Bullying intensity among students in Ireland increased by 10 per cent over an eight-year period, according to a new paper released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), tracking recent changes in such behaviour across 40 countries.
In most, the average intensity of bullying increased between 2015 and 2018, then decreased between 2018 and 2022, which could be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, in Ireland, the overall change in intensity over the full period, 2015 to 2022, was an increase of 10 per cent.
Korea and Japan stand out as notable exceptions, having experienced a steady decline in intensity over the same time.
RM Block
Bullying intensity also increased across the eight years in the UK by 9.87 per cent, and in several EU countries, including Germany (up 19.88 per cent) and France (20.41 per cent).
It decreased overall across the eight-year period in other countries including Thailand, Mexico, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary.
This bullying intensity index is built around six questions. Students are asked how often they experienced various behaviours over the past 12 months, both in-person and online: being deliberately left out by other students, being made fun of, being threatened, having belongings taken or destroyed, being hit or pushed, or having negative rumours spread about them.
Not all student groups were equally likely to experience bullying, the study noted.
Having an immigrant background was associated with the largest increases in the bullying intensity index, the study showed.
In contrast, there were no significant differences in bullying intensity based on gender or socio-economic background among native students.
Attending a more socio-economically advantaged school was associated with lower bullying intensity, the study showed.
Beyond gender, immigrant and socio-economic backgrounds, a wide range of factors influenced both exposure to bullying and students’ willingness to report it.
The research reveals that students who are perceived as different or belonging to minority groups are particularly vulnerable. This includes students who deviate from social norms in regard to their physique, sexual orientation, gender expression, ethnicity or disability.
The risks can be compounded when multiple minority identities intersect, the study said.
Family dynamics can also either heighten or mitigate students’ vulnerability to bullying, it said. For instance, exposure to familial violence was associated with higher odds of engaging in bullying, while authoritative parenting styles were negatively correlated with both engaging in and experiencing bullying.
Peer and school environments also play a critical role. Having positive friendships, feeling accepted by classmates and being embedded in prosocial peer groups are protections against involvement in bullying.
The paper said the inclusion of specific content and skill development within national school curriculums is a good measure to prevent and address bullying.
It gave the example of Ireland’s action plan on bullying that includes learning on topics such as safe, responsible internet and social-media use, and on recognising and responding to bullying.
Some countries also try to prevent bullying by updating their curriculums to promote skills, such as pro-social behaviour, empathy and emotional regulation.
