'Mean Girls,' The Sequel Current Trends in High-School Bullying

Keith King, a University of Cincinnati associate professor of health promotion and education in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH), has researched and published on adolescent issues regarding suicide, violence prevention and substance abuse. His career includes spending more than seven years working at an in-patient psychiatric facility for adolescents.

In his discussions with high-school and middle-school students, King is uncovering a disturbing trend: cyberbullying. “In a broad array of high schools and middle schools – both public and private – the movie, ‘Mean Girls,’ was cited by both girls and boys as teen issues turned to bullying and cyberbullying,” said King, who adds there has been an increase in more aggressive bullying among girls.

In contrast to the physical bully, King says the cyberbully or bullies hide behind a screen. The victim may not even know who his or her attackers are. “Other peers can read the rumors and attacks on social networking sites and while the attack sweeps through the school, administrators and parents may be completely unaware. It’s a hidden violence that devastates a lot of teens. It’s a different beast than the bullying that was talked about in the aftermath of Columbine,” says King.

King says victims of cyberbullying need to call for action. Gather evidence by printing text messages or messages posted on social networking sites. “Teens are most likely to confide in another teen, so that teen then needs to get help from a parent,” King says. “Active peers and active parents can work with the school to discuss the appropriate action to take.”

King adds that in many cases, the cyberbully may not even be aware that he or she is causing such anguish, due to lack of awareness. “These are communication issues that need to be addressed, because it’s a communication that is not verbal. The tone of the message can be misconstrued.”

King encourages parents and educators to help students address a bully by handling the situation appropriately in regard to their own behavior. “They have no control over the bully’s behavior, but they can tell this person assertively, not aggressively, that they overstepped their boundaries.

“Young people don’t know how to appropriately respond to these situations and often parents don’t know how to appropriately respond to it themselves,” says King. “It can turn into a free-for-all argument that can lead toward violence, or the victim of the attack internalizes it so badly that the frustration can come out in depression or self-mutilation. Self-cutting has increased significantly over the past several years,” says King. “This is often what they’re turning to in an effort to release their pain.”

“A lot of adults cannot deal with their own anger. It takes a lot of practice. Students are either going to learn these coping mechanisms from their parents or from their school.”

King has emphasized the importance of positive connections with teens to build their confidence and lower their chances of turning to risky behaviors – connections with parents, connections with their schools and connections with their communities. In this cyber-age, King says young people may have hundreds of unseen “fans” or “friends” exploring their personal Web site, but these acquaintances cannot replace the valuable positive connections of a face-to-face friend or family member.

“The research is very clear. The family connection is the most important factor against all of these problem behaviors,” King says. “Making sure your kids know your expectations of them and that they are loved unconditionally, but that there will be consequences from breaking expectations. Parents need to establish a relationship with their children – develop that comfort zone that opens the way for discussion.”

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