected data regarding bullying as a traumatic experience from ten countries. This retrospective study used college or university students and is based on their recall of their worst school experiences. The goal of this study is to extend our knowledge of school trauma.