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How successful high school students cope with bullying: a qualitative study

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How successful high school students cope with bullying: a qualitative study

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HOW SUCCESSFUL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COPE WITH
BULLYING: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

by

Robert Q. Valles, Jr.

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2007

Copyright 2007 Robert Q. Valles, Jr.

ii
DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my wife Martha L. Valles, who deserves all
the credit in the world and whose ongoing love, support, and understanding made it
possible for me to complete this journey.
In loving memory of my beloved mother, Bacilia “Chila” Valles, who never
doubted my abilities and always told me that I could accomplish anything that I set
my mind to. “Mother, you were right.”
To my father, Bob Valles, for his relentless support and belief that I would
complete this journey.
To my children, Rachelle, Aspen, Ashlyn, and Trey, for putting up with my
stress episodes and for allowing me the many weekends away to complete my
research and dissertation.
To God, for giving me the strength and energy and for guiding me every step
of the way and seeing me through to the end of my doctoral journey.

iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To my chairpersons, Dr. Melora Sundt and Dr. Ron Astor. I give my
gratitude and appreciation for you guidance and support through the past years.
To Dr. Charles Park for his willingness to always help and assist me with
whatever I needed.
To the members of this Parallel Dissertation Group, Harry Bedevian, Cathy
Corella, and Maribel Espinosa. Thank you for accompanying me on my journey.

iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication ii
Acknowledgments iii
List of Tables vi
Abstract viii
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Background of the Problem 1
Statement of the Problem 20
Purpose of the Study 21
Research Questions 21
Importance of the Study 21
Delimitations and Limitations of the Study 22
Assumptions and Rationale 22
Organization of the Dissertation 22

Chapter 2: Review of the Literature 23
Appraisals 24
Coping 28
Summary 37

Chapter 3: Methodology 39
Population 41
Study Site 42
List of Figures 42
Sample Selection 43
Data Collection 44
Data Analysis 45

Chapter 4: Findings 46
Student Profiles 46
Addressing the Research Questions 50
Emergent Themes 58

v
Chapter 5: Discussion 68
Summary of the Study 68
Conclusions 70

Implications for Education and Policy 72
Recommendations for Future Research 74

References 76

Appendices 84
Appendix A 84
Appendix B 86

vi
LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Percentage of Bullied Students, Ages 12-18, by Student and School 6
Characteristics: 1999, 2001, and 2003

Table 2: Characteristics of Bullies and their Victims 8

vii
ABSTRACT

Recent school shootings have generated an effort to understand why children
choose to victimize their peers. A major study found that students who had murdered
their classmates had one factor in common: they were chronically bullied. This
finding amplifies the need for researchers to more fully understand the cognitive and
behavioral attributes of students who are victims of school bullying. Other research
has shown that individuals who were bullied were found to have higher levels of
depression and poorer self-esteem at the age of 23, despite the fact that, as adults,
they were no more harassed or socially isolated than were their peers. Finally,
another study found that 8- to 15-year olds considered bullying a big problem,
ranking higher than racism, AIDS, and peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol.
When examining bully-victim problems from the perspective of the victim,
the most important variables are those relating to coping. Some victims are able to
find ways to cope with bullying and, counter to prevailing trends, do well in school.
Understanding the coping processes in these successful victims of bullying may
improve our ability to help other victims of bullying, give us a better idea of how
children and adolescents cope, and us to develop targeted anti-bullying strategies.
This study investigated the use of coping strategies that 25 successful high
school students used whenever bullied and the conditions under which these students
apply them. Identifying these conditions could result in earlier interventions that may
decrease the incidence of bullying.

1

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
School violence continues to be a major concern in the United States. In the
wake of the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado on April 20, 1999 and
at Red Lake High in Minnesota on Monday, March 23, 2005, school administrators
nationwide have been challenged to maintain safe schools. These efforts, however,
have not ended public concern about school violence (Stockdale, Hangaduambo,
Duys, & Larson, 2002). Recent school shootings serve as a reminder that neither
adults nor children can regard schools as safe places for children to learn, build
social relationships, or prepare for the role that children will play in the world of
work.
The purpose of the study was to examine the methods that victims of
bullying use to cope with this abusive behavior. This study focused on those students
who, despite experiencing bullying, experienced academic success, seen in their
maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
Background of the Problem
Bullying is a persistent and pervasive form of school violence. In an analysis
of 37 school shootings, the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center
(2000) found that the majority of bullies who shot at other students had suffered
“bullying and harassment that was longstanding and severe” (p. 67). The National
Center for Educational Statistics (2004) reported that 77% of middle and high school
students have been bullied. Nansel et al. (2001) reported that almost 33% of students

2

in grades 6 to 10, or 5.7 million children nationwide, have experienced some kind of
bullying. According to the School Crime and Safety Report (2004), in 2003, 7% of
students aged 12 to 18 years reported that they had been bullied at school during the
previous six months. The percentage of students who reported being bullied
increased from 1999 to 2001, but difference was found during the period of 2001 to
2003.
Hoover, Oliver and Hazler, (1992) defined bullying as a form of aggression
in which one or more students physically, psychologically, or sexually harasses
another student repeatedly throughout a specified period. More often unprovoked,
the bully-perpetrator is usually bigger and stronger than is the victim. Stockdale et al.
(2002) offered a similar definition, stating, Bullying is “an aggressive behavior that is
carried out repeatedly in an interpersonal relationship characterized by an imbalance
of power” (p. 266). Olweus (1978), often regarded as the seminal researcher on
bullying, stated, “Bullying most commonly refers to longstanding physical or
psychological abuse of a student who is unable to defend him or herself, known as
the victim, scapegoat, or whipping boy” (p. 270).
Bullying in U.S. elementary schools and high schools is an increasing
problem, as it is in Australia, European nations, and Asian countries (Smith & Brian,
2000). The U.S. Department of Justice (2001) found that junior high students were
victimized by other students at higher rates than those that occurred in high schools,
and one-third of junior high students in large cities stated that they avoided certain
places at school (e.g., restrooms) because they feared that a peer would victimize

3

them. It is important to study school bullying and its effects on victims because
research has shown that victims and perpetrators of bullying have higher incidences
of societal problems later in life.
The majority of the research on school bullying has been conducted in
Scandinavian countries (Olweus, 1999), United Kingdom (Boulton & Underwood,
1992), and Japan (Murakami, 1985). Relatively few U.S. studies have addressed
bullying. Olweus (1991) reported that approximately 15% of Norwegian school
students were bullies or victims of bullies, while Boulton and Underwood (1992)
reported that approximately 23% of British children and adolescents experience
bullying. Similar results have been found in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Justice
(2001) reported that 25% of the students surveyed stated that one of their greatest
concerns was the fear of bullies, and Greenbaum (1988) found that approximately
10% of the sample were victims of extreme bullying. Hoover, Oliver, and Hazler
(1992) reported that approximately 75% of adolescent respondents answered “yes”
to the question, “Have you ever been bullied during your school years?” These
findings point to the need for further research regarding school bullying.
Bullying among school children has emerged as a potential threat to school
safety and to the long-term psychological and physical health of children. Olweus
(1989) stated:
Every individual should have the right to be spared oppression and repeated,
intentional humiliation, in schools as in society at large. No student should be
afraid of going to school for fear of being harassed, or degraded, and no
parent should need to worry about such things happening to his or her child.
(p. 427)

4

Research by Slee and Rigby (1993) demonstrated that victims of bullying felt
unhappy at school, disliked school, viewed school as an unpleasant place, perceived
school as unsafe, felt lonely, and avoided attending school. Slee and Rigby stated
that a number of physical and mental health factors have been linked to bullying,
including poorer health, more somatic complaints, more depression, increased
anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
That 15-20% of all students face some form of bullying during their school
years supports the notion that bullying may be the most prevalent form of school
violence and is the form that affects the greatest number of students. Further, some
researchers believe that student victimization is increasing. Olweus (1991), reporting
on students in Norway, concluded that bullying becomes more serious and occurs
more frequently than it did 10 to 15 years ago. Johnston, O’Malley, and Bachman
(1993) reported an increase from 19% in 1980 to 25% in 1992 in regard to U.S.
students in grade 12 threatened without a weapon.
Bullying is most prevalent from grades 3 through 8. According to Hoover et
al. (1992), incidences of bullying in North American schools increase after grade 3,
peak during the middle school years, and decline after grade 8. Colvin, Tobin, Beard,
Hagan, and Sprague (1998), in a study that excluded elementary school students who
were victims of bullying, found that bullies comprise 13% of students in grades 6 to
8. Increasing numbers of middle school students reported staying home from school
because they feared for their safety. Moreover, violence in schools has shifted from
violence toward property to violence toward persons.

5

Mild aggression in schools, e.g., bullying, is related to more serious forms of
aggression. A strong positive correlation exists between bullying and the number of
school crimes reported. The National Center for Educational Statistics (2004)
reported that school bullying increases the risk of school violence.
Research in various countries during the 1980s and 1990s generally found
that 8-38% of students are bullied with regularity and that 5-9% bully other students
regularly. Chronic bullying, bullying that occurs one or more time each week,
generally affects 8-20% of the student population (Bowman, 2001). A U.S. study
found higher incidences of bullying in the U.S. than in other countries (Stockdale et
al., 2002). Several other studies have show 10-29% of students reporting themselves
as bullies or victims. The differences in the ranges between studies are often the
result of the definition used and the duration of the study. Despite these differences,
bullying appears widespread in schools in many countries and spans sex, ethnicity,
location of the school, and sector. Table 1 presents the percentages of students, ages
12 to 18, who reported being bullied at school during the previous six months by
selected student and school characteristics, for the years 1999, 2001, and 2003.

6

Table 1

Percentage of Bullied Students, Ages 12-18, by Student and School Characteristics:
1999, 2001, and 2003
Student or School Characteristic 1999 2001 2003
Sex
Male 5.4 8.6 7.8
Female 4.8 7.1 6.5

Race/ethnicity
White 5.3 8.5 7.8
Black 5.5 5.9 6.4
Hispanic 4.4 7.8 5.7
Other
a
2.5 6.6 6.8

Grade
6 10.5 14.3 13.9
7 9.0 13.0 12.7
8 5.5 9.2 8.8
9 5.0 8.6 6.7
10 3.2 4.6 3.5
11 2.6 4.3 3.5
12 1.2 2.4 2.2

Urbanicity
Urban 5.0 6.9 6.7
Suburban 4.9 8.1 6.6
Rural 5.8 8.7 9.7

Sector
Public 5.3 8.0 7.4
Private 2.8 7.3 5.0

Total 5.1 7.9 7.2

Note. Other includes Asians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians (including
Alaska Natives). In 2003, students were given the option of identifying themselves
as more than one race. For this report, non-Hispanics who identified themselves as

7

more than one race in 2003 (1% of all respondents) were included in the other
category. Respondents who identified themselves as being of Hispanic origin were
classified as Hispanic, regardless of their race. Due to changes of race/ethnicity
categories, comparisons of race/ethnicity across years should be made with caution.
In the 1999 survey, “at school” was defined as in the school building, on the
school grounds, or on a school bus. In the 2001 and 2003 surveys, “at school” was
defined as in the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to
and from school. Population sizes for students’ ages 12-18 were 24,614,000 in 1999,
24,315,000 in 2001, and 25,684,000 in 2003.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School
Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 1999, 2001,
and 2003.
Characteristics of Bullies and their Victims
According to Smith and Brian (2000), bullies and victims of school bullying
often display common characteristics among themselves (Table 2).

