impact that school bullying has in the relationship existent between aggressive behavior and academic performance

Literature Review

The current study identified that bullying was one of the major concerns reflected in the spiking rates of aggression among elementary schools. Therefore, the current literature review addresses three themes identified as relevant to the study’s objective, determining the relationship between aggressive behaviors and school achievement in elementary schools with respect to bullying. The themes include: (a) causes and characteristics of bullying, (b) negative consequences potentially associated with bullying, and (c) the impact of bullying on academic achievement

Causes and characteristics of bullying

According to Alrokban et al., (2019), school bullying is among the major problems associated with violence in schools. Bullying is characterized as the victimization of a student by a peer through a repeated sequence of negative actions targeted on certain aspects of their personality and nature (Olweus, 1993). Bullying is interpreted differently, but scholars agree that this is a type of violence, and three features must be evident for it to materialize; the conduct is intended to cause psychical and emotional harm, the action has to be replicated continuously, and a power imbalance within the participating individuals. Peer victimization takes place physically manner, through punching and attacking. In the context of bullying participants are perhaps a bully, a victim, or a spectator (Anibal & Rivera, 2014). Further, Smith and Sharp (1994) describe it as systematic abuse of power. It has been recounted by the various studies in different countries that have a victimization rate that lies between the range of 9 and 31 percent and a rate of bullying percentage between 4 and 28 (Nakamato & Schwartz, 2010; Risser, 2012). Bullying can be physical, behavioral, relational and verbal. It can either be indirect or direct and can have variations in terms of intensity, motives, and duration. Research identifies that boys get involved in bullying more in forms that are physical while girls get involved mostly in relational and indirect bullying (Nakamato & Schawrtz, 2010). However, the implications of peer victimization affect not only the victim, but the perpetrator as well, hence, both are exposed to severe psychological disorders that hinder their abilities to improve their performance (Risser, 2012).

Among the school experiences that relate to aggression and student performance is bullying (Risser, 2012). Becoming a target from aggressive peers, also characterized as peer victimization has been conceptualized by theorists as an indicator as well as predictor of underperformance among elementary learners (Olweus, 1978). It was noted that students with lower achievements in academics were among the most often victimized targets by their peers (Schwartz, et al., 2002).  Hawker and Boulton (2000) discovered that bullying resulted to negative psychological problems in children such as depressive and anxiety disorders and also lowered their self-esteem. The outcome of these problems negatively affected their engagement and performance levels in schools.  Recently, a meta-analytical review conducted by Nakamato and Schwartz (2010) identified that peer victimization significantly related negatively with academic performance in both genders. In Saudi Arabia’s educational system, it was identified that about 54% of the student population have been subjected to bullying as compared to the 78% victimized in South Africa, 66% in Bahrain and 25% in Kazakhstan (Alrokban, et al., 2019).

Developmental theory indicates that subsequent interactions frequently reduce or intensify the risk of a child’s behavioral psychopathology, even after they are subjected to substantial adverse social and emotional experiences (Thomas, et al., 2006). Therefore. the initial behavioral considerations in the community affects children’s aggression, proximal vulnerability to peer social standards embracing violence, peer-recognition “training,” authoritative control of teachers may influence aggressive probabilities within the child greater than distal classroom interactions (Barth et al. 2004). According to Risser (2012), students exposed to elevated aggressive behaviors are more prone to underperform in their studies.  In the study, a research was carried out focused on determining the relationship between aggression and student performance in an elementary setting. Risser (2012) argues that from previous studies, evidence has been provided in support of the equivocal ramifications associated with aggression and student performance.  Furthermore, schools that record-high levels of aggressive cases have low admission numbers (Thomas, et al., 2006). Regardless of the impact associated with this problem and student achievement, some administrations and teachers take aggressive cases as normal. Some parents also do not take these incidences seriously and there are cases where the aggrieved fear more torture from their oppressors if they report the cases (Risser, 2012).

According to a study by O’Leary, et al., (2007) approximately 30 percent of high school females and males report being victims of physical aggression from the peers they interacted with. The study further suggested that, educational awareness among the students should be undertaken during their enrollment to their respective institutions (O’Leary et al, 2008).  In addition, O’Leary et al., (2008) discovered that as compared to male teenagers, females showed a higher increase in numbers associated with physical aggression. The finding was attributed to the ideals that the males are more inclined to indicate aggressive behaviors that are highly endorsed by the societal male chauvinism (O’Leary, et al., 2008). Additionally, male students in the level of high school are likely to become exposed to violence at their age more than the females due to the hazardous acts they are more likely to have engaged in.

There are probabilities that bullying may occur either directly or indirectly. Direct bullying encompasses physical or oral acts of violence, whereas indirect bullying involves influences that emanate from either a social or cyberspace perspective (Gladden et al., 2014). In a school setting, peer victimization is more likely to take place during co-curriculum activities (Wilson & Lipsey, 2007). Those who torment other students take advantage of the absenteeism of teaching observation to develop their aggressive endeavors (Wilson & Lipsey, 2007). This assists to derive resources of controlling bullying in high schools through ensuring constant supervision. This is as the bullying victims have shown distress that confines their schooling routine. Consequently, most fights in school settings happen when no teaching staff is present, which confirms that the direction of staff plays a vital role in regulating aggressive behaviors. Installation of a surveillance facility in the perimeters of the school helps in identifying bullying students and helps to discover remedial measures that offer a perspective that their inner self causes teething troubles. This remedial measure is huge since most harassing students will, in general, exploit others to cause issues as opposed to assessment of internal identity and perceive the social issue that exists in them.

