Teachers' views on bullying: definitions, attitudes and ability to cope

BACKGROUND: Teachers play a crucial role in preventing and managing the widespread problem of bullying. Despite this, scant attention has been paid to their views on this type of problem. AIMS: To determine (i) what behaviours teachers regard as bullying; (ii) teachers' attitudes towards bullying, bullies and victims; (iii) teachers' self-beliefs about their ability to deal with bullying and their need for training; (iv) teachers' views of their responsibility for bullying in various locations; (v) the impact of length of service on attitudes and perceived ability to cope with bullying. SAMPLE: Pre-, infant, junior, and secondary school teachers (N = 138) from schools selected on a convenience basis. Age range 19 to 57 years (mean = 35.8), length of teaching experience range one to 38 years (mean = 12.2 years). METHODS: Standardised questionnaire completed and returned within a one-week period. RESULTS: Teachers viewed a wide range of behaviours as bullying, but significantly more agreed that some items (e.g., 'Threatening people verbally') were bullying than agreed others were (e.g., 'Leaving people out'). Teachers expressed generally negative attitudes towards bullying and bullies, and were generally sympathetic towards victims, although sympathy diminished with increasing length of service. Teachers, regardless of length of service, were not confident in their ability to deal with bullying and 87 per cent wanted more training. Significantly more teachers felt responsible for preventing bullying in the classroom and playground than outside of school. CONCLUSION: School psychologists must consider teachers' views about many aspects of the problem of bullying if they are to devise optimum strategies for tackling it.