8

Table 2
Characteristics of Bullies and their Victims
Characteristics of Bullies Characteristics of Victims
Often larger and more aggressive than
victims
Remains by themselves a majority of the
time

Authoritarian parents; hostile and
rejecting

Avoids play with classmates
Poor problem solving skills Tearful (usually in private)

Behaves aggressively Forgets to bring school-related items to
class

Takes advantage of their physical
strength

Lack of enthusiasm to study
Often loud and obnoxious Tardy for classes

Frequently visits the school nurse or sick
room

Reluctant to attend school

Low self-esteem

Causes of Bullying
A multitude of factors contribute to bullying, and most are related to the
individual and to the social and family environment (Farrington, 1993). In particular,
bullying has been linked to violence at home, which also contributes to the
development of antisocial behavior. Longitudinal studies have shown that the parents
of youngsters who become deviants are more likely abusive toward their partners
(Steinberg, 2001). Bowers, Smith, and Binney (1994) found that parents of British
children who bully others or who become victims of bullying were often violent

9

toward each other and toward their children. Conversely, cohesive families were less
likely to report disruptive behavior among children (Farrington, 1991). Bullying
results in serious consequences, affecting victims, perpetrators, and the entire school
because it is a type of school violence that often goes unconfronted. Teachers,
administrators, and other adults often observe verbal and physical harassment; yet, it
is the least frequently reported type of school violence. According to Stevens,
Bourdeaudhuij, and Van Oost (2000), its potential effects remain underrated.
Widom (2000) asserted that there is clear evidence regarding the relationship
between family violence and the development of aggressive and antisocial behavior
in children of these families. Children exposed to domestic violence are at a higher
risk of becoming violent, compared to children who are not exposed (Herrera &
McCloskey, 2001). These children often act more aggressively, even delinquently, or
are at risk of becoming victims of further abuse at school.
Sternberg, Lamb, Greenbaum, and Cicchetti (1993) found that abused
children or children who have witnessed family violence are more likely to exhibit
violent behavior. Batsche and Knoff (1994) concluded that bullies come from
families whose parents were authoritarian, hostile, and rejecting, had poor problem
solving skills, and who advocated fighting at the least provocation. Loeber and
Dishion (1984) reported that parents who used inconsistent, highly aversive
discipline and physical punishment were more likely to have an aggressive child.
Bowers et al. (1994) found that bullies reported more troubled relationships with

10

parents and perceived their parents as low in monitoring, lacking warmth, and either
overprotective or neglectful.
Overall, research has found that parenting practices are associated with
bullying. Contrary to conventional wisdom, significant socioeconomic differences do
not exist among bullies. Neither do bullies have low self-esteem nor does bullying
result in academic failure. According to Widom (2000), violence begets violence; as
much as 70% of violent adults have a history of violence, either as direct victims or
as witnesses of parental violence.
Bullying in school can devastate students and lead to violence and negative
consequences for, both, victims and bullies. Society has neglected to address
bullying because it has tended to be viewed only as a problem when someone gets
physically injured. Although proactive programs to reduce bullying are available,
schools and society have not looked at bullying as an immediate problem that
demands attention. School districts have been more concerned with making their
state Academic Performance Index (API) and their Federal Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP), which are two methods in which schools are graded. Unfortunately,
school bullying does not fit into this equation; therefore, it has not been sufficiently
addressed. Further, teachers have failed to address bullying in the classroom because
of the overwhelming demands of testing and accountability, and administrators
cannot address bullying in the classroom if it is not reported. Thus, in the end, the
victims of bullying are the ones who suffer.

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Bullying Behavior
Regardless of the country or culture, bullying shares common similarities
based upon age, gender, location, and type of victimization. Research has shown
that:
1. Bullying more often occurs at school than on the way to or from school
(Clarke & Kiselica, 1997).
2. Male bullies tend to rely on physical aggression more than female bullies,
who often tease, spread rumors, exclude, or socially isolate their victims. These latter
forms of bullying are referred to as “indirect bullying” (Rigby & Slee, 1999).
3. Physical bullying, a form of “direct bullying,” is the least common form of
bullying (Nansel et al., 2001).
4. Verbal bullying, a form of “direct” or “indirect” bullying, is the most
common form (Nansel et al., 2001).
5. Females value social relationships more than males do and, thus, female
bullies act to disrupt social relationships with gossip, isolation, exclusion, and
isolation (Sampson, 2002).
6. Females tend to bully females; males more often bully females and other
males.
7. Males are more likely to bully than are females (Dake et al., 2003).
8. Some studies have shown that boys are victimized more often, at least in
elementary schools; other studies have found that bullies victimize females and
males in near equal proportions (Limber, Flerx, Nation, & Melton, 1998).

12

9. Bullies often do not act alone. In the UK, research has found that almost
50% of the incidents of bulling were one-on-one; the other half involved more than
two persons (Smith & Brian, 2000).
10. Bullying does not end in elementary schools. Middle schools and high
schools provide opportunities for bullying, although incidences occur less frequently
than in elementary schools (Sampson, 2002).
11. Bullying by males declines after age 15. Bullying by females begins to
decline at age 14 (Rigby & Slee, 1999).
12. Studies in Europe and Scandinavia have found that some schools have
higher bullying rates than do others (Olweus, 1973). Researchers generally believe
that bulling rates are unrelated to school or class size or to a school’s location (i.e.,
city or suburb); however, schools in socially disadvantaged areas may have higher
bullying rates. Additionally, classes with students with behavioral, emotional, or
learning problems have more bullies than victims.
13. The extent of a principal’s school involvement may affect the incidence
of bullying (Sampson, 2002).
It is unclear whether certain types of bullying, such as racial bullying or
rumor spreading, are more harmful than are other types. The effects of bullying
depend upon the victim’s vulnerability, yet certain types of bullying may affect the
victim long-term. It is also unclear what happens to bullies after they stop bullying.
Does another student replace the bully? Do victims change their behavior to prevent
other students from becoming bullies? These are issues that need to be addressed.

13

Types of Bullying
The literature identifies two types of bullies: aggressive bullies and passive
bullies. An aggressive bully is an individual who is belligerent, fearless, coercive,
confident, tough, and impulsive (ERIC Digest, 1999). Aggressive bullies are
generally individuals with a low tolerance for frustration and an inclination toward
violence. Passive bullies are anxious bullies who rarely provoke other persons to take
the initiative in bullying. Passive bullies are usually associated with aggressive
bullies, but they often assume the less aggressive role (Unnever, 2005). In groups,
the aggressive bully instigates the bullying; the passive bully supports the aggressive
bully and begins to participate after the bullying begins. The passive bully aligns
with the more powerful, popular, and action-oriented aggressive bully.
Many European and Scandinavian studies have found that bullies are often
aggressive, dominant, and slightly below average in intelligence and reading,
although of average popularity (Roland, 2000). Moreover, bullies appear to lack
empathy for their victims (Salmivalli, 1999). Without appropriate intervention,
young bullies often remain bullies. Adolescent bullies tend to become adult bullies
and have children that carry on the bullying process. Oliver et al. (1994) found that
persons who were bullies at age 14 tended to have children who, when they reached
age 32, were bullies themselves, a finding that suggested an intergenerational link.
Researchers have found that bullies shared similarities with other types of offenders.
More bullies were found among students from lower socioeconomic groups whose

14

parents used ineffective child-rearing techniques, and more bullies were impulsive
and performed poorly in school (Batsche & Knoff, 1994).
Effects of Bullying on Academic Performance
Although findings have been inconsistent, research has demonstrated a
relationship between bullying and academic achievement,. Dake, Price, Telljohann
(2003) studied British youth aged 8-13 years and found a significant negative
correlation between self-reported victimization and scholastic competence (r =
-0.41). They also found a significant, although weaker, negative relationship between
students who bullied and scholastic competence (r = -0.27). For these British
students, bullies and victims showed poorer scholastic competence than noninvolved
children, with victims being affected more than bullies.
Mynard and Joseph (1997) found that victims and bullies experienced lower
academic achievement. Schwartz, Dodge, and Petit (2000) also found that students
who were bullied and victimized had lower test scores than did bullies. Using GPA
as an indicator of academic achievement, Juvonen, Nishina, and Graham (2000)
found that the same relationship held true for victimized middle school students aged
12 to 15 years. Bullied middle school children had lower GPAs than did a
comparison group of students. In contrast, Nansel et al. (2001) found no significant
relationship between academic achievement and involvement as a victim or bully-
victim, although a significant relationship emerged for bullies, who were 1.8 times
more likely to be below average than to be good students.

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Psycho-Social Effects of Bullying
Research in Australia has found that bullies had low empathy, were generally
uncooperative, and were members of dysfunctional families in which parents were
frequently critical and strict (Crick & Bigbee, 1998). These researchers found a
correlation between harsh physical punishment, such as beatings, and strict
disciplinarian parents, and bullying. In the US, researchers found higher bullying
rates among males whose parents used physical punishment or violence against
them. Cumulative evidence suggests that the consequences of bullying range from
suicide, murder, and absenteeism at school to medical conditions such as fits,
fainting, vomiting, limb pains, paralysis, hyperventilation, headaches, visual
symptoms, stomachaches and long-term psychological disturbances such as anxiety,
depression, loneliness, and hysteria (Stockdale et al., 2002).
Because school bullying evokes fear and can lead to physical altercations that
disrupt learning, educators should investigate the affect of bullying on school culture
and on academic success. Galloway (1994) concluded that freedom from fear of
bullying is not enough to ensure successful learning, although it is a necessary
condition for effective learning. Hoover, Oliver, and Thompson (1993) argued that
bullying could precipitate hate crimes and establish a tense and violent tone in
school.
Many school bullies have problems with the law as adults, and victims of
bullying suffer from a loss of self-esteem that lasts long into adulthood (Boulton &
Underwood, 1992). Victims of bullying often lack friends at school and are overly

16

protected by parents at home (Olweus, 1978). Students do not become victims
because they are overweight, have uncommon hair colors, wear eyeglasses, speak a
dialect, or dress differently. They become victims because they lack social skills,
rarely defend themselves, or retaliate against bullies. Characteristics of victims of
bullying include low self-esteem and high social anxiety (Loeber & Dishion, 1984).
Fear of negative peer evaluation is a significant characteristic of both female and
male victims (Slee, 1994). Females with social distress and social avoidance are also
likely victims of bullying. Research is inconsistent regarding whether students with
weaker physical or psychological conditions are more likely bullied.
Slee (1994) stated, “Victimization is associated with poor physical, social,
and psychological well-being in primary school children” (p. 99). In contrast,
Olweus (1973, 1978) found that physical characteristics were a less important cause
of bullying, although any physical disadvantage is used against the victim after the
bully finds the victim.
There are notable differences between bullies and their victims. Nansel et al.
(2001) found that victims demonstrated poor social and emotional adjustment,
reported difficulty making friends and poorer relationships with classmates, and felt
lonely. Youth who are socially isolated and lack social skills may be more likely
targets for bullying, a finding confirmed by Hoover et al. (1992), who found that the
most frequent reason cited by youth for a person being bullied was that he or she did
not fit in. Youth who are bullied may be avoided by other youth, fearing they would
be bullied themselves or lose social status among peers. Bullying was also associated

17

with greater parental involvement with school, which may represent a parent’s
awareness of a child’s difficulties (Nansel et al. 2001). Conversely, parental
involvement may be related to a lower level of independence, perhaps increasing the
likelihood of being bullied.
In the U.S., awareness of bullying is increasing, particularly since widespread
reports regarding school shootings. In two-thirds of these shootings, attackers had
been previously bullied. The experience of bullying appeared to play an important
role in motivating the attacker.
Long-term Effects of Bullying
Victims of bullies suffer not only from immediate harm or hurt feelings,
embarrassment, and physical injury, but they may also suffer from anxiety or
depression, score lower on school tests because of concentration problems, or avoid
school altogether (Hodges, Malone, & Perry, 1997). Victimization also may affect a
child’s social development (Hodges & Perry, 1999). Victims of bullying may suffer
consequences beyond embarrassment. Some victims feel psychosocial or physical
distress, are frequently absent from school, and cannot concentrate on school work.
Hawker and Boulton (2000) demonstrated the relationship between bully
victimization and depression, loneliness, social anxiety, and low self-worth, and the
strongest effect sizes were observed for depression. A meta-analysis by Card (2003)
found that victimization was related to internalizing problems, school avoidance, low
academic achievement, and lack of school enjoyment. Further, victimization had
several interpersonal correlates, including rejection, lacking friends, and low

18

friendship quality. Suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior were associated with
victimization in the peer group. Card also showed that bully victimization has been
found to result in internalizing and externalizing problems, decreases in pro-social
behavior, and lowered social self-concept. Rigby (2001) reported that bully
victimization was related to problems with physical health (e.g., headaches,
stomachaches, coughs, sore throats).
It is assumed that school is a place where students should feel safe and are
treated with respect and dignity. As discussed above, however, students are
sometimes the targets of bullies, which can result in serious, long-term academic,
physical, and emotional consequences. School personnel often minimize or
underestimate the extent of bullying and the harm that can result. In many cases,
bullying is tolerated or ignored because it is regarded as an unimportant problem that
can be addressed later (Barone, 1997). Administrators and teachers address problems
that they believe are more pressing, such as fights, thefts, or academic dishonesty.
Impact of Bullying on the Victim
Kochenderfer and Ladd (1996) investigated whether victimized students were
more likely to be classified as school avoidant (i.e., not wanting to attend school).
Researchers found a significant correlation between victimization and school
avoidance (r = 0.33) and that victimized children were likely more school avoidant
after they were victimized by peers. No support, however, was found for the notion
that school adjustment difficulties preceded exposure to victimization.

