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If parents do not have a clear understanding of the differences between fighting and bullying , they might respond inappropriately .
Knowing the difference
New study finds parents often confuse bullying with fighting .
By Wade Zaglas
A recent study by Dr Lesley-Anne Ey of UniSA and Professor Marilyn Campbell of the Queensland University of Technology revealed that only a fraction of parents can accurately describe what bullying is .
As part of the study titled ‘ Do Parents of Young Children Understand What Bullying Means ?, published in the Children and Youth Services Review journal , the researchers asked 201 parents of children aged between five and 10 to participate in an online survey where they were asked to define bullying and fighting “ in their own words and identify the differences between the two behaviours ”.
While there is no consistent or “ universal ” definition for what constitutes bullying , researchers largely agree that it must contain three essential characteristics : the behaviour is ongoing , it is intended to harm , and there is a power imbalance between the bully and the victim .
“ Only a minority ( 8 per cent ) of parents mentioned all three characteristics of bullying when asked to define it in their own words ,” the authors said .
“ About 75 per cent of parents mentioned one or two elements of bullying in their definitions , and they largely referred to intention and repetition .”
However , while parents in the study had difficulty defining the essential characteristics of bullying , they achieved much more positive results when identifying potential bullying scenarios . For instance , nearly all parents ( 97 per cent ) were able to spot a traditional bullying situation and the correct identification of cyberbullying was even higher ( 98 per cent ).
Additionally , the study found that 82 per cent of the parents were able to correctly identify incidents where no traditional or cyberbullying was taking place .
The researchers also found that parents were often confused by the difference between bullying and fighting . Fighting , unlike bullying , can occur only once and between equals .
To that end , between 18 and 42 per cent of parents surveyed mistook non-bullying behaviours across a range of scenarios , including physical aggression ( 42 per cent ) or a case of playful joking ( 20 per cent ), while roughly one third of participants mistook a lone cyber-fight and “ short exchange of nasty emails ” as bullying .
“ This demonstrates that parents are confusing fighting and even playful behaviour with bullying ,” the researchers said .
“ This is of concern because if parents do not have a clear understanding of the differences between fighting and bullying , they might respond inappropriately .”
To highlight this point , both Ey and Campbell provide examples of how parents have reacted to misinterpretations of bullying and fighting , drawing on previous research by Ey and UniSA ’ s Professor Barbara Spears .
“ Parents have confronted each other about perceived bullying incidents , and some parents fought or attacked one another on school grounds in front of the children ,” they said .
Teachers said that parents have been over-reporting perceived incidents of bullying , and argued that educational programs or information sessions are needed for parents to clarify what bullying is and is not .
“ Parents want targeted information and guidelines on how to understand and manage bullying ,” the researchers said .
“ Working collaboratively with parents is key to help decrease bullying and providing education to children and parents is the first step in develop a shared understanding throughout the community .”
The authors of the study recommend a collaborative approach between schools , parents and students to address bullying and protect children ’ s wellbeing , but they also contend that this approach is problematic if parents experience difficulty defining exactly what bullying is .
“ Since parents ’ understanding of bullying will influence the way they respond to the behaviour , it is essential to identify the gaps in their knowledge to inform educational material for parents ,” the authors assert .
“ By providing information and education for parents about bullying it is more likely that the concepts children are taught in schools will be reinforced at home which has the potential to benefit children , parents and schools , strengthening a collaborative approach in addressing bullying .” ■
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