Understand the Psychological and Sociological Effects of Bullying on Secondary School Students in Barbados

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to understand the psychological and sociological effects of bullying on secondary school students in Barbados, age eleven (11) to seventeen (17) years. In addition, the potential impact that causes negative psychological and sociological effects. A milieu of literature on the topic was analyzed which set the stage to close the knowledge gap on the independent variable of bullying on the dependent variables of psychological and sociological behaviours that results.

The research method employed was the qualitative type which allowed for insight and meanings; the main hypothesis tested was that, firstly, there is a relationship between psychological effects and bullying. Secondly, there is a relationship between sociological effects and bullying. The other research objectives that guided the paper were the effects of mass media on students behaviour and the academic achievement on students who where bullied.

The main findings disclosed and support the hypotheses, that there is a correlation between psychological and sociological effects and bullying on the cohorts identified. Concomitantly, that negative mass media does provide a learning curve for aggression that is act out at school, additionally, other effects that resulted is poor academic achievement by those that are bullied.

Keywords:

Qualitative Research, Psychological, Sociological, Mass Media, Academic Achievement

CONCEPTUALISATION / OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

Conceptualization is the process whereby the variables are given theoretical meaning, and that allows for operationalization of the concepts. Therefore, the variables can be observed and measured, allowing for validity and reliability. For the purpose of this research the following variables or factors were conceptualized for operational usage.

a. Bullying - repeated verbal, physical, social or psychological behaviour that is harmful and involves the misuse of power by an individual or group towards one or more persons (Christine Darney, Vol. 1 No. 8 August 2013).

b. Psychological problems – is a pattern of behavioral or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and/or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms (Newman, M.L., et al., 2005).

c. Sociological Problems – is 'any pattern of relationships that calls for explanation' (Worsley 1977) meaning it is any type of behaviour that we wish to interpret; it can be anything that society views as a problem like educational under-achievement but it can also include behaviour that is not usually seen as a problem like why people are rich or abide by regulations or the law or people who succeed at school.

d. Secondary School Students –