19

Other studies have investigated topics such as school adjustment (e.g., doing
well on schoolwork, following rules, completing homework) and school bonding
(e.g., desire to do well at school, feeling happy at school, taking school seriously).
Students involved in school bullying were significantly less likely to adjust or to
bond to the school (Dake et al., 2003). This relationship was strongest for bully-
victims, followed by bullies and then victims. Natvig, Albrektsen, and Qvarnstrom
(2001), who investigated these same concepts from a “glass is half empty”
perspective, found a relationship between school alienation (i.e., the opposite of
school bonding) and students who bullied other students. School distress (i.e., the
opposite of school adjustment), however, was not related to school alienation.
Bullies were 2.1 times more likely than were students not involved in bullying
behavior to feel alienated from school. Student adjustment and bonding were
associated with school performance.
Despite the increased interest in studying school bullying, additional research
is needed. Further decreases in the incidence of bullying would affect schools
positively overall, increase student academic achievement, and improve student self-
efficacy. Further, addressing the problem may prevent another tragedy such as the
Nathan Faris case. During March 1987, Faris, a 12-year-old student in DeKalb,
Missouri, decided that four years of taunting by other children was enough. On that
date, Faris brought a gun to school and fatally shot another student before killing
himself in class. Classmates said that students did not dislike Faris, but that they
picked on him (National School Safety Center, 1995).

20

Not all instances of bullying end so tragically; however, the implication is
clear: School bullying damages children and affects the school and community.
Virtually no literature exists on the day-to-day experiences of academically
successful high school students who experience bullying. However, an abundance of
literature does exist on the negative after-effects on the bullied victim. The research
that exists has focused on the problem of bullying and not on those individuals who
are academically successful and have had success at coping and adjusting to the
bullying. By focusing on how those academically successful students cope and adjust
to school bullying, many other victims can be given assistance and helped.
Statement of the Problem
Although many regard bullying as the least severe type of school violence,
research indicates that bullying negatively affects the victim emotionally,
academically, socially and sometimes physically, as well as negative affects the
overall school climate, and can result in more violent types of school violence.
Interestingly, some victims of bullying succeed academically despite their
victimization, but because bullying is most often investigated from the vantage point
of the perpetrator, we know little about these “successful” victims. This study,
however, identified “successful” victims of bullying and explored the coping
strategies they used. Knowing more about how victims of school bullying attain
some measure of academic success may help teachers and school administrators
identify more effective intervention strategies, which, in turn, should lead to help for
the victims.

21

Purpose of the Study
The primary purpose of this study was to identify high school victims of
bullying, particularly victims with above satisfactory academic performance, to
understand the methods they use to cope with bullying. By identifying successful
coping strategies, it may be possible to more effectively help other victims of
bullying.
Research Questions
1. What is the day-to-day experience of academically successful high school
students who are victims of bullying?
2. How do academically successful high school students cope with bullying?
3. To what extent are the strategies used by these high school students related
to help from others (i.e., teachers, friends or parents) versus modifications of their
own behavior, help from others versus self-help, and intrinsic versus extrinsic
factors?
Importance of the Study
This study provides information regarding bullying that can be used by
teachers, students, and administrators. Teachers and administrators will benefit from
this study by learning about bullying from the victim’s perspective and
understanding the coping methods used to thwart bullying. Students who are victims
of bullying can use the findings of this study to increase their skills for coping with
bullying.

22

Delimitations and Limitations of the Study
The interviews for this study were conducted by the researcher, who is an
Assistant Principal of Oxnard High School (OHU), located in Oxnard, California.
The interviews were conducted from September 2006 to October 2006, with students
in grades 9 through 12 from OHU, which is one of six comprehensive high schools
within the Oxnard Unified High School District (OUHSD).
Assumptions and Rationale
School bullying is a common problem that occurs on practically all school
campuses, varying from school to school. It is assumed that the incidence and
severity of school bullying at OHS is typical of the average U.S. high school.
Organization of the Dissertation
Chapter 1 provided a summary of the current study of school violence,
particularly school bullying and the effects on the victim. Chapter 2 presents the
literature on school bullying and its current and after-effects on the victim. Chapter 3
concerns the design of the study, the instrumentation used, and the collection and
analysis of the data. Chapter 4 presents the data for each research question, a
summary of the findings, and a discussion of key findings. Chapter 5 includes a
summary of the study, conclusions drawn from the study, and implications for
practitioners, policy-makers, and researchers.

23

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
Bullying has been the focus of a large volume of research over the last 20
years. However, the research has primarily focused on describing the bully/victim
relationship, student responses to bullying behavior, the impact of gender roles on
bullying behavior, and attitudes towards victims (Rigby, 2002). The effect of
bullying on physical well being also has been investigated and, more recently,
research into coping strategies utilized in response to bullying has emerged (Martin
& Gillies, 2004). Research on students who are both bullied and excel academically,
however, does not exist. It was this gap in the literature that prompted this researcher
to engage in the study of such students.
Rigby (2002) reported that students who were victimized by their peers had
low self-esteem. Additionally, being bullied has been found to have a profound
effect on social adjustment. Children nominated by their peers as being victimized
are more likely to say that they disliked school, and students who are frequently
bullied are absent from school more often than those who are not bullied.
Signs of psychological distress are also of interest when investigating the
effects of victimization (Olweus, Limber, & Mihalic, 1999). The victims of frequent
bullying are more likely than other students to exhibit symptoms of clinical
depression and to be rated higher on incidences of emotional disturbance (Rigby,
2002). Further, when victim status and gender were analyzed, girls generally had
higher levels of emotional disturbance than did boys (Rigby, 2002). However, while

24

being bullied is seen and described as a stressful event, not everyone who
experiences bullying during school suffers negative effects, possibly due to the
coping mechanisms they employ in dealing with it.
Bullying and social exclusion are widespread during childhood and
adolescence. Smith and Shu (2000) found that 10-20% of pupils reported being the
victims of bullying at school at some time during the prior three- to six-month period
and that some victimization is long-term. Smith and Shu also found that, although
approximately 65% of self-reported victims said that bullying had only gone on for
about a week or, at most, a month, 13% stated that it had continued all term, 9% for
about a year, and 13% reported that it had continued for several years. Understanding
how students use to cope with bullying is paramount in helping those students who
are bullied day after day.
Appraisals
In understanding how victims of bullying deal with victimization, Lazarus
and Folkman (1984) stated that transactional theories of coping may be the most
appropriate models to use. Transactional theories emphasize coping with stress as a
process, rather than as a trait, and have been applied to the investigation of a wide
variety of childhood stressors, including both academic and interpersonal problems.
In their influential theory, Lazarus and Folkman hold that appraisals, the cognitive
interpretations one makes of a particular situation, determine how an individual
copes with a stressful situation. They propose two main types of appraisal: primary
and secondary. Primary appraisals are the evaluation of the significance of the

25

situation for one’s well being and, should the situation be viewed as potentially
harmful, involve a categorization of the situation as either a harm, loss, threat, or
challenge (Hunter & Boyle, 2002). Secondary appraisals, in comparison, reflect what
individuals believe themselves to be able to do in response to a stressor; it is an
evaluation of coping resources and options. Appraisals reflect not only the state of
affairs at the beginning of an episode, but also take into account changing personal
and environmental variables, with this process being referred to as reappraisal
(Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).
The appraisal process leads to the deployment of two broad categories of
specific coping strategies: problem-focused and emotion-focused (Hunter & Boyle,
2002). Problem focused coping strategies are those that are oriented constructively,
dealing with the problem at hand, whereas emotion-focused strategies are directed
towards the regulation of emotion. In most stressful episodes, both will be used to a
greater or lesser degree (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985).
Research by Chang (1998) supports the notion that a variety of different
appraisals are linked with choice of coping strategy. Therefore, learning more about
the appraisal that bullying victims make may shed light on why some victims cope in
adaptive and efficacious ways, while others persist with patterns of coping that are
maladaptive.
Bijttebier and Vertommen (1998) examined how children cope with peer
arguments, while Olafsen and Viemero (2000) looked at how they deal with general
school stresses and worries. Both these studies found that children tend cope with

26

peer arguments by countering the argument and defending themselves. However, shy
and reserved children tend to take the argument and respond by doing nothing.
Neither study, however, addressed the issue of students who excel academically and
have successfully coped with bullying.
The appraisals of victims are essential components of the coping process.
Further, they are the first step in selecting a coping strategy. When a victim is
confronted with a bullying situation, the appraisal begins when the victim mentally
examines how he or she should respond to the bully. Hunter and Boyle (2002)
examined the control appraisals that 9- to 11-year-old pupils held regarding bullying
and reported that frequently bullied girls had lower perceptions of control than did
infrequently bullied girls, a pattern that was absent in boys. Additionally, girls felt
less in control of bullying than did boys. Finally, pupils’ perceptions of control were
greatest when bullying first started, but were reduced by its persistence.
Using a retrospective methodology, Hunter, Mora Merchan, and Ortega
(2004) found that undergraduates reported that their perception of control was higher
in primary school than in secondary school. In another study of 9- to 14-year-old
students, Hunter and Boyle (2004) found that the use of social support was
influenced by challenge appraisals. Specifically, pupils who were unsure of whether
bullying was likely to have positive outcomes used more social support than did
pupils who felt bullying definitely would, or would not, have positive outcomes.
Additionally, challenge and control appraisals were both associated with wishful
thinking coping, and challenge appraisal was related to problem focused coping,

27

indicating that appraisals appear to be meaningfully related to pupils’ choice of
coping strategy.
Folkman & Lazaruz (1985) have suggested that perceived degree of
situational control serves as a measurement of secondary appraisal because it is a
product of how individuals view their ability to deal with the situation and how able
they feel to implement appropriate strategies. Folkman further suggested that it is
important to take into consideration control over what because control may be
related to the situation itself, emotions arising from the situation, or even
consequences of the situation. Control has been associated with the choice of certain
coping strategies in many studies. A high degree of control has consistently been
associated with greater use of problem-focused coping for adults (Blanchard-Fields
& Irion, 1988). In children and adolescents, control appraisals also have been found
to be associated with problem-focused coping.
In addition to appraisals, emotions play a part in the coping process. In
Folkman and Lazarus’ (1985) theoretical model, appraisals influence coping
strategies, which in turn influence one’s emotional reaction to events. However,
Elsea and Smith (1998) have noted that coping is viewed as determining emotion or
vice versa, depending upon whether the aim is to reduce psychological distress
(whereby the focus would be on coping predicting emotion) or to predict who
engages in particular behaviors (whereby the focus would be on emotions predicting
coping).

28

Coping
Current definitions and conceptualizations used when investigating coping in
children and adolescents include those that are drawn from models of adult coping
and those that are specifically defined for the adolescent and child populations.
Lazarus and Folkman (1984) view coping as the constantly changing cognitive and
behavioral efforts made by the individual to manage specific external or internal
demands that are regarded as exceeding the resources of the person. Frydenberg and
Lewis (1993) built upon this model and emphasized the physiological aspect of
coping, which may be achieved by solving the problem (i.e., removing the stimulus)
or accommodating the concern without bringing about a solution. Compas, Connor-
Smith, Saltzman, Thomsen, and Wadsworth (2001) view coping as a conscious,
volitional effort to regulate emotion, cognition, behavior, physiology, and the
environment in response to stressful events or circumstances. These regulatory
processes both draw upon and are constrained by the biological, cognitive, social,
and emotional development of the individual (Martin & Gillies, 2004).
Coping Strategies
School bullying is global, and students use a variety of methods to cope with
this behavior. Coping has been defined as “the way people manage life conditions
that are stressful” (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, p. 63) and can involve strategies that
are problem-focused (directed toward managing or altering the problem causing the
distress) or emotion-focused (directed at regulating the emotional response). For
children or adolescents who are bullied, an example of problem-focused coping

29

might be telling a teacher in order to prevent the bullying from recurring. An
emotion-focused strategy might be playing a game so as to avoid thinking about the
problem.
Process theories of coping (Lazarus, 1999) emphasize the role that one’s
perceptions of any given situation play in determining coping behavior. Such
perceptions, known as appraisals, include degree of perceived control over the
stressor, threat, and challenge (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). These appraisals have
been shown to be important determinants in coping strategy choice in a variety of
situations in which students find themselves.
Researchers have identified several variables, such as gender and type of
victimization, which appear to influence whether students will ask for help when
bullied (Hunter et al., 2004). Reporting or telling seems to be an effective way of
helping to stop bullying; however, pupils’ own views regarding the effectiveness of
telling have been neglected. The types of coping strategies that victims of bullying
use to deal with their predicament begin with the appraisal of the situation.
Hunter et al. (2004) identified three additional coping strategies of victims:
(a) helplessness coping, (b) counter-aggression coping, and (c) nonchalance.
Helplessness coping includes strategies such as doing nothing, reporting the bully to
the teacher, or skipping school. Counter-aggression coping strategies include
speaking up to the bully and bullying back. Nonchalance includes behaviors such as
remaining calm, feigning a lack of fear, and ignoring the bullying. Hunter et al.

