Action against Bullying / Peter K. Smith and Kirsten C. Madsen.

This poster presentation outlines the work of the DFE Anti-bullying project. In the first part of the poster the results of a large scale survey in the United Kingdom are presented. The results show the extent and nature of bullying. The questionnaire survey was administered to students from 24 schools in and around Sheffield, a northern industrial city in England. The paper suggests that bullying is a serious problem that often carries over into adulthood, with long-term effects on self-esteem and on the ability to cope in adult relationships. The second part of the paper describes a study developed in response to the reports of the prevalence of school bullying, the harmful consequences of bullying, and the concern about the issue in the teaching profession and the public at large. During the project different intervention methods were applied in 23 schools in the Sheffield area. Significant reductions in the amount of bullying were found. Additionally, teachers reported that children's attendance increased and the anti-bullying work supported other areas of school life. Finally, a kit and video titled " Don't Suffer in Silence: An Anti-Bullying Pack for Schools," published by the British Department of Education, is described and evaluated. (AA)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.