Psychological approach is a better way
to resolve school bullying than punishment.
Everyday students go to school and spend half of the day in school. People usually consider it as a place of society or the other home. However, are those schools really safe? School violence has been an issue in Korean society, and now it is also serious. - according to 2014 school bullying research on the actual condition, about 1.3 million cases occurred. There have been a lot of various ways and plans to resolve this problem, but there are no appreciable effects and bullies do not show any changes about their faults. The problem is that people only want to carry out a punishment and do not care anything followed after it. However, most of bullies do not know what are their faults and how to stop violence and delinquency so even though they are punished condignly, there is a growing second conviction rate for juvenile offenders. However, If we approach bully's minds psychologically - not just a punishment and study their causes - focused on "why", we might resolve this problem successfully. 오운홍, doctor of pedagogy , said that “School bullying would not be solved without understanding of mentality.” (강원포럼, 2013) Therefore psychological approaches to bullies is needed.
This graph tells you the real condition of school bullyings in Korea.
Bullies have their own psychological reasons and causes. These are representative adolescents psychological features. They are mentally immature and confused about their identities and influence a lot from their friends. Also, they are showing off a sense of superiority among their friends and change their behaviors or opinions for conforming behavior. (They depend on their friends a lot and strive not to be alienated from their friends.) They lack a sense of empathy.(usually it is developed as they grow) They show many psychological disabilities such as depression. There are lots of regulations about punishments like zero tolerance policy, intensification but they are not considered as successful ways to resolve. In 2013, school violence alternative debate on Assembly was about limitations of punishments. Actually in 2012, one student who was attacked experienced trauma during giving heavy penalties to bully. After reconciliation programs included reflection and apology, he has overcame that shock and trauma. Therefore, we can assure that psychological approach is necessary and important.
Distinctive psychological features of adolescents influence and cause school violence. According to my research, I pick specific features like depression, superiority and lack of empathy and these three things can induce violence. Students who have a depression which is caused by social, physical changes and environments feel gloomy and behave aggressively and sensitively. -according to Research of Seoul National University Hospital, 22% of high school students in Korea have severe depression, which is the highest proportion than ordinary persons and university students. It can be carried over into anti-social behaviors, anxiety disorder and behavioral disturbance. In addition, Adolescents usually want to show off their power by bullying others and dominating. One way to show off their power is to make a group that is threatening. -Actually there are about 464 groups in Korean schools.
Those psychological features are striking in adolescence and although we cannot bag the question that students cause violences entirely by these things but we can sure that they are one of main factors of it. Therefore, we should focus on these things to grasp real causes of bullies and change their attitudes.
Reference
Effects of environments also influence adolescents psychologically and then cause school violence. From the perspective of FAMILY, If parents are aggressive and overcontrol their children, they can assume a defiant attitude. And if parents are be overprotective of their children, they can be self-centered and selfish. When parents have inconsistant child-rearing attitude and are lack of understanding and care, it can affect them poorly. Moreover, the breakdown of a family like divorce can influence adolescents self -formation negatively. For example, proportion of teen-age deviations is increasing hugely. Also, family violence can cause adjustment, behavioral ,nerve and mental disorder.
From the perspective of SOCIETY, how permissive the society is can determine how member of society is exposed to violence. These days, because of development of information and communications, mass media, students can be exposed to unhealthy materials more easily. Also, as commercial viability caused by competition between medias make materials more arousing, it can give students effects more badly and hugely. Harmful environments also can reinforce bad behaviors.
From the perspective of EDUCAITON, students stress out excessive education systems that focus only on college entrance exams. (according to National Statistical Office, their stress recognition rate are 69%.) Lack of chances of avocation and self-improvement make this situation more serious.
This graph shows us Korean students’ stress recognition rate.
Because of these representative environments has a big impact on bullies psychologically, we should apprehend concrete reasons and what causes are behind them with psychological approach to bullies.
Lastly,punishments have no power to resolve school violence. Lots of regulations which are focused on punishments are less effective. (For example, reconciliation programs can make meaningful changes. - 2012 actual case of school violence which i mentioned before.) Actually, as a part of punishment teachers remain history of violence in student record and it is a shattering blow to attacker's life. However, these punishments are unilateral actions and not educations for attackers. Therefore, they do not know what their faults are and get more crooked ,resentful. It can cause another violence cases and they will remain as criminals till they grow up. We should change "punishment" as a "recovery".
Some opponents can argue that attackers can think their faults slightly without punishments and they will cause more bullying because they are not afraid of punishments anymore. However, After reconciliation programs, they can realize how their faults hurt victims and apologize from the bottom of their heart. Also, victims of bullying can overcome trauma and pains more easily because they accepted apology and forgave attackers. Moreover, we should know this is an education. Attackers can know what happened, what went wrong. They should have a chance to look back their behaviors and faults. This psychological approach is giving that chance. Also, after that approach, if the attacker is considered that he/she needs punishments, then they would be punished. We cannot be sure that psychological approach are always effective. However, it is obvious that they need warmer attention and care because there is no attacker who makes troubles without causes and reasons. Development of system and regulations can make this approach more effectively.
According to 2012 school bullying research on the actual condition, 44% of students who experienced bullying have thoughts of suicide and they are suffering severely.To save those students, we should study attackers psychologically and focus on "why" because psychological features of adolescents influence and cause school violence and effects of environments also influence adolescents psychologically and then make school violence. There were limitations of many regulations and punishments. If we do not resolve it properly, the rate of juvenile crimes will be increased further and even the potential for being adult offender also can be higher. Therefore we have to replace punishment-centered solutions with psychological approach to bullies. We should remember that schools should be safe for everyone and attackers are on equal with victims in terms of exposure of violence. This is now or never.
Reference
2014 school bullying research on the actual condition(from January to June)
from http://www.moe.go.kr/main.do
오운홍(2013) ; School violence, there should be protective device for victims.
from http://www.kwnews.co.kr/nview.asp?s=1101&aid=213053100068
Social development of adolescence
from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolescence)
‘Zero tolerance’ should be changed.
http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhnmode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=102&oid=086&aid=0002159149)
ACTUAL CASE OF SCHOOL BULLYING (2014) - reconciliation program.
from http://news.khan.co.kr/kh_news/khan_art_view.html?artid=201201042143365
<정책브리핑> VIOLENCE-FAMILY, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENT
http://www.korea.kr/policy/societyView.do?newsId=148727550&pWise=www2
Influences Of Mass Media.
http://evadamsm.blog.me/50117154798
<청소년 방송기자단> Harmful environments and School bullying.
http://www.tjbc.co.kr/news_gisa/gisa_view.htm?gisa_category=03000000&gisa_idx=252
<OSEN> High school students in Korea has serious lack of sleep.
http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1109785886
찾기 쉬운 생활 법령 정보-학교폭력/
GRAPH-how victims of school bullying suffer from it.
http://oneclick.law.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf? popMenu=ov&csmSeq=635&ccfNo=1&cciNo=1&cnpClsNo=1
National Statistical Office- 'Korea social trend 2013'
http://kostat.go.kr/wnsearch/search.jsp
National Statistical Office- 'Korea social trend 2013'
http://kostat.go.kr/wnsearch/search.jsp