Evidence has been provided to show the relationship between bullying and moral separation among high school students. Currently, separation is largely attributed to the improvement of peer victimization (Hymel, Rocke-Henderson and Bananno, 2005).  A child capable of identifying and depicting moral obligation demonstrates traits of disgrace and self-blame after an encounter with a negative act such as bullying as compared to one who identifies with pride and lack of concern for social obligation. This comparison delineates the attributive aspects of moral separation among the two. The examination shows that ethical separation makes the individual attempt in considering the domineering aspects identified to merit the forceful demonstration as opposed to obtaining an alternate adapting act (Hymel, Rocke-Henderson and Bananno, 2005).

In treating of aggressive behavior, the responses to aggression must be through specific classroom strategies that are based on aggression prevention (Guetzloe, 2000). According to the study, these strategies include:

Reducing access to possible victims; establishing reasonable norms and expectations; avoiding confrontation; minimizing competition; using nonverbal signals and reminders; providing desirable backup reinforces; intervening early providing constant supervision.

Assessing and handling aggressive behavior of students calls for a very sober approach to avoid creating more complications. Girls may express their aggressive behavior in a diverse way in comparison to their male counterparts depending on the prevailing dispositional, biological, and contextual factors (Rappaport & Thomas 2004). This implies that if high school teachers need to identify successful strategies to help an aggressive student, they must first understand these factors very well. Moreover, this will ensure that any corrective measure meted against any aggressive student will be proportional to the displayed behavior.

Negative consequences potentially associated with bullying

Violence and victimization within a school have been linked to problems such as limited academic success and truancy (Bradshaw, et al, 2011). This concept can be illustrated by examining the negative consequences that are associated with bullying in schools. To keep students in a safe environment in elementary schools, aggressive behavior should be treated and prevented. Aggressive behavior requires the use of different strategies to combat it. There are many different causes and effects related to aggressive behaviors that require different strategies to address them. Therefore, increase in aggressive behaviors leads to detrimental challenges affecting not only teachers but also the community in general. According to Thomas, et al., (2006), schools have a significant influence on the socialization and promotion of problems constituting to aggression during childhood. Certain factors such as violence and economic disadvantages within a school’s environment are considered as contributing to this challenge (Thomas, et al., 2006).  Hence, evidently affecting the teaching process.

In such conditions, achievement among students requires a collaboration between the administration and parents focused on the improvement of negative factors affecting their behavior. Prior research has been delved towards the impact that leadership within elementary schools has in the management of the condition (Thomas, et al, 2006).  Negligence and lack of proper treatment and interest may lead to severe consequences that affect the personality of the student and thus, their academic achievement. Support systems for the students are important in ensuring students have a safe learning environment. Doozy (2007) argued that the involvement of students in proactive interventions helps in self-reflection and improvement. Also, the students will feel trusted and involved in the rules that govern their behaviors in school.

Impact of bullying on academic achievement

The causal relationship between bullying in elementary school and future outcomes in Denmark, established that bullied children have lower academic achievement, furthermore the effects are larger when bullying episodes are more severe (Mundbjerg, et al, 2014). The authors use the Aarhus Birth Cohort database, ABC, which contains information on academic achievement in 9th grade and bullying incidence from two sources, parents and teachers, for all children born in Aarhus, Denmark, between 1990 and 1992.

An important note is that the ABD database contains information on parent’s criminal history, which enables the calculation of the proportion of the child’s classroom peers whose parents have a previous criminal record (Mundbjerg, et al, 2014). The authors then use that index as an instrument and thus estimate the causal effect of bullying on academic achievement through instrumental variables. They find that and increase in one standard deviation in individual exposure to bullying reduces academic achievement of .10 standard deviation.

Espelage and Swearer (2003) observed that several students who victimize their fellow students, also bullied their siblings at home, this situation has also been noticed by the current of research. Further noted by Espelage and Swearer, more than 17 percent of elementary school children indicated being physically disciplined at least once when they violated a regulation at home, parents are not permitted to physically assault their children in the current study but to speak to them in a pleasant way.

Risser (2012) are reported as implying that the learning environment also impacts bullying intensity. If members of the staff disregard aggressive behavior, students are enhance the conduct. There are estimates that the effect of having a conduct disorder on the probability of dropping out of school is 90 (Risser, 2012). To obtain the estimates, the authors use the information on family background, demographic variables and behavioral variables such as bullying, theft, and physical violence from the Australian Twins Registry. It is worth noting that this dataset is a volunteer sample of siblings in Australia that contains information about behavior problems and family labor market outcomes for 4,264 twin pairs born between 1961 and 1974.

Rationale

The information used in supporting the arguments presented in this study was obtained from previous research on the concept of bullying, its relation to aggression and impact on student performance. Evidence gathered from the studies indicate a relationship between bullying and academic performance, so there is a very effect between bullying and academic performance. Bullying is a pervasive form of aggression, that may be physical, emotional or both. It is recognized that pupils who are bullied have low self-esteem, feel disconnected from school and make less academic progress than their peers. At elementary suburban schools in Saudi Arabia is committed to providing a positive culture where bullying and harassment in any of its forms will not be tolerated. Students and staff will have the right to respect from others, the right to learn or to teach, and a right to feel safe and secure in their school environment to achieve progress in academic performance.

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to determine the impact that school bullying has in the relationship existent between aggressive behavior and academic performance. The more that is known about bullying in schools, causes, and effects on the academic performance is increasing the school’s level of awareness about the bullying and learn to deal with it raising awareness and understanding of the school community about the effects of violence on the sample schools.