Peer Bullying in Primary Schools in Low Socio-Economic Level

Abstract

Acts of violence have been increasing in recent years in the world and in Turkey. Reflections of these events are seen in schools. One of the most pervasive forms of school violence is bullying. The evidence indicates that school bullying has a variety of negative consequences for both bullies and victims. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequencies and the types of bullying; the gender of the bullies; the places of the bullying and the individuals whom the victims talk about the bullying in peer groups with low socio economic status. During the study 295 pupils had been reached. According to the results of the study, there is a significant difference in some types of bullying in terms of gender. In addition that bullying exists in schools at low socio-economic status and it is important that the Ministry of National Education should consider school bullying as a serious problem, and that it has negative consequences on pupils’ physical, social and emotional damage in terms of the victim. It means continuous and repetitive exposure to bullying behavior harms these children's psycho-social development, and therefore their well-being or life quality. Hence, effective bullying prevention and intervention training programs are needed.