30

found that victims used helplessness coping 37% of the time, counter-aggression
coping 41% of the time, and nonchalance 22% of the time.
An additional coping method that victims of school bullying attempt to use to
protect themselves is referred to as “loyalty to the bully.” In this coping method,
victims give in and go along with the bullying, hoping that the bully will befriend
them. A tragic example of this was a 13-year-old Japanese boy, who was robbed of
$8,000 by bullies during a long period of time. He was kicked and punched, as well
as had his face pushed into a river whenever he resisted giving them money.
Eventually, the boy could not take it anymore and committed suicide (Mynard,
2000). This tragic story highlights the need for further research regarding how
victims of bullying cope.
According to Skiba et al. (2000), almost one-third of elementary students,
and about 10% of secondary students, report being bullied. A study by Atlas and
Pepler (1998), however, found that school personnel commonly underestimate the
extent of school bullying because students believe that no action will be taken if they
report bullying. Individual interventions sometimes bring bullying under control, but
an entire school effort may be necessary, including individual and class
interventions. Discussions and school programs raise the awareness of teachers,
parents, and students of bullying. Additionally, enforced school and classroom
policies against bullying present a clear message that bulling is unacceptable and will
not be tolerated. For bullying prevention to take hold, however, students, parents,

31

and teachers must understand that victimization of by classmates is serious problem
(Elsea & Smith, 1998).
Very few studies have reported on the actual behavioral strategies, usually
based on self or peer report, used by victims of bullying. In a longitudinal study of 5-
to 6-year olds in a U.S. kindergarten, Kockenderfer and Ladd (1997) looked at the
success of different coping strategies. They discovered that telling a teacher and
having a friend help were used more by pupils whose victimization scores decreased
over time. In contrast, fighting back and walking away were used more by pupils
whose victimization scores increased over time. For an older age range, Salmivalli,
Karhunen, and Lagerspetz (1996) found that 12- to 13-year-old Finnish pupils rated
nonchalance as being a more constructive response to bullying than either counter-
aggression or helplessness. Kristensen and Smith (2003), in a study of 10- to 15
year-old Danish pupils, found that the most used coping strategy reported was self-
reliance problem-solving (figuring out a way to deter the bully), followed by
distancing and seeking social support (ignoring the bully and resorting to friendships
for support). The least used strategies were internalizing (dealing with it themselves)
and externalizing (engaging in a verbal or physical argument). Again, such research
has not addressed the coping strategies used by high school students who have had
academic success.
Aggressive and non-aggressive victims respond differently to bullying
behavior. Schwartz et al. (2000) stated that non-aggressive victims may be
submissive in the face of attack and reward their attackers by submitting to extortion

32

of their resources and displaying signs of pain and suffering. They also reported that
aggressive victims (bully/victims) try to counter-attack when they are bullied and
initiate and provoke aggression themselves. Salmivalli et al. (1996) found that both
helplessness and counter-aggression in the case of girl victims and counter-
aggression in the case of boy victims appeared to encourage further bullying.
Cowie, Naylor, Talamelli, Chauhan, and Smith (2002) stated that perhaps due
to fear of retaliation from bullies, as well as shame over peers’ perceptions of them,
many victims do not seek help. Smith and Shu (2000) found that approximately 30%
of bullied pupils in English schools told no one, although more so for boys (40%)
than for girls (20%), although those who had told teachers or parents reported that it
usually helped reduce the bullying. Further evidence regarding whether telling
someone actually helps victims escape from victimization is needed.
Another coping strategy utilized by victims of school bullying is school
bonding. Catalano and Hawkins (1996) defined school bonding as students’
connection to their school and identified bonding to a school as a protective factor
against crime. Widom (2000) found that school bonding was a stronger protective
factor against violence in African American students; among boys, it was linked less
to violence among Caucasian students than to girls. Maguin and Loeber (1996) found
that low commitment to school and low educational aspirations at age 10 did not
predict later violence; however, at ages 14 to 16, these factors increased the risk for
violence. Farrington (1989) found that youth 12 to 14 years old with high truancy

33

rates were more likely as adolescents and adults to engage in violence. Thus, early
intervention is critical to the early prevention of school violence.
Two other coping strategies utilized by bullied victims are approach and
avoidance. Approach strategies tend to be construed as direct attempts to alter
stressful situations. For example, both problem solving and social support seeking
are usually considered approach coping because these strategies require individuals
to cognitively and behaviorally confront their stressors. Kochenderfer-Ladd and
Skinner (2002) proposed that a conceptual distinction be made between problem
solving and social support. They stated that problem solving implies independence of
action (i.e., the child alone decides on a course of action and follows through),
whereas seeking social support involves inclusion of others in the coping process
(i.e., the child turns to others for advice and assistance).
In contrast to approach coping, avoidance strategies do not reflect direct
attempts to stop stressors, but rather to describe ways that individuals manage their
cognitive or emotional reactions (Fields & Prinz, 1997). Crick and Bigbee (1998)
identified three distinct strategies the school-age children use to cope with peer
arguments: (a) cognitive distancing, such as refusing to think about the experience;
(b) internalizing, such as getting angry at oneself for doing something wrong to
deserve the abuse; and (c) externalizing, which entails dealing with negative
emotional reactions by taking them out on others or on objects. Causey and Dubow
found that internalizing coping was associated with increasing children’s anxiety,
whereas externalizing correlated with lower behavioral self-esteem.

34

Cognitive distancing involves coping with negative emotional reactions by
cognitively reframing (“it’s no big deal”) or ignoring (“pretending it didn’t happen”)
stressful events. Causey and Dubow (1992) hypothesized that victimized children
who are able to refocus their attention on more pleasant memories or activities will
be buffered from some negative effects associated with peer harassment.
Internalizing coping refers to strategies that focus emotional reactions inward, such
as worrying or blaming oneself for the stressful event (Causey & Dubow, 1992).
Fields and Prinz (1997) found that internalizing coping (approach strategy) tends to
be associated with negative personal outcomes and that internalizing may be an
appropriate strategy for infrequently victimized children, especially if worrying and
anticipating future bullying attacks motivates them to take action against potential
future attacks. Victimized children who use internalizing coping are expected to be at
greater risk for loneliness and anxiety and may convey signs of weakness and
vulnerability that are socially frowned on by their social group, thus placing them at
increased risk for peer rejection and social problems (Kochenderfer-Ladd & Skinner,
2002).
Externalizing coping refers to the releasing of angry emotions through
venting (Fabes & Eisenberg, 1992). Fabes and Eisenberg hypothesized that boys
would report more frequent use of externalized coping because externalizing is a
more socially acceptable coping mechanism for boys and may even buffer victimized
boys from maladjustment. In contrast, girls are not generally encouraged to
externalize coping. Hodges and Perry (1999) found that antagonistic and coercive

35

strategies by victims are associated with peer rejection in girls peer groups. These
finding suggest that externalizing is not associated with favorable outcomes for girls.
However, it is not entirely inconceivable that externalizing will buffer severely
victimized girls from interpersonal distress if the use of such strategies makes them
feel less emotionally vulnerable (Kochenderfer-Ladd & Skinner, 2002).
A key aim in school anti-bullying interventions is to change the behavior of
children who bully, to offer coping strategies to bullied students to empower them,
and to offer them tools to work with in bullying situations (Cowie & Olafsson,
2000). Peer resource support is another method of coping to which victims of
bullying resort. Peer support systems are already well established in Canada,
Australia, and New Zealand schools as a means of promoting pro-social values and
counteracting bullying behavior. Cowie and Sharp (1996) identified three types of
peer support, which actively target bullying: (a) befriending (making friends with the
bully); (b) conflict resolution (having the situation addressed and resolved by a
trained counselor whereby the victim and bully discuss the problem, come up with
solutions, and agree not to continue with the inappropriate behavior); and (c)
counseling-based approaches (professional counseling for the victim). All three
approaches are available coping strategies to the victim; however, they do not punish
the perpetrator.

36

Age and Coping
Frydenberg and Lewis (1993) found that students in their junior year of high
school used more tension reduction strategies when coping than during any other
high school year. They also were more likely to use self-blame than were younger
students. In contrast, younger students, particularly those in junior high school,
reported use of work and achievement as coping strategies significantly more than
did older students. Broderick and Korteland (2002) found that students in grade 6
were less likely to seek adult help than were students in grades 4 and 5, and the use
of distraction was more likely to be used by students in grade 4 than in grade 6.
Further, junior high school students used more emotion-focused alternatives than did
students in grade 7. In essence, students at different ages use different coping
strategies.
Hunter and Boyle (2004) found that children who reported being bullied used
more wishful thinking and avoidance strategies than did children who reported less
frequent bullying incidences. The use of social support was found to be less in those
children that had been bullied for up to four weeks. The most common response to
being bullied, found by Martin and Gillies (2004), was the use of passive coping
strategies such as ignoring the bully and walking away. Olafsen and Viemero (2000)
found that female victims of indirect bullying were more likely to use self-
destructive strategies, such as cutting themselves or not eating, when coping, as
compared to female victims of direct aggression. Boys also were reportedly more
likely to use aggressive coping strategies, such as confronting the bully and possibly

37

engaging in a fight, if they were a bully/victim than uninvolved boys. No differences
were found, however, when comparing coping strategies of male victims to the
behavior of uninvolved boys (Olafsen & Viemero, 2000).
Summary
The goal of this study was to investigate the coping skills of academically
successful high school students who have been bullied. Identifying these
characteristics may result in earlier interventions that may decrease the incidence of
bullying. To date, research on bullying has been limited by a focus on the
characteristics of individual bullies and their victims. No study has yet investigated
the long-term effects on bullies or their victims and few studies have addressed the
problem of bullying from the victim’s perspective. Additionally, no study has
addressed how academically successful high school students cope with bullying.
Research has shown that addressing the problem of bullying begins with the
gathering of information, but research is lacking in the area of the day-to-day
experiences of academically successful students who experience bullying. In
response to this lack, this study provides important information on the coping
strategies that bullying victims use, particularly, academically successful high school
students. Further, this research hoped to find that not all bullied victims suffer from
poor attendance, low self-esteem, or poor grades. There are victims of bullying who
do well academically and who have learned to cope and adapt to this abuse. The
questions concern whether they utilize their own strategies to cope with the bulling,

38

rely on the help of others, such as parents, teachers, counselors, administrators and
fellow students, or a combination thereof.

39

CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
This study utilized a qualitative methodology, which was considered the most
appropriate for the purposes of the research. Elkholy (2002) stated that the “main
benefit of qualitative research [is] the ability to answer questions that could not be
answered quantifiably” (p. 76). The qualitative paradigm allows interviews to be
flexible and tailored to each individual’s background. The depth of data that can be
obtained through interviews allows the interviewer to obtain even more information
than intended by the researcher. As such, the goal of each interview was to explore
the respondent’s answers beyond their first initial response as a means to probe the
interviewee’s thoughts and feelings.
Spradley (1979) noted that a qualitative approach allows the researcher to
“get inside a subject’s head. A critical component in getting inside a subject’s head is
developing trust between the interviewer and interviewee. Trust facilitates openness,
which Creswell (1994) noted plays a crucial role in terms of the data that are
collected and gathered from interviews.
The specific qualitative strategy used in this study was the phenomenological
approach. Phenomenology captures the essence of everyday human experiences in
terms of a phenomenon (Creswell, 2003) and aims at gaining a deeper understanding
of the nature or meaning of those experiences (Patton, 2002). Through the
phenomenology, the researcher intended to capture the experiences of academically
successful high school victims of bullying and to investigate the coping methods

40

used by them, with the intent of helping other victims of school bullying. Patton
(2002) stated that the intent of such research is to describe a phenomenon through
the senses and lenses of those who experience it.
The following questions guided this study:
1. What is the day-to-day experience of academically successful high school
students who are victims of bullying?
2. How do academically successful high school students cope with bullying?
3. To what extent are the strategies used by these high school students related
to help from others (i.e., teachers, friends or parents) versus modifications of their
own behavior, help from others versus self-help, and intrinsic versus extrinsic
factors?
This chapter presents the methodological design of this study, including
sample selection, research tools, data collection, and data analysis. The principal
source of data was qualitative findings from students’ open-ended individual
interviews. Additionally, GPA and discipline data for these students were derived
from the Edu-Soft program. An interview guide, consisting of 18 questions
(Appendix A), was used for structuring the interviews, ensuring that each respondent
answered the same core questions. The interview questions provided the topics and
subject areas that the interviewer could explore, probe, and question to explain and
clarify the respondent’s thoughts and feelings. According to Patton (2002), “Using
an interview guide helps make interviewing a number of different people more
systematic and comprehensive by delimiting in advance the issues to be explored”

41

(p. 343). Using an interview guide also provides an efficient means for coding and
categorizing interview responses.
Population
The sample consisted of 17 students in Grades 9 to 12 at OHS, one of six
comprehensive high schools within OUHSD, located in Southern California.
Established in 1901, OHS serves more than 3,000 culturally and socio-economically
diverse students. The high school employs one principal, four assistant principals,
five full-time academic counselors, and one guidance counselor for migrant and
English Language Learners (ELL). In addition, OHS employs 128 faculty members,
six campus supervisors, one full-time school resource officer (police officer), one
full-time school nurse, one full-time speech therapist, and one full-time school
psychologist. Figure 1 depicts the difference in the percentage of Hispanic students
enrolled (62%) versus the percentage of Hispanic teachers (12%), as well as the
difference between the percentage of Caucasian students enrolled (23%) and the
percentage of Caucasian teachers (78%).

42

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Students
Teachers
Students 62 23 6 2 3
Teachers 12 78 4 4 2
Hispanic White Black Asian Other

Figure 1. Teacher and student demographics at OHS.
Study Site
OHS offers many opportunities for students to participate in school activities.
A newly renovated performing arts building seats 1,200 for presenting band, choir,
and dance performances. The Associated Student Body (ASB) Program offers the
means for students to demonstrate leadership capabilities. OHS honors the California
Title IX clause by offering as many athletic programs for female students as it does
for male students. Female sports include basketball, cheerleading, cross-country,
soccer, softball, swimming, track, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. Male sports
include baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, swimming, track, volleyball,
water polo, and wrestling.

43

Sample Selection
A recruitment flyer was posted throughout the campus, requesting students to
participate in the study. The criteria included students in grades 9 to 12 who had
maintained an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and who has been bullied. The target
sample was 17 students.
Olweus’ (1973) definition of bullying was provided to the students to
determine its presence: “A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is
exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more
other student” (p. 268). Creswell (2003) stated that the idea behind qualitative
research is to purposefully select participants or sites that will best help the
researcher understand the problem and address the research questions. He further
stated that this does not suggest random sampling or the selection of a large number
of participants, as is typically found in quantitative research. In completing this
study, the IRB process adopted by the University of Southern California was
followed. Because of the age of participants, parental consent forms were obtained
for each participating student (Appendix B).
As students responded to the recruitment flyer, the researcher telephoned
their parents, informing them of their child’s interest in participating in the study, as
well as provided them with information and answer to any questions they may have
had. Once all the names were given to the researcher, he then pre-interviewed each
of the students, informing each one about the study and asking whether each would
like to participate. Parental consent/assent forms were sent home with each student

44

who agreed to participate. Potential participants were instructed to obtain their
parents’ signature and to return the consent form to the researcher; at that time, an
interview date and time were scheduled. Overall, 17 students were chosen by the
researcher, who interviewed each one individually.
Data Collection
Data collection occurred during Fall 2006. As noted above, data were
collected through semi-structured, open-ended individual interviews. It was
estimated that each student interview would require 45 to 60 minutes.
Open-ended questions were chosen because they minimize the imposition of
predetermined responses when gathering data. Open-ended questions also permitted
the researcher to understand each participant’s personal experiences with bullying at
school and to identify the methods they used to cope with bullying. The use of
multiple data sources were used to crosscheck and verify emergent themes, which
provide the basis for triangulation (Patton, 2002). Overall, standardized open-ended
interviews are used for the following three reasons: (a) the instrument is available for
inspection by persons who will use the findings of the study; (b) the interviewer can
be highly focused so that interviewee time is used efficiently; and (c) analysis is
facilitated by making responses easy to find and compare (Patton, 2002).
Interviews were conducted in a quiet room, the assistant principal’s office, at
OHS. To ensure consistency, each participant responded to the same questions as
well to follow-up questions. Each interview was recorded using an audio-cassette

45

recorder. Following each interview, the recording was transcribed and read and the
data were coded.
Data Analysis
Collected data were analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s (1994) framework
for data analysis, which involves data reduction, data display, and conclusion
drawing and verification. During the data reduction stage, data were selected,
focused, simplified, and transformed. Following the transcription of the data, they
were categorized and common themes ere coded and highlighted. The data were
dissected to find deviations in patterns and discrepancies. Once the data were
disaggregated, and common themes were found, a data display was created. The data
display organized the information in a chart. This display facilitated the
understanding of themes, critical paths, and decision points. The information in these
themes was used to answer the research questions and provide insights regarding the
methods that academically successful students use to cope with bullying.

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CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS
This chapter presents the experiences of those students who experienced
bullying at OHS. A total of 17 high school students, ranging from freshmen through
seniors, were interviewed for this study. Of the 17 students, 11 were female and six
male. Four ethnicities, Hispanic, Caucasian, African American, and Asian, were
represented. The interviewees come from various family backgrounds, including
nuclear, blended, and mixed families.
Student Profiles
Genevieve is an 18-year-old female Hispanic graduating senior, with an
overall GPA of 3.58. She was involved in drama and choir. Her mother is an
employee of the school in a counseling capacity. Both her parents are college
graduates, and she has three sisters. She was bullied many times for being
“different.” She was withdrawn, did not feel comfortable around people, and had a
problem with looking people in the eyes. When she made more friends who were
similar to her, the bullying ceased.
Karla is a 15-year-old female Hispanic freshman, with an overall GPA of
3.17. She is involved in MeCHA, which is a club for Hispanic students. Karla has
two brothers and one sister. The bullying that she encountered was both physical and
verbal, and it usually started over someone not liking her. This person would then get
her friends not to like her, and verbal confrontations would ensue. One confrontation
resulted in Karla being punched.

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Sara is an 18-year-old female Caucasian graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.69. Sara lives half the time with her mother and half the time with her
father. She has two half-sisters one from her father and one from her mother. She
was not a victim of direct bullying; however, she has seen a lot of it around her. She
witnessed, many times, students representing different ethnicities making fun of each
other and engaging in name-calling, which often led to physical fighting.
Jason is a 17-year-old male Vietnamese/Mexican junior, with an overall GPA
of 3.44. He has one brother and lived with both parents. His father is Vietnamese and
his mother is Mexican. He did not experience physical bullying; rather he
encountered verbal bullying, such as being made fun of and name-calling.
Julia is an 18-year-old female Hispanic graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.07. Julia lives with her mother and younger brother and sister. Her father is
estranged from them, and she has not seen him in years. She experienced name-
calling and, on two occasions, was challenged to fight.
Cecilia is an 18-year-old female Hispanic graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.45. She lives with her mother and brother. Her father lives in Bakersfield
and her other brother is in jail. The bullying that Cecilia experienced was from her
ex- boyfriend and his friends. Her ex-boyfriend would threaten to beat her up if she
did not go along with what he wanted her to do. At times, he pushed and hit her.
Priscilla is a female 18-year-old Hispanic graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.95. She lives with her biological parents and two brothers. She is the

48

middle child. She was verbally bullied in high school by students who did poorly in
school, as well as those who did well.
Erica is a 17-year-old female Hispanic junior, with an overall GPA of 3.5.
She lives with both her biological parents and has three brothers and one sister. Her
grandparents emigrated from Mexico and settled in Oklahoma. Her parents moved to
California when they were young. Erica encountered bullying on the basketball
court, where girls would make fun of her and throw the ball at her
Bryan is a male 16-year-old Caucasian junior, with an overall GPA of 3.52.
He stated that his home/family life is “a bit complicated.” His parents are divorced
and he lives with his mother and half sister. He also has a stepmother, a stepbrother,
and two stepsisters. The bullying that he experienced involved verbal harassment and
teasing. None of the bullying resulted in anything physical.
Cesar is an 18-year-old male Hispanic graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.76. Cesar lives with his mother and four brothers and is the second oldest
child. His father, with whom he communicates, lives in Mexico. The bullying that he
encountered was verbal, typically derogatory comments directed at his size and poor
English.
Cody is a 16-year-old male Caucasian sophomore special education student,
with an overall GPA of 3.44. Cody lives with both his biological parents and a half-
sister on his father’s side. Cody experienced bullying that involved making fun of his
speech impediment. He was called names and pushed around.

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Richard is an 18-year-old male Japanese graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.21. His parents are divorced and live in Japan. He lives with his
grandparents and has been in the United States for two years. Much of the bullying
occurred when he first arrived here from Japan. The type of bullying that he
encountered was verbal teasing and being challenged to fight.
Amanda is an 18-year-old female Caucasian graduating senior, with an
overall GPA of 3.2. Amanda was adopted at birth and her curiosity drove her to meet
her biological mother at age 16. The bullying that Amanda encountered involved
classmates saying that she was not that smart or rubbing it in when they performed
better than she did on a test.
Ashley is an 18-year-old female Caucasian graduating senior, with an overall
GPA of 3.23. She lives with her biological father, stepmother, and an 8-year-old
stepbrother. Her biological had passed away. She stated that she was bullied during
her freshman and sophomore year by classmates due to the way she dressed—in dark
clothing and black make-up and fingernail polish.
Rebecca is an 18-year-old female African American graduating senior, with
an overall GPA of 3.42. She comes from a family of five, with two parents and two
brothers. Although she stated that she rarely encountered bullying, she did note that
her classmates had made fun of her because of the way she talked, which was with a
thick Southern accent that was much different from the way people in her city spoke.
Aaron is a 14-year-old male Hispanic freshman, with an overall GPA of 3.37.
He has one brother in college, and both of his parents are college graduates. The

50

most extreme bullying he experienced was when a group of kids were trying to take
away his skateboard. A group of three teenagers walked up to him, in front of his
house, and threatened to beat him up and stab him with a knife if he did not give
them his skateboard.
Rosa is an 18-year-old female Hispanic graduating senior with an overall
GPA of 3.4. She is of Mexican/American descent, is a migrant, and has two younger
sisters. Spanish is the primary language in her household; therefore, much of the
bullying she encountered has been as a result of her strong Spanish accent. In one
bullying instance, which led up to a fight, Rosa was harassed by a more powerful
girl, who was out to make a name for herself. She constantly harassed and name-
called Rosa until one day, she physically pushed Rosa, and she had no choice but to
defend herself.
Addressing the Research Questions
Research Question 1
What is the day-to-day experience of academically successful high school
students who are victims of bullying?
All students interviewed stated that the bullying they encountered was mild,
rather than severe. Students were primarily verbally teased. Some students were
physically bumped on their shoulder or lightly shoved. Bryan, for example, was
never physically bullied, just verbally bullied. He stated:
I was usually picked on when I was alone. People would make fun at me
because of my thick Japanese accent. After they would continue harassing me
about the way I spoke, they would then get louder and more angry when I
told them to stop.

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Ashley’s experience was a bit different, resulting in light physical bullying,
specifically, bumping. She stated, “I would get bullied when I was away from my
friends on my way to class. They would get really close to me in the halls and
shoulder bump me. I would get to my classes and be scared.”
None of the interviewed students were bullied when they were with friends.
Unnever (2005) stated, “Bullies prey on victims that isolate themselves from staff
and friends” (p. 161). This statement was confirmed in the interviews. Perpetrators
focused on victims who were isolated. Bryan encountered much more bullying when
he was new at the school and had few friends. As the school year progressed and he
acquired more friends, the bullying lessened. Ashley also never encountered any
bullying when she was with her friends, and the incidents never occurred during
nutrition or lunch. They occurred during passing periods in the absence of her
friends.
Of the 17 students interviewed, only 17.65% came from nuclear families and
82.35% came from blended or mixed families. In some cases, a parent or both
parents lived out of the country. Living arrangements also varied. Some lived with
both their mother and father, one with his grandparents, some with only their mother,
and some with their adopted parents. Socio-economic level also varied. Some of the
students came from well-to-do backgrounds and others from poor backgrounds. They
type of family background appeared to have no relationship to their academic
success or ability to ignore the bullying.
All students stated that they were happy in their family environments and felt

52

supported. Some students had only one parent to go to for support and one student
had only a grandmother. Nevertheless, all felt supported and loved, regardless of the
composition of their family. All interviewees seemed to have some good, if not
many, friends. They indicated that they felt more comfortable talking to a friend
about being bullied rather than to their parents. They felt that a friend would be more
understanding and could better sympathize with them. They felt that their parents
might look down on them and feel that they were weak if they told them that they
were being bullied.
Research Question 2
How do academically successful high school students cope with bullying?
The academically successful high school students in this study stated that they
ignored the bullying they encountered by focusing on the goals they had set for
themselves, which were graduating from high school and going on to college.
Richard stated:
I focus on that I want to go to college. My goal since the sixth grade has been
to go to the United States Air Force Academy so I’ve always tried to get good
grades. So I always thought good grades equals going to college. I don’t care
what everyone else thinks. If they don’t get good grades, if they harass or
bully me, it’s their own fault, and I need to just block them out.

Karla echoed Richard’s sentiments, stating, “The thing is, I just focus on
trying to graduate and trying to keep it cool with everyone. I know this will make my
parents proud which makes me feel really good.” Cesar and Sara also used goals to
ignore the bullying they encountered. Cesar stated, “I always ignore those who’ve
bullied me by thinking of my goals and realizing that they are more important than

53

anybody else.” Sara stated, “I just keep my eyes on my future and on my future
goals. I don’t want to let something that’s happening in the moment ruin my chances
in the future. That would just ruin everything and I would be mad at myself later.”
All were actively involved in school activities or athletics. Amanda indicated
the she always ignored the bullying by staying involved and keeping busy with
playing softball. She stated, “I’ve kind of used that as my little escape because I
know that if I do really well, then I could get a scholarship to college. Then later I’ll
be the one laughing at the bully.” Priscilla expressed similar feelings. She stated:
I used to get picked on and bullied a lot until I became involved in the school.
I started playing sports and stayed active in school. This seemed to be all it
took to get them to stop bugging me. I don’t know if they got tired of me or
they stayed away from me because now I had a lot more friends.

The interviewees all also had an optimistic, positive outlook on school. All
had friends and positive role models in their lives, and all were connected to the
school, either through athletics or activities. Additionally, all students worked hard in
the classroom and completed their homework every night in order to accomplish the
goals they had set for themselves, which was to graduate from high school and go on
to college. Students took a mixture of classes, from standard level to honors and
advanced placement.
Amanda stated:
I ignore them and just do my work because back in the day when I was
picked on a lot, my attitude was [that] I have a main goal and eventually I’ll
prove all the bullies wrong. And they’re going to see me accomplish
something big, and I’ll be really, really happy. So it’s like my main focus that
I’m going to prove all the people that put me down wrong. It’ll make them
think, ‘Look at everything she has and has accomplished, and I put her

54

down.’ I want to shove my accomplishments in their face when I run into
them later on down the road.

The majority of the coping methods these students used involved ignoring or
tuning out the bullying. Rosa focused on her classes and did not care about what
other students said. She stated, “Yes, it hurts me, but I know if I do well in school,
then I can go to college and be successful and I’ll have the last laugh at them. So, I
focus on myself and study.” Julia stated:
I just ignore the bullying and eventually they stop and begin bothering
someone else who will react to it. I start laughing about it and they move on.
here are many times when people just start being mean and I just focus on my
work.

These interviewees tended not to entangle themselves in the bullying process.
They focused on their work and goals, such as completing high school and going to
college. Amanda indicated that what worked for her was her desire to prove the
bullies wrong, stating, “to shove [her] accomplishments in their face later on down
the road.” Most felt that they would get the last laugh in the end when they had
something to show for their hard work and the bully did not; this was a sort of self-
satisfaction.
All of the interviewees were extremely active in their school, whether it was
sports, clubs, or other activities. By involving themselves in school activities, these
students were able to rise above the bullying. There also was a direct relationship
between the number of friends that victims of bullying surrounded themselves with
and the severity of the bullying, as well as their overall outlook on school. The more
friends, the more they enjoyed school and the less they were bullied.

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Carney and Merrell (2001) stated that victims often have few or no friends to
turn to for support. Perhaps this was one key to these students having academic
success in high school. They had friends to turn to for emotional and social support.
Research Question 3
To what extent are the strategies used by these children related to help from
others (i.e., teachers, friends or parents) versus modifications of their own behavior?
All interviewees expected friends, teachers, and administrators to intervene in
any bullying they witnessed. Friends were expected to back the bully off and
intervene immediately. Sara expected her friends to step in and help her out by
saying something like, “That’s inappropriate, you don’t need to be doing that” or
“You don’t need to be fighting.” She also expected the principal or vice principal to
do the same thing because both had the power to suspend and expel. She also hoped
that they would say something like, “That’s completely inappropriate. You’d better
knock it off” or “You don’t need to be fighting or bullying anyone.” She added:
I would expect the principal to step it up and suspend the student and, in
some cases, expel them if they were known as students that had a history of
bullying all the time. I would also expect my friends to help out and to
address the bully. I would expect them to be on my side otherwise they
wouldn’t be a true friend.

Friends were not expected to exhibit hostility to the perpetrator. Amanda
stated:
I’d never tell my parents because there’s not much a parent can do because if
you’re going to get bullied, your going to get bullied and if it’s going to
happen, it’s just going to happen, you know. I would tell my friends, though,
because they understand. Most of the time, they were around me when things
would happen to me, and they would try to help. We actually help each other.
Without a doubt, I would expect that, if one of my teachers saw me being

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bullied or harassed, they would step in and help. I would have the same
expectation of the principal and would also expect him to really get on the
bully and make them feel horrible. I would also expect my friends to step in
and, like, not do anything physically to the person, but step in and let the
person know that if they’re messing with me, my friends are going to step in
and help.

Teachers were expected to intervene by getting the bully to leave the victim
alone. Cesar experienced a teacher stepping in and addressing a situation in which he
was bullied. It made him feel safe that a teacher would step in, in his defense. All
had high expectations of the principal or assistant principal. Jason felt that he would
try to deal with it himself. However, in two situations, he had to go to the assistant
principal and he helped him. He further stated, “I never felt comfortable going to my
parents because I was embarrassed that they would think that I couldn’t take care of
myself.”
All interviewees who expected help from an administrator expected the
administrator to address the bullying aggressively. They also felt that a telephone call
should be made to the parents, as well as a suspension from school and further
notification that, if the bullying continued, the bully would be permanently removed
from school.
Carney and Merrell (2001) stated, “Victims of bullying often have few or no
friends to turn to for emotional support” (p. 379). The students who were interviewed
all had friends to turn to, which made the difference in the success that they achieved
academically. Turning to friends as the number one method used in effectively
coping with the bullying. All students preferred turning to a friend over seeking the
help from a parent, with the exception of Cody. Cody stated, “I decided to tell my

57

parents, and I can’t remember if they helped or not. Actually, they kind of stepped in
by giving me advice. They told me to continue ignoring the people that were
bullying me.” The other students felt uncomfortable involving their parents and
seeking their support. Aaron stated:
No I never would tell my parents because they would think I was a big sissy.
My friends knew and would help me out though. I think if things got really
bad, I would go to a teacher or staff member or something like that. But I
would definitely try to keep it from my parents as long as I could. Teachers
and administrators should always be there for the student and help out when
they see you being bullied. The principal should really help because he is the
highest person at my school. My friends should just hold me back because if I
get into a fight or something, then I’ll get into big trouble. My friends
shouldn’t provoke the situation though.

Cesar stated:
My teachers have stepped in and helped me out at times and I would expect
them to keep doing that if they see someone bothering me. I have never dealt
with the principal before, but I’m pretty sure he’d do the same thing. I don’t
have many friends, but the ones I do have, I’m sure would say, ‘You better
cut it out.’

The majority of the interviewed students stated that they did not seek help or
inform their parents of the bullying that was taking place at school. Most felt
embarrassed or ashamed and that they should deal with it on their own. However,
they did indicate that if the bullying were ever severe to the point that their life could
be in danger, then they would inform their parents. It had not gotten to that point for
any of the interviewees.
One observation noted by the research was that all the students talked about
the bullying in a matter of fact manner. Not one displayed any emotion, such as
choking up, crying, or having a difficult time discussing this topic. All approached

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the interview as if what they encountered with bullying was normal and was
something that everyone goes through. As such, they must learn to deal with it. All
were open with their responses and never had a difficult time answering any of the
interview questions.
Emergent Themes
Based on the interviews, five themes emerged: (a) overall attitudes or feeling
toward school; (b) impact of the bullying on grades; (c) characteristics of bullies; (d)
reasons that bullies bully; and (e) what should happen when a bully is caught. Each
theme is discussed below.
Overall Attitudes or Feelings toward School
All participants viewed school in a positive light. All were actively involved
in their school, whether it was as an athlete, cheerleader, school choir member, or
band or drama club member. Having friends was a major contributing factor to these
students having a positive outlook. Bryan stated, “It’s a good school. Well, first I
didn’t like it that much because it was hard making friends, but then, once I made
friends, I love it now.” Rosa stated that she “liked school, felt safe, and [was]
comfortable.” She further added that she felt that she was getting a good education.
Erica stated, “To be honest, I do love this school. I think it’s a really nice campus. I
could have gone to other schools, but I wanted to come to this school mostly because
I wanted to play basketball here.” Aaron, who came from nine years of parochial
school, stated:
I like the school, especially how it’s pretty open. You can wear the kind of
clothes you want and you don’t have to be restricted to wearing a uniform or

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anything like that. That’s pretty much the reason that I wanted to come here.
I also like the way everything works around here.

In Aaron’s case, the freedom to wear the close he so desired intrigued him the most.
Amanda has enjoyed her entire high school experience for all the above-
mentioned reasons. She was actively involved in school activities and had many
friends that she had met through the activities in which she participated. She stated,
“I love it. Every time anybody asks me, ‘how do you like your school? I’m like, ‘I
love it!’ I’m really happy here.”
Although many of the students maintained a 3.0 grade point average despite
taking a rigorous curriculum, they had a positive experience. Jason stated, “To date, I
like it. I’m actually having a great time even with the strenuous classes that I
currently have.” Richard stated, “I appreciate our school very much. It’s helped me
learn a lot stuff that will help me in the future, and I’ve learned to appreciate the
school.”
Interestingly, all students interviewed had positive experiences in school.
Their valuing of school was defined by the freedom that they experienced, as well as
the number of friends with whom they had surrounded themselves. The more friends
they had, the more fun they had. A major factor in their overcoming bullying was
their involvement with the school. The more involved they were, the easier the
bullying was to ignore. Students who were involved with school activities or
athletics were able to focus on those aspects of school, rather than the bullying.
Their attraction to and enjoyment of school seemed to be based on whether they
were having fun, felt safe, and were actively involved. Despite the bullying these

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students experienced, all felt safe and enjoyed attending school. With the exception
of Bryan, who did not like school until he made friends, all students interviewed had
made the most of it and had a positive experience.
Impact of the Bullying on Grades
The students who participated in this study were very focused on what they
wanted to achieve and how they were going to achieve it. With the exception on one
of the interviewees, Cecilia, none of the bullying had any impact on grades. Priscilla,
Jason, and Richard all were able to maintain their grades and ignore the bullying.
Jason states, “No, no impact on my grades. I tend to focus on my grades as opposed
to my social life and drown myself in my work.” Richard stated, “I don’t think it
affected my grades because I’m in a different environment when I’m in the
classroom than being outside, and most bullying would happen outside during recess
or lunch time.” Priscilla admitted that there were times that her grades did fall.
However, when they did, it was due to slacking off, not the bullying that she
encountered. Priscilla stated, “The bulling never had any impact on my grades. They
pretty much stayed the same, and when they didn’t, it wasn’t because of the bullying,
it was because I slacked off.”
In only once case did the bulling have a temporary effect on a student’s
grades. Cecilia stated that it did affect her grades. However, when she began
ignoring the bullying and began focusing on her grades, they began to rise again.
Pricilla stated that if her grades did go down a bit, it was not due to the bullying;
rather it was her slacking of from her studies. In Amanda’s case, her grades did not

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drop; however, it was a bit more difficult for her to concentrate on her work during
the periods of time that she was being bullied. Students’ ability to focus on getting
good grades was the key factor in their being able to cope with the bullying. Another
key factor was not losing sight of the goal they had set for themselves, which was to
graduate high school and get into college.
Characteristics of Bullies
The characteristics of the bullies the interviewees encountered varied slightly,
but were overall consistent. Most interviewees stated that the bullies were larger,
stronger, temperamental, and got low grades. Some of the interviewees, particularly
Aaron and Jason, felt that most of the bullies were of African American and Hispanic
descent. Aaron stated:
Pretty much the characteristics are the students that don’t get very good
grades and aren’t focused on doing good. ‘Cause I mean if your going to get
in a fight, you’re pretty much going to get suspended and maybe even
expelled. If you’re really focused on doing well and like staying in school
and getting good grades, then you wouldn’t get in a fight and get suspended.
I’ve seen most of the bullies being the Blacks and Mexicans and most of
them only bullied when they were in a large group.

Jason stated:
They seem to all have a bad attitude towards school and life. I don’t mean to
sound mean or anything like that, but they seem to be the dumber students on
campus. I guess they seem to be bigger and large, but some have been the
same size as me, and most of them never had the courage to bully me when
they were all alone. They seemed to wait until their friends were around. I
think it made them feel tougher knowing that their friends were witnessing
them.

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Karla and Amanda did not necessarily feel that the bullies were bigger. Karla
stated:
Anyone—short people, tall people, fat people, and skinny people. They never
pick on people who are as big as them. They just pick on the kids that are
smaller than them and they mostly pick on people when they’re alone with no
friends around. They always seemed to have their friends around though.
Most of them are Latinos. There are some black people though.

Amanda stated, “They come in all different shapes and sizes. Some of them have
been skinny and some really big. It seems to come more from the kids taking
standard or basic level classes. I’ve also seen it coming from all races.” She added:
Not necessarily bigger or stronger, but older. It also seems like the bully
comes from a hard life. Maybe their parents aren’t around much or they have
an older sibling that pushes them around at home or their parents aren’t
always there for them. I also think they’re more academically challenged.

The interviewed students all felt that bullies came in various shapes and sizes.
Carney and Merrell (2001) stated, “The three common myths of why bulling takes
place are: bullies are larger in size, tend to be older and tend to be the lower
functioning students” (p. 371). This myth is supported by the comments of Amanda,
who stated, “Bullies are not bigger or stronger”; bus she did feel that they were older.
However, just about all the interviewed students refuted Carney and Merrell’s
statement because, in their experiences, the bullies were lower functioning students,
who tended to do poorer in school. The general consensus of the interviewees was
that bullies tended to be the low achievers, came from lower socio-economic areas
and problematic households that provided very little social or emotional support, had
poor attitudes towards school and life, and had no goals.

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Hoover, et. al. (1992) stated, “All bullying circumstances involve a person or
group devaluing another to make themselves feel superior” (p. 12) Aaron, Jason, and
Karla’s experiences with bullying reflected this. Aaron was bullied, primarily by
African Americans and Hispanics, and they tended to be in large groups. Jason
indicated that the bullies always seemed to wait until their friends were around
before they began their bullying. He further added that he thought that this made
them appear tougher to their friends. Karla echoed Aaron’s sentiments that most
perpetrators appeared to be African American or Hispanic. She also indicated that
they appeared to bully only when they were in large groups.
Reasons that Bullies Bully
Insecurity, poor family upbringing, and lack of goals or direction in their
lives, were the most predominant reasons given by the interviewees as to why bullies
bully. Erica, Rosa, and Jason cited jealousy and family problems as being the culprit.
Erica felt that the bullies were very insecure and were never taught how to treat other
people. She stated, “They may have had bad family experiences and are mad and try
taking it out on other people.” Rosa also felt that they bully because “they’re jealous
and because they come from bad violent families that don’t give them any love or
affection.” Therefore, they bully to get attention.
Jason stated, “They seem to be intimidated by other people and are dealing
with many family problems, so they decide to vent. I mean, I know I vent on various
other people, but I don’t vent by insulting or bullying them.” Karla also felt that lack
of attention from home contributed to bullies bullying. She added that girls in gangs

64

had picked on her. Karla stated, “I think that they’re just trying to get the attention of
their friends and they probably have a lot of problems in their own families and are
very angry.” She also stated:
This school is interesting because they help you a lot. But they should pay
more attention to the girls that are in the gangs and also who’s in school and
who’s not in school because a lot of them pick on the girls they know they
could beat up, because they have done it to me.

Sara and Amanda felt that bullies bullied those that they found different. Sara
stated, “They seem to bully people who are different from them. Not like race or
anything, more the amount of money. They bully people that have nicer clothes and
things than them. That’s what I’ve seen.” Amanda felt that bullies were too naïve to
understand that all different people come from all different backgrounds. She stated,
“just because they look different or speak different, people get picked on. I think
they’re ignorant and young and haven’t matured yet, and they try to prove to others
‘look how strong and powerful I am.’”
Overall, these were the reasons that they felt that they were being bullied:
1. The bullies felt inadequate and vulnerable.
2. The bullies were insecure and jealous of those that experienced successes.
3. The bullies had bad family experiences, such as suffering from family
neglect or possibly verbal and physical abuse.
4. The bullies were ignorant of others’ backgrounds.
5. The bullies were yearning for attention.
6. The bullies lacked goals and had nothing positive going on in their lives

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Some of the interviewees felt that they were also bullied because they were
vulnerable due to their size or because they did not have many friends. As they
began making more friends, not only did they begin to enjoy attending school, the
bullying seems to diminish or cease.
Perren and Hornung (2005) stated that bullying behavior is associated with
parents’ use of physical discipline and time spent without adult supervision, as well
as poor family function. They also stated that families of bullies can be described by
a lack of warmth or closeness, more negative family function, and a focus on power.
Erica, Rosa, Karla, and Jason expressed similar opinions. Erica felt that bullies came
from bad family experiences. Rosa stated that “bullies come from violent families
that don’t give them any love or affection.” Karla felt that bullies had a lot of
problems in their own families and were very angry people. Jason echoed the
sentiments of the other three by stating, “bullies are dealing with many family
problems.”
What Should Happen When a Bully is Caught
The interviewees’ responses ranged from “nothing should be done to the
bully” to “the bully should face suspension or possible expulsion.” All of the
interviewees, with the exception of one, felt that the perpetrator should be punished.
The severity of the punishment varied. Some felt that parents should be called and
the bully should serve a detention or receive a suspension. Cecilia felt that they
should definitely get in trouble, but it should not be detention because there was no
point in it. She stated, “If they’ve been bullying for a while, it’s not going to make a

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difference to them if they get a detention or a suspension. It’s better to put them in a
program that can work with them for a long time.” She also felt the bullies should be
forced to play a sport for which they can take out their frustrations. Jason, however,
stated, “If it gets really bad, like they beat someone up or something, then they
should get suspended, and if they have had a long history, then expelled. But name
calling, chastising, then their parents should be called.”
Most of the interviewees felt that long-term professional anger management
or counseling would be more appropriate. Pricilla stated, “Many, many sessions of
professional help would be necessary to address the bullying.” Sara saw no point in
doing anything about the bullying. She saw it as wasting an administrator’s time
unless, of course, it was severe to the point that someone got hurt. She stated that
nothing would change the bullying behavior because it was a way of life. Richard
echoed Priscilla’s sentiments by stating, “rehabilitation is the only effective method
of addressing the bullying behavior.” Carney and Merrell (2001) stated,
“Bullies/perpetrators require extensive training in social skills as well as
interventions targeted at reduction of aggressive behavior concurrent with increasing
use of appropriately assertive problem-solving strategies” (p. 371) Finally,
intervention strategies must center around building self-confidence, self-esteem,
forming new healthy peer relationships, and learning to say “no” if they are
uncomfortable in a situation.
Richard felt that rehabilitation and informing parents would be effective in
preventing further bullying behavior. He stated:

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In my opinion, rehabilitation is the only effective way. I believe that certain
bullying needs to be punished differently. In any type of harassment, parents
need to be involved. Detentions and suspensions need to be given, but the
parents need to be told that their kid is a bully and if they don’t stop, they will
be kicked out of school.

Cesar also felt that professional help needed to be obtained in order to address the
inappropriate behavior. He stated, “The bully should be forced to talk with a
counselor or psychologist or something like that. They need many, many sessions
with them.”
Priscilla and Erica had compassion towards the bully and felt that there was a
justifiable reason as to why they bullied. Erica stated:
I just think they need to be talked to because maybe they’re insecure or have
severe family problems, and they just don’t know how to deal with it, so they
take it off on other people and use it as an escape from reality. Yeah, they
should be punished, but not extreme punishment.

Priscilla stated:
They should be talked to see exactly why they do it. Maybe there’s
something wrong with them. Someone needs to find out why they behave that
way and get them some help. I don’t think it’s something can be fixed in one
session. It’ll take many sessions.

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CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION

This study examined the bullying epidemic experienced in schools
throughout the world. Individual student interviews were used to capture the
experiences of students who, despite being bullied, achieved academic success, as
indicated by a GPA of at least 3.0 while in high school. The study sought to answer
the following research questions:
1. What is the day-to-day experience of academically successful high school
students who are victims of bullying?
2. How do academically successful high school students cope with bullying?
3. To what extent are the strategies used by these high school students related
to help from others (i.e., teachers, friends or parents) versus modifications of their
own behavior, help from others versus self-help, and intrinsic versus extrinsic
factors?
Summary of the Study
The problem of bullying continues to receive attention in schools throughout
the world, and many students are potential victims of bullying. Those most in danger
are those individuals that tend to isolate themselves. The literature on bullying
indicates that it can have both short- and long-term affects, both physically and
emotionally (Rigby, 2002). Although much of the research on bullying indicates the
negative effects of bullying on its victims, this study on how successful high school
students cope with being bullied demonstrated that victims of bullying can achieve

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academic success. Those students who, despite being bullied, achieved academic
success, shared certain commonalties. They tended to be connected to the school,
either by participating in athletics or activities. Additionally, they all had friends that
they could count or rely on and goals that they had set for themselves.
The first chapter presented the literature on the extent, types, and effects of
bullying, while the literature review presented research on coping, as related to
bullying. The initial stage of coping is known as appraisal. Lazarus and Folkman
(1984) define appraisals as the cognitive interpretations one makes of a particular
situation. In this early stage of coping, a victim of bullying determines whether he or
she is being bullied and how he or she will react. Following the appraisal is the
coping method. Several coping methods were discussed, including responding to the
bully aggressively, ignoring and focusing on something else, doing nothing, or
reporting the bullying to a teacher or administrator.
The study used a qualitative methodology. According to Elkholy (2002), “the
main benefit of qualitative research [is] the ability to answer questions that could not
be answered quantifiably” (p. 76).” The researcher interviewed 17 students from
grades 9 to 12, using an interview guide consisting of 18 questions. Through these
interviews, each student told his or her own story, revealing his or her experience
with bullying. From the interviews, five themes emerged: (a) overall attitudes or
feeling toward school; (b) impact of the bullying on grades; (c) characteristics of
bullies; (d) reasons that bullies bully; and (e) what should happen when a bully is
caught.

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CONCLUSIONS
In regard to their day-to-day experiences, all students had been directly
bullied, some more severely than had others. Despite the bullying, all students
interviewed had a positive outlook on school and made the best of it. All had a
positive school experience, part of which was due to being surrounded by friends.
The more friends they had, the more positive the experience. Their involvement in
school in general, school activities, and extra-curricular activities assisted greatly
with their being able to block out and ignore the bullying.
Their reactions to the bulling varied slightly. The majority of the victims
spoke of the bullying in a matter of fact manner. They certainly were not traumatized
by bullying, nor did they allow it to interfere with their goals. When the students
were asked whether speaking about the bullying and their experiences bothered
them, they stated “no.” They felt that it was a part of life that everyone experienced,
by some more than others.
In regard to how they coped with bullying, the students indicated a number of
way. However, there seemed to be three common methods: friends, school
involvement, and a combination of focusing and setting goals for themselves. All
coped with the bullying by focusing on other things and did not allow the bullying to
interfere with the goals they had set for themselves. They felt that their school
involvement had a lot to do with the success they experienced. Whether it was
participation in athletics, activities, or a school club or organization, involvement
made school more fun. Their involvement in school activities also paved the way to

71

them making friends. The more friends these victims had the more fun they had in
school, and the easier it was to with stand the bullying.
These students not only had expectations for themselves, but also cared a
great deal about the expectations society had placed on them. They did not want to
disappoint or let their parents down by performing poorly in school. Therefore, they
focused on maintaining their grades, which in turn helped them a great deal in
ignoring the bullying. Their inner drive to do well academically combated the
bullying they encountered.
The defensive strategies these victims of bullying utilized were basic. The
first and most effective was ignoring the bully and focusing on the goal or goals they
had set for themselves. Smith & Shu (2004) stated, “The most used and effective
coping strategy is problem solving, followed by distancing and seeking social
support. The least effective was internalizing” (p. 196). None of the interviewee’s
indicated that they kept the bullying instances to themselves. They all sought support
in either a friend or school employee. On one occasion, support was found in a
parent.
In regard to the extent to which their strategies related to help from others
versus modification of their own behavior, only one of the interviewees stated that he
would tell his parents, but only when the bullying got really bad. He further stated
that he was reluctant to inform his parents because he did not want them to think that
he could not take care of himself. In keeping with this, the other 16 stated that they
would not tell their parents for fear of making them concerned. All the interviewees

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sought support from their friends, if not for help, then for someone to listen to what
they had to say regarding the bullying. They indicated that friends were easier to talk
to and could identify more with their feelings than anyone else could. Only a few
relied on the help of teachers. These students indicated that the times that they
involved their teachers was when a teacher witnessed them being bullied; therefore,
they felt comfortable approaching their teacher with the problem.
A great deal of the literature referred to peer support as playing a major factor
in reducing bullying. Although the students interviewed did not participate in any
formal peer support program sponsored by the school or any supporting institution,
they formed their own peer support program among their friends. The friendships
they fostered were one of the three major factors that helped them in successfully
cope with the bullying.
Implications for Education and Policy
There are a number of implications of this study. The first implication is that
not only do administrators need to provide information to their staff on bullying,
such as what to look for and how to deter it, they also need to inform staff of the
need to encourage students to get involved in school through activities. Both the
perpetrators and victims could benefit from this. Perpetrators would no longer have
time to bully because their attention would be on their activity, and victims would
make more friends and not be so vulnerable to being bullied.
Students that felt part of a group or surrounded themselves with friends
experienced less or no bullying. Family support had no impact on a student’s ability

73

to cope with the bullying. In the case of Pricilla, she refused to involve her parents
because she felt that it was her place to deal with the problem. By dealing with the
bullying on her own, she felt more independent. She did, however, state that, as she
began accumulating more friends, the bullying ceased. She added, “I don’t know if
they got tired of bullying me or they stayed away because I had more friends.” Aaron
also was reluctant to involve his parents for fear that they would perceive him as a
“big sissy.” Jason also felt uncomfortable approaching his parents about the bullying.
He felt, like the others, that would be embarrassing if his parents felt that he could
not take care of the problem himself. Similar to Pricilla, Aaron relied on the support
of his friends and felt that having friends caused the bullying to stop. Bryan had a
difficult time making friends when he first entered high school, but once he began
making friends, everything got better and the bullying decreased.
The second implication is that, despite being bullied students can achieve
academic success if they make a conscience effort to do so, specifically by focusing
on a goal. Brian’s goal since the sixth grade was to attend the United States Air
Force Academy, and his goal helped him to ignore the bullying. Amanda’s goal was
to use softball as a vehicle to be awarded a college scholarship. Ashley focused on
her goals and herself, stating, “You can’t pay attention to them [the bullies] because
all they’ll do is bring you down.”
The third and final implication is that, through student involvement, bullying
can be greatly reduced or illuminated. All of the interviewed students were actively
involved in their school and stated that, through their involvement, they were able to

74

focus on other things. In the case of a few students, the more they became involved,
the less they were bullied. Student involvement can have an overall positive impact
on all schools, particularly those encountering severe bullying.
Recommendations for Future Research
The majority of research available on bullying pertains to its negative impact
on the victims, both, in the short- and long-term. Smith et al. (2004) stated that
victims of bullying often experience anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and
physical and psychosomatic complaints. In extreme cases, they may contemplate or
commit suicide. Further, they may exhibit behavior problems in school. The victims
interviewed for this research showed no signs of any of these effects. Very little
research has been conducted on students who are bullied, but still attain academic
success. The students interviewed for this study all seemed to cope well and to adjust
to the bullying by tuning it out and focusing on other things.
Further research on the bystanders of bullying is necessary. In particular,
research needs to be conducted on interventions to reduce and even curb bullying.
Few intervention programs deal specifically with bystanders or those who witness
the bullying. If more school personnel were provided with information on bullying
and how to reduce and stop it, more would intervene, which would have a positive
effect on the school’s incidence of bullying.
Further research is also needed on the effect of student’s involvement on
school on reducing incidents of bullying. When students were asked why they feel
that bullies bully, most answered by stating that they were bored, wanted attention,

75

or had nothing to look forward to. It may be that schools with high student
involvement in school activities and athletics have a lower incidence of bullying,
harassment, and overall school violence.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Tell me about your family (e.g., number of siblings, blended).

2. How about school? How long have you attended this school? What are your
feelings about our school?

3. How are your grades this year? What is your cumulative grade point average?

4. Sometimes kids pick on each other; sometimes it gets out of hand. For
example, the same kid steals another kid’s lunch money regularly or a group
of kids harasses one person; sometimes that person gets hit or beaten up. Tell
me what you see going on in your school.

5. Have you ever been picked on, harassed, forced to do something against your
will, and/or bullied since you’ve been in school? If yes, tell me what
happened.

6. How often has this happened to you?

7. When did it start?

8. Tell me about the person doing this to you? Is he or she older or younger? Is
he or she bigger/stronger or smaller/weaker?

9. What did you decide to do? How did you react? Did you seek help? From
whom?

10. This kind of thing could happen for a lot of different reasons. What do you
think is the main reason this happened?

11. Sometimes parents step in and sometimes they think the kids should work it
out. What have your parents done?

12. Has the situation had any impact on your grades?

13. What methods have you used to focus on your grades and ignore the
bullying?

14. What do you think should happen to the perpetrators (bullies)?

85

15. Sometimes people at school step in, and it may or may not help. Tell me
about any experiences you’ve had with someone stepping in (what happened,
who was it, what was the result)

16. Sometimes we expect people to step in. What do you expect your teacher to
do if he or she sees something like this happening to you? What about the
principal? And what about your friends?

17. What are some of the characteristics of those who bully at your school?

18. What do your parents think should happen to the perpetrators?

86

APPENDIX B: INFORMED CONSENT
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4038

INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

******************************************************************

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

How Successful High School Students Cope with Bullying:
A Qualitative Study

You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by Robert (Rocky) Q.
Valles Jr., Melora Sundt, Ph.D., and Ron Astor, Ph.D. from the Rossier School of
Education at the University of Southern California because you have been identified
as a student who has been proven to achieve academic success in the classroom, and
we are curious about how you have dealt with situations involving being picked on,
harassed, or bothered by fellow classmates. We believe that your academic success
and strategies you use to cope with students who are bullies may be helpful to other
students. The results of this study will contribute to a doctoral dissertation on “How
Successful High School Students Cope with Bullying.” You were selected as a
possible participant in this study because of the academic success you have had
while in high school, as well as being identified as a student who has successfully
dealt with situations of bullying. A total of 25 subjects will be selected from your
school site to participate. Your participation is voluntary. You should read the
information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand, before
deciding whether to participate

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study is to identify ways high school students with satisfactory
academic performance cope with bullying. By identifying successful coping
strategies, it may be possible to help victims of bullying more effectively.

PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, we would ask you to do the following:

87

Interviews
• Review and sign this Informed Consent document
• Participate in a one-hour interview with the researcher. Questions are aimed
at gaining an understanding of the causes, reactions, and coping methods
used when experiencing school bullying. Interviews will be audio-taped to
provide the researcher a greater degree of accuracy in analyzing your
responses. You may still participate in the study if you choose not to be
audio-taped.
• Review your responses for accuracy following your participation in the
interview with the researcher.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
No potential risks are foreseen. You may feel discomfort in being audio-taped; you
can decline to be audio-taped and still participate in this research study, in which
case the researcher will take written notes.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO SUBJECTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
You will not benefit personally from involvement in this research study.

However, it is hoped that schools, particularly students that experience bullying, will
benefit from the study to help other victims of bullying cope more effectively.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will not receive payment or compensation for participating in this research
study. Your participation is voluntary.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be
identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your
permission or as required by law.

A primary purpose of this study is dissemination to others utilizing a public web-
based compendium. You may agree or disagree to disclose your identity and contact
information so others interested in replicating the practice may seek additional
information from you. The University of Southern California, Center on Educational
Governance will have access to the information that you provide the researcher for
use in the MMACCS compendium.

Audio-tapes will be used as part of the research methods. You have the right to
review and edit your responses. A transcription service will be used to convert audio-
taped responses into written statements. The researcher will securely store tapes for 3
years upon completion of the study. After three years, the audio-tapes will be
destroyed. You may participate in the study without being audio-taped.

88

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, you have
the right to choose that no information will be included that would reveal your
identity and school. Audio-tape recordings of you will be used for educational
purposes and your identity will be protected or disguised if you wish. This option
will be provided for you on the signature page.

Personal information, research data, and related records will be stored by the
researcher in a secure location to prevent unauthorized access. You will be asked to
provide additional consent if additional use of this data is contemplated.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
You can choose whether to be in this study. If you volunteer to be in this study, you
may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. You may also refuse to
answer any questions you do not want to answer and still remain in the study. The
investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which
warrant doing so.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATORS
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact:

Rocky Valles (Researcher)
(805) 278-2901
3400 Gonzales Rd.
Oxnard, CA. 93030
Rvalles@usc.edu

or

Dr. Melora Sundt (Faculty Advisor)
Associate Dean Research
(213) 740-2157
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall, Room 503
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0031
Sundt@usc.edu

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without
penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights, or remedies because of your
participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a
research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for

89

Research, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 306, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1695,
(213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH SUBJECT’S PARENT

I understand the procedures described above, and I understand fully the rights of a
potential subject in a research study involving people as subjects. I agree to have my
son/daughter participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

Name of Parent

Signature of Parent Date

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH SUBJECT

I understand the procedures described above, and I understand fully the rights of a
potential subject in a research study involving people as subjects. My questions have
been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to participate in this study. I have been
given a copy of this form.

□_ I agree to be audio -taped.

□_ I do not agree to be audio -taped.

□_ I agree to allow my personal identity to be used in the study.

□_ I do not agree to allow my personal identity to be used in the study.

__ I agree to allow my personal identity to be used in the MMACCS
compendium.

□_ I do not agree to allow my personal identity to be used in the MMACCS
compendium.

90

Name of Subject

Signature of Subject Date

SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR

I have explained the research to the subject and answered all of his/her questions. I
believe that he/she understands the information described in this document and freely
consents to participate.

Name of Investigator

Signature of Investigator Date

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Recent school shootings have generated an effort to understand why children choose to victimize their peers. A major study found that students who had murdered their classmates had one factor in common: they were chronically bullied. This finding amplifies the need for researchers to more fully understand the cognitive and behavioral attributes of students who are victims of school bullying. Other research has shown that individuals who were bullied were found to have higher levels of depression and poorer self-esteem at the age of 23, despite the fact that, as adults, they were no more harassed or socially isolated than were their peers. Finally, another study found that 8- to 15-year olds considered bullying a big problem, ranking higher than racism, AIDS, and peer pressure to use drugs and alcohol.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Valles, Robert Q., jr. (author)

Core Title How successful high school students cope with bullying: a qualitative study

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 01/29/2007

Defense Date 10/23/2006

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag bullying,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Advisor Astor, Ron Avi (committee chair), Sundt, Melora A. (committee chair), Park, Charles (committee member)

Creator Email Rvalles@ouhsd.k12.ca.us

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m234

Unique identifier UC1107425

Identifier etd-Valles-20070129 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-157735 (legacy record id),usctheses-m234 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Valles-20070129.pdf

Dmrecord 157735

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Valles, Robert Q., jr